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**__Grover Cleveland__**
Birthdate: (Mar.18, 1837-Jun. 24, 1908) Party: Democrat Terms in Office:(1885-1889) (1893-1897) Vice Presidents: Aldai E. Stevenson Thomas Henderson

THESIS: President Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland was an adovocate for liberalism, honesty, patriotism, and independence. He served two consecutive terms in a row. Not everyone agreed with Clevelands actions and others often criticiszed him because of repetitive use of the presidential veto. He used it 584 times, more than any other president. Cleveland also served during he time of the silver vs. gold debates. Democrats disliked him because he did not support free silver and wanted to stay on the gold standard. Strikes were also on the rise and Cleveland had an extremely hard time dealing with them. Labor unions such as the AFL caused major issues. For example the Pullman Strike of 1894 because labor unions were angered by an order to keep the railroads running. The nation endured many significant changes during Clevelands presidency. Overall I would give Cleveland a B- because I felt that although he didn't always yield to what the people wanted he still made good choices which benefited the nation.

"Mugwumps" were some of the first to support Cleveland in the presidential nomination because they believed Blaine was corrupt. They fought for changes in the civil service system and the productivity of the government. The mugwumps were supporters of the democratic party. When Cleveland was declared president in 1884 he had to appoint officers but promised he would not do it under the spoils system. He did not choose people soley based on their party or connections. In 1887 Cleveland created the Interstate Commerce Commission which regulated railroads, eliminated discrimination, and made rates more fair. Also among the bills that Cleveland vetoed were bills for Civil war veterans because many did not recieve pensions. Another major issue was the gold vs silver debate which split western Republicans and southern Democrats. Taxpayers wanted to make payments in silver because it was cheaper but internationally payments were demanded in gold.

Daniel Manning along with Cleveland attempted to lessen the value of silver even more than it already was. The silver within the system would have inflated the currency which is exactly what the westerners and southerners wanted. Richard P. Bland introduced a bill which challenged the gold standard but was defeated. Along with the financial issue of gold and silver came the new protective tarriffs. The tarriffs were meant to bring in extra money for the government. Some believed that high tarrifs would cause American industries to fail. The 1888 election was also affected by protective tarriffs. Cleveland was also not interested in intervening in foreign affairs, imperialism, and expansion but did support a new interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine. He would not promote canal treaties or anything that involved foreign countries but declared American interest in some foreign affairs.

Overall, Cleveland was an effective president that wasn't too imperialistic like the ones before him. He didn't give in to the majority, but followed his own path. Cleveland is feautured on the 1000 dollar bill today. His contributions have affected our nation because if we got off the gold standard our national worth could have decreased. A, B- is an acceptable grade because he increased productivity in the American government and was honest, loyal, and admired by many. SOURCES: 1.) "Grover Cleveland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." //Main Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. . 2.) "Grover Cleveland | The White House." //The White House//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. . 3.) "Grover Cleveland." //POTUS//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. <"Grover Cleveland | The White House." The White House. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. . >.