Fraud of the Century: The Election of President Hayes

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• published: 24 Jul 2014
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Set in the centennial year of the United States, the 1876 Presidential election was one of the most dynamic and powerful elections in American history. Embroiled in claims of corruption and controversial legality, the contest between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden nearly sparked a civil war among political parties. The older, more politically experienced Tilden, received the popular vote and was known as an intellectual politician. However, it was Hayes, the more practical politician, who eventually took the oath of office, after an exhaustive recount of the electoral vote. The battle for the presidency of 1876 depleted Tilden's personal and political spirit and dampened Hayes' political reputation on both sides of the political aisle. Roy Morris Jr. is a former newspaper reporter and political writer. Morris was founding editor of America's Civil War for 13 years before assuming his current post as editor of Military Heritage in 2004. He has also served as a consultant for the A&E; television network and the History Channel, and edited a three-book series for Purdue University Press on Civil War and post-Civil War history, culture, journalism and literature. Morris is also the author of six well-received books on 19th-Century American history and literature, including: Lighting Out for the Territory, The Long Pursuit, Fraud of the Century, The Better Angel; Ambrose Bierce, and Sheridan. His seventh book, Declaring His Genius, will be published by Harvard University Press in December 2012.