Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland served as president from 1885 to 1889 and again from 1893 to 1897. A former mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York, he became the first Democrat elected to the presidency after the Civil War. His two nonconsecutive terms combined opposition to corruption and expansive federal spending with a conservative approach to currency and economic policy. ¹

Cleveland questioned territorial acquisitions that he considered inconsistent with American principles or likely to create unnecessary obligations. After the overthrow of Hawaii’s monarchy in 1893, he withdrew an annexation treaty submitted by Benjamin Harrison and investigated American involvement. He sought restoration of Queen Liliʻuokalani, but the effort failed. In other Pacific affairs, his administration participated in international competition over Samoa. ²

His restraint had limits. During the boundary dispute between Venezuela and British Guiana, Cleveland and Secretary of State Richard Olney invoked the Monroe Doctrine and pressed Britain to accept arbitration. The confrontation briefly raised fears of war before negotiations eased the dispute. Cleveland also resisted congressional pressure to recognize the Cuban insurgency against Spain, preferring reform and a negotiated outcome. ²

The Panic of 1893 and the ensuing depression dominated his second term. Cleveland defended the gold standard and secured repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act’s purchasing provisions, alienating many Democrats who favored silver. He used federal troops during the Pullman strike in 1894 and supported tariff reduction with limited success. His administration also strengthened restrictions on Chinese immigration. By 1896, his monetary position had lost control of his own party. ³