Lee Robert, E. Lee 1868 Presidential Nominee

[Barrycdog]

Georgia Weekly Telegraph, May 7, 1866 -- page 4

 

[Private Watkins]

Very interesting!! I had never heard about this, thanks for sharing.

 

[Barrycdog]

Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Jun. 14, 1867 -- page 3

 

[Union_Buff]

Another piece of Robert E. Lee's life that I never knew about until now

 

[donna]

Interesting. Something I didn't know either.

 

[kholland]

Never knew this either. I find it interesting that just 13 months after the war which tore the country apart he was considered as a "states rights Democratic candidate". That being one of the main reasons for seceding in that war. That seems to be "pushing the envelope" for Northern voters.

 

[Old Bay]

So I assume he declined. Or was the nomination rescinded? Didn't know this, either.

 

[whitworth]

Lot of people started trying hard to not remember that R.E. Lee surrendered to the U.S. Army at Appomattox. 150 years later, some people are still trying.

 

[Carronade]

So I assume he declined. Or was the nomination rescinded? Didn't know this, either.

There was no formal nomination other than by a few newspapers, so the question of formally declining would not seem to arise. It would be interesting to know if Lee commented on this.

The Register nominated Lee as the "State's Rights Democratic" candidate as opposed to just plain "Democratic"; might that presage a potential split between northern and southern Democrats? In the event, the main Democratic party, convening in New York, sought to end the excesses of Reconstruction. Not surprisingly they did best in the south. Nationwide, their candidate, Horatio Seymour, won 47% of the popular vote.

An election pitting Lee against Grant would have been an interesting scenario.

 

[diane]

It's a wish-it-was article. Radical Republican reconstruction had been installed in place of Johnson's milder version. Lee opposed the radical reforms and supported Seymour in the elections. Lee felt his place was more as a sort of conscience for people - his duty being to help all he could to put things back together and heal hearts. Although he never said so, it seemed a religious endeavor as well.

At any rate, Lee wasn't a citizen. He couldn't run for office, be drafted or anything else. There was a reason the citizenship application got lost!

 

[KansasFreestater]

Never knew this either. I find it interesting that just 13 months after the war which tore the country apart he was considered as a "states rights Democratic candidate". That being one of the main reasons for seceding in that war. That seems to be "pushing the envelope" for Northern voters.

And we all know who the Republican nominee was that year.
YIKES! Woulda been like fighting the Civil War all over again!!!!

 

[KansasFreestater]

Lot of people started trying hard to not remember that R.E. Lee surrendered to the U.S. Army at Appomattox. 150 years later, some people are still trying.

Though I believe his earlier secessionism was odious, there is no doubt that Robert E. Lee was what's commonly called "a class act." I imagine he was more grieved than flattered by any efforts to put him on the ticket.