US Stamp Gallery >> Browse stamps through the history of the United States


Search by subject, description,
content or year


Home

About

See All US Stamps

Add stamps to
your own website


Stamps through:
1847-1850
1851-1875
1876-1900
1901-1925
1926-1950
1951-1975
1976-2000
2001-2024

Grover Cleveland
Date Issued: 1938-11-22
Postage Value: 22 cents

Commemorative issue
Presidential Series
Grover Cleveland

The portrait that served as the basis of this stamp design is taken from a medal furnished by the U.S. Mint.

Grover Cleveland is the only U.S. president to have served non-consecutive terms. He had a rapid rise to the presidency, beginning in 1881 when he won election as mayor of Buffalo, NY. He ran as a reform candidate, and held to his promise by vetoing several proposals by the city council because of their expense. The following year he won the gubernatorial election, and after taking office in 1883 angered some voters by vetoing a bill to reduce fares on New York City elevated railroads to five cents. He continued to be at odds with the New York City Democratic machine, Tammany Hall, even those himself a Democrat.

Cleveland was the Democratic choice against Republic candidate James G. Blaine for the 1884 presidential contest, in an attempt to highlight charges against Blaine for influence peddling. The campaign was marked by mudslinging. Cleveland won by a plurality rather than a majority. During his first term, he bowed to Democratic pressure on patronage, although he had been considered a civil service reformer. He did bring about the repeal of the Tenure of Office Act. In late 1887 he sent Congress a message urging reduction of tariff levels. Tariffs then were the chief source of federal revenue. Congressional leaders, however, were unable to produce a reform bill, and the issue hurt Cleveland's chances for re-election.

He lost to Benjamin Harrison. Cleveland easily won the Democratic nomination in 1892 and defeated Harrison in the general election. On taking office, he was faced with a national crisis: the treasury's gold reserves were dwindling and a national depression was beginning. He was able to secure repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. In foreign affairs, he resisted growing expansionism and withdrew recognition of revolutionaries who had overthrown the native Hawaiian monarchy. He also refused to intervene in Cuba. Late in 1895, he issued a warning to Britain that the United States would not accept intervention in the Venezuela boundary dispute, thus affirming the Morn Doctrine. Britain capitulated and agreed to arbitration.

Topics: Portrait (898)  President (289)  

Back Link to this stamp    Embed this stamp on your website
Browse Stamps through
the history of the United States


African American (267)
Agriculture (65)
Airplane (153)
Animal (601)
Architecture (114)
Art (692)
Asia (1)
Astronomy (11)
Author (159)
Automobile (84)
Baseball (45)
Bird (308)
Boxing (4)
Bridge (32)
Butterflies (34)
Canal (8)
Cats (24)
Children (201)
Christmas (245)
Columbus (31)
Computers (1)
Culture (46)
Dance (34)
Dinosaurs (4)
Dogs (67)
Dolls (23)
Eagle (72)
Entertainment (422)
Explorer (15)
Fish/Fishing (78)
Flag (335)
Flower (496)
Football (40)
Forever Stamp (1023)
Garden (21)
Harry Potter (20)
Hockey (2)
Holocaust (5)
Horse (143)
Industry (13)
Insects (58)
Inventor (39)
Italian Heritage (131)
Landscape (217)
Lighthouses (47)
Lincoln (6)
Lunar New Year (51)
Map (105)
Marine Life (11)
Maritime (5)
Medicine (54)
Military (459)
Movie Industry (180)
Music (192)
Native American (101)
Olympics (123)
Photography (3)
Politics (153)
Portrait (898)
Postal Service (105)
President (287)
Railroad (76)
Red Cross (5)
Religion (56)
Rural (8)
Science/Scientists (129)
Scouting (13)
Ship (185)
Slavery (4)
Soccer (13)
Space (156)
Sport (297)
Stamps on Stamps (26)
Statue of Liberty (26)
Tennis (5)
Trains (1)
Urban (27)
Valentine (4)
Wedding (20)
Wild West (3)
Windmill (7)
Woman (618)
WWII (84)