Alternate US History (1788 onwards)

[West_Midlander]

Democratic Primary Results, 1884✔ W. Sherman: 34.3% (experiences a late surge by Primary Day and overtakes Blaine)
Blaine: 30.7%
Edmunds: 13.9%
Harrison: 9%
Hawley: 6.6% (dark orange)
W. Sherman: 5.5%  (peach/light orange)
%s should be accurate. Heads up for strange ones: KY, NY, OH are in 20-29% range. IN is 40-49%. OH is 30-39%. RI is 50-59%.

Blaine's mostly populist/Western coalition falls short of Gen. Sherman's mostly Southern coalition (which is put over the top my his brother's delegates + NY). Harrison, Hawley and William Sherman win their home states, only. Fmr. Pres. Sherman barely bests his brother in their home state of Ohio. Edmunds wins a landslide in his home state of Vermont and picks up neighboring New Hampshire, in addition to Rhode Island and New Jersey.

[West_Midlander]

United States Presidential Election, 1884

In a close race, William Tecumseh Sherman is elected President of the United States, against the popular vote.

[West_Midlander]

6 November, 1884: President-elect William Tecumseh Sherman is shot giving his victory speech. The armed crowd executes the assassin, a Randall supporter, who viewed that the election had been "stolen" from Randall, who had won the popular vote.
The former general was shot at close range and dies instantly.
10 November, 1884: Congress passes a massively popular Constitutional amendment, which is subsequently signed by President Horatio Seymour. This amendment (is the RL 20th amendment)
 reduces the post-election period before inauguration, making Presidential and Vice Presidential inaugurations January 20th. The amendment also states that if a Presidential candidate dies before inauguration but after being elected, their Vice Presidential nominee will become President-elect.
Many wanted Seymour to call for another election, in the hopes that Randall would win against Former President Sherman. The outgoing President, Horatio Seymour, viewed it as more fair to pass this amendment.

Former President John Sherman is President-elect of the United States.

[West_Midlander]

*Fixed now! I had mislabeled the Republican National Convention in Charleston, SC as the "Democratic" National Convention.
https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=263361.msg5757940#msg5757940

[West_Midlander]

United States House of Representatives election, 1884
138 Democrats (+19) — led by John Smythe Richardson (Speaker)
113 Republicans (+1) — led by Joseph Warren Keifer
22 Greenbacks (-20) — led by James Baird Weaver
The Democrats have a majority (138/137 needed). As a result, the Democrats have the Speakership and the Deputy Speakership. Campbell P. Berry is elected Deputy Speaker to appease Western Democrats.
United States Senate election, 1884
40 Republicans (+6)
36 Democrats (+4)
(0 Greenbacks) (-10)

January 20th, 1885: "I, John Sherman, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God."

There was no Vice President-elect after John Sherman became President-elect. As such the Vice Presidency will be vacant until John Sherman appoints someone to be Vice President, who is subsequently approved by the Senate.

January 23: Sen. Joseph Hawley (R-CT) is nominated to be Vice President.
January 24: The Senate approves Hawley, 73-2 with one absent.
January 28: I, Joseph Roswell Hawley, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

[West_Midlander]

John Sherman's 2nd Cabinet
President Sherman nominates a very bipartisan cabinet in an attempt to heal the nation after the assasination of his brother, President-elect George Tecumseh Sherman.

Secretary of State
Sen. George Franklin Edmunds (R-VT) — confirmed 75-0; Edmunds abstained the vote on himself

Secretary of the Treasury
Samuel Jackson Randall (D-PA) — confirmed 70-6

Secretary of War
Sen. Benjamin Harrison (R-IN) — confirmed 76-0

Attorney General
Fmr. Amb. (Isaac) Wayne MacVeagh (R-PA) — confirmed 66-10

Postmaster General
Fmr. Gov. John St. John (P-KS) — confirmed 42-34

Secretary of the Navy
Fmr. Sen. James Gillespie Blaine (R-ME) — confirmed 49-15 with two abstaining

Secretary of the Interior
Rep. Richard Parks Bland (D-MO) — confirmed 39-38; VP breaks the tie in favor
26 February: "I, Richard Parks Bland, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

With that, the President's cabinet is fully confirmed by the close of February.

