Description:

McKinley William

William McKinley, Front-Porch Election Pitch to Civil War Veterans

 

2pp printed broadside and companion envelope distributed by the Union Veterans' Patriotic League to rally support for Republican presidential candidate William McKinley (1843-1901) in 1896. In very good condition, with expected paper folds, toning, and a few chipped edges. The publicity materials contain images of McKinley in his Civil War uniform, linking his past military service to his future success as U.S. President.

 

The double-sided newsprint flyer reproduces two of McKinley's front-porch speeches delivered to Ohio Civil War veterans in August 1896. The first speech, delivered to survivors of the 23rd Ohio Volunteers, equated hard currency with national honor. In part: "My comrades you are just as loyal to country now as you were to country then; and as you stood from '61 to '65 for the preservation of the Government of the United States, you stand to-day just as unitedly for the honor of the Government and the preservation of its credit and currency." The second speech, delivered to members of the 104th Ohio Volunteers, talked about hard-fought national reconciliation. "Sectionalism has given place to national spirit, and patriotism has smoothed the asperities of partyism, while the preservation of the national honor constitutes the great aim and purpose of all patriotic American citizens."

 

The envelope, addressed to "Lewis J. Macy, Esq. / Pulaski, N.Y." bears a single 2 cent rose George Washington stamp and is postmarked October 8, 1896 verso. Lewis J. Macy (1848-1926) was a prominent local businessman, fireman, politician, and member of the Sons of Veterans, the organization founded in 1881 to include the offspring of Civil War veterans. Macy eventually became the New York commander of the Sons of Veterans, and participated in reunions and reenactments throughout the 1890s.

 

William McKinley enlisted as a private of the 23rd Ohio Infantry in June 1861. After participating valiantly in Western campaign battles like Antietam, McKinley was promoted to the rank of brevet major. His Civil War service provided McKinley with a large special interest group and potential voting bloc. Veterans Sickles and Dudley formed the Union Veterans' Patriotic League to garner support for McKinley's presidential campaign. The League posited that veterans' benefits would be reduced, and national prestige damaged, if Bryant was elected.

 

McKinley held 300+ informal voter meet-and-greets on the front porch of his Canton, Ohio farmhouse during the summer of 1896. McKinley often welcomed visitors into his home after delivering a brief speech. The fall of 1896, McKinley trounced Bryant by a margin of 600,000 popular votes and almost 100 Electoral College votes.

 

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