Grover Cleveland: The Last Conservative Democratic President

Since 1897, when Grover Cleveland left office after his second term as President of the United States, eight other Democrats have been elected to the nation's highest office. What differentiates Cleveland from his Democratic successors? He was a "true Conservative." Cleveland advocated limited government, states' rights, frugal economic principles, strict interpretation of the Constitution, sound currency, low taxes, tariff reduction, a balanced budget, the absence of national debt, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. A self-made man, Cleveland believed that if the federal government provided assistance to any particular group, it would foster a state of dependency that would unfairly punish American taxpayers. Cleveland's political ascendency was truly remarkable. In the span of just three years, he was elected, in succession, as the Mayor of Buffalo, Governor of New York, and President of the United States. Decidedly opposed to big government, Cleveland backed his philosophy with action. Opposing what were deemed as unnecessary appropriations by the legislative branches of both local and state governments, Cleveland earned the reputation as the "Veto Mayor" and the "Veto Governor." During his two terms as President, he repeatedly stalemated Congress, vetoing 584 bills; more than the combined total (204 vetoes) of the 21 Chief Executives who preceded him. Amazingly, Congress managed to override only seven of Cleveland's vetoes. Cleveland's two terms as President are marked by a plethora of firsts. He remains the only person in history to win non-consecutive terms to the presidency. The uncertainty about chronicity eventually led Congress to pass a resolution formally designating Cleveland as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Cleveland, Andrew Jackson, and Franklin Roosevelt are the only presidential candidates to win a majority of the popular vote in three consecutive presidential elections (Roosevelt actually won four consecutive races). Like Jackson, Samuel Tilden, and Al Gore, Cleveland had the unfortunate, but historical distinction of winning the popular vote in a presidential election, while finishing second in the Electoral College. Cleveland is the only President of the United States to have actively participated in an execution, while serving as Sheriff of Erie County, New York. To date, Cleveland is the only man ever to be married in the White House. His 21-year-old wife, Frances (27 years his junior and the nation's younge