[West_Midlander]

I notice this thread has 1883 views. It will soon be 1885 to match the year in the timeline.

[West_Midlander]

The Democrats, 1888

February 2, 1888: Gov. Simon Bolivar Buckner of Kentucky throws his hat into the ring. The former Confederate general is the first Democrat to announce. Buckner hopes to the Southern option for President.

February 8: Sec. Richard Parks Bland decides to run for President. He intends to solidify the populist and Western wings of the party. The Secretary of the Interior announces his candidacy in Washington, D.C. where he resides after becoming a cabinet member.

1 March: Fmr. Gov. Grover Cleveland (D-NY) enters the race to represent Northern Democrats.

[West_Midlander]

April 6-9, 1888: Republican National Convention — San Francisco, CA
President John Sherman is unopposed for the Republican nomination. The national primaries are called off and the President is renominated. He chooses San Francisco for the party convention in order to appeal to the Western states.

from library.stanford.edu
The streets of San Francisco
The Republican nominees are
President John Sherman (R-PA) and Fmr. Amb. Levi Parsons Morton (R-NY)

[West_Midlander]

May 5-8, 1888: Democratic National Convention ? Chicago, IL
Buckner defeats Cleveland in a major upset. The Southern Governor picks another Southern Governor as his running mate.

The Democratic nominees are
Gov. Simon Bolivar Buckner (D-KY) and Gov. Wade Hampton III (D-SC)

[West_Midlander]

May 8-10, 1888: Greenback National Convention — San Francisco, CA
James Weaver is unopposed in the primaries and sweeps the Greenback primaries.

from theclio.com
A manor rented by the Greenbacks for their convention
The Greenback nominees are
Rep. James Weaver (GB-IA) and Fmr. Rep. George Washington Jones (GB-TX)

[West_Midlander]

May 31-June 2, 1888: Prohibition Party Convention — Philadelphia, PA
The Prohibitionists unanimously nominate Gen. Fisk for president.

The Prohibition nominees are
Gen. Clinton Bowen Fisk (P-NY) and Dr. John Anderson Brooks (P-KY)

[West_Midlander]

After lobbying from New England states, Sherman decides to keep the eastern annexations (from the war of 1812) as federal territory, instead of appropriating it to the states.

Baja California remains a US territory under the legal jurisdiction of the state of California.

[West_Midlander]

United States Presidential election, 1888

The popular President John Sherman has proved to be an effective and uniting leader. He is re-elected (for the second time). This will be Sherman's third presidential term.

[West_Midlander]

The outgoing Congress
The US House of Representatives (elected 1886)
Republicans: 179 (+66)
Democrats: 152 (+14)
Greenback(s): 1* (-21)
House seats are added this session.

The one Greenback elected switches to Independent and caucuses with the Republicans. The Republican caucus has 180 members after this occurs.
The US Senate (elected 1886)
Republicans: 39 (-1)
Democrats: 35 (-1)
Greenbacks: 2 (+2)

[West_Midlander]

The incoming Congress
The US House of Representatives (elected 1888)
Republicans: 206 (+27)
Democrats: 126 (-26)
Greenback(s): 0 (-1)
The US Senate (elected 1888)
Republicans: 45 (+6)
Democrats: 31 (-4)
Greenbacks: 0 (-2)

[West_Midlander]

John Sherman's 3rd Cabinet

Secretary of State
Sec. George Franklin Edmunds (R-VT) — confirmed 69-7

Secretary of the Treasury
Fmr. Rep. Charles William Foster, Jr. (R-OH) — confirmed 50-26

Secretary of War
Sec. Benjamin Harrison (R-IN) — confirmed 60-16

Attorney General
Sec. (Isaac) Wayne MacVeagh (R-PA) — confirmed 56-20

Postmaster General
Mr. John Wanamaker (R-PA) — confirmed 56-9

Secretary of the Navy
Fmr. State Rep. Benjamin Franklin Tracy (R-NY) — confirmed 50-15

