Fraud of the Century: Rutherford B. Hayes, Samuel Tilden, and the Stolen Election of 1876

Rating:
Summary: A singular account
Review: This is a wonderful account of a forgotten crises, the election of 1876. This was the election that created the 'Southern Block' of unrepentant deep south governors and ended reconstruction, thus handing power back to the same people who had stood strong in the face of Lincoln in 1859. An amazing story of American politics as it was in the late 1800s. The machinations, the political machines, the 'smoke filled rooms' and the 'gray beards' who were king makers.

This is a riveting, if sometimes disorganized, story of the 'stolen election' in which competing delegations from southern states created a crises that in some ways shows the weakness and towering strength of American democracy. The subsequent election of 1880, covered expertly in 'Dark Horse' which serves as a good companion to this book, was also tumultuous. A wonderful read the opens up the whole theatre that was Americana in the 1870s. The personalities of Grant and others are exposed in this book as well.