Secretary of the Interior
Sec. Richard Parks Bland (D-MO) — confirmed 45-30 (1 abstention)

Secretary of Agriculture
Rep. Jeremiah McLain Rusk (R-WI) — confirmed 60-5
Sherman keeps most cabinet secretaries. Edmunds, McVeigh, and Harrison had done well the previous term.
Bland is renominated to keep Western populists happy. Foster, Jr. is nominated to replace Randall who Sherman viewed as too much of a power player in the Democratic party to remain in his cabinet.
Rusk is appointed to lead the newly created 'agriculture department.' Blaine proved ineffective in leading the Department of the Navy as a non-veteran. He is passed up for renomination.
Sec. St. John is passed up for renomination in favor of a Republican merchant, Mr. Benjamin Tracey of Pennsylvania.

[West_Midlander]

Woah. This thread now has 2017 views to match the current year.

Thanks for reading, y'all! More to come!

[West_Midlander]

Thought I'd type up what the Supreme Court looks like.
The Jay Court (1789-1795)
1. Acting Secretary of State John Jay (F-NY)* (1789-1795)
2. Gov. John Rutledge (F-SC) (1789-1791)
3. MA SC Chief Justice William Cushing (F-MA) (1789-1810)
4. Delegate to the Constitutional Convention James Wilson (F-PA) (1789-1798)
5. Fmr. Acting Royal Governor John Blair Jr. (F-VA) (1789-1795)
6. Mr. James Iredell (F-NC) (1790-1799)
7. Replacing Rutledge (resigned) — Fmr. Gov. Thomas Johnson (F-MD) (1792-1793)
8. Replacing Johnson (resigned) — Gov. William Patterson (F-NJ) (1793-1802)
*denotes Chief Justice
The first 5 are nominated by Benjamin Franklin and approved by the Senate by acclamation. Iredell is nominated by Samuel Adams (DR), despite being a Federalist, as a Democratic-Republican nominee wouldn't pass the Federalist majority in the Senate.
Johnson is appointed by Adams, as well. Patterson is appointed by Washington on day one of his presidency.

[West_Midlander]

The Rutledge Court (1795-1795)
3. MA SC Chief Justice William Cushing (F-MA) (1789-1810)
4. Delegate to the Constitutional Convention James Wilson (F-PA) (1789-1798)
5. Fmr. Acting Royal Governor John Blair Jr. (F-VA) (1789-1795)
6. Mr. James Iredell (F-NC) (1790-1799)
8. Gov. William Patterson (F-NJ) (1793-1802)
2. Replacing Jay (resigned) — Fmr. Asoc. Justice John Rutledge (F-SC)* (1795-1795)
*denotes Chief Justice
Washington nominates Rutledge to be Chief Justice during a congressional recess. Rutledge becomes Acting Chief Justice and is voted down 10-14 once the Senate comes back into session.

[West_Midlander]

No Chief Justice (1795-1796)
The Ellsworth Court (1796-1800)
3. MA SC Chief Justice William Cushing (F-MA) (1789-1810)
4. Delegate to the Constitutional Convention James Wilson (F-PA) (1789-1798)
6. Mr. James Iredell (F-NC) (1790-1799)
8. Gov. William Patterson (F-NJ) (1793-1802)
9. Replacing Jay (resigned) — Delegate to the Constitutional Convention Samuel Chase (F-MD) (1796-1811)
10. Replacing Blair (resigned) — Sen. Oliver Ellsworth (F-CT)* (1796-1800)
11. Replacing Wilson (died) — Fmr. Member of the VA House of Delegates Bushrod Washington (F-VA)
 (1798-1829)
12. Replacing Iredell (died) — Fmr. NC A.G. Alfred Moore (F-NC) (1800-1804)
*denotes Chief Justice
Rutledge is removed from the court (officially resigns) due to being voted down by the Senate. John Blair resigns from the court. Washington nominates Jay and Blair. Jay is approved by acclamation, Ellsworth is approved 21-1.
Bushrod Washington is approved by acclamation. George Washington nominated Alfred Moore (approved by acclamation) a few days before his [George Washington's] death.

[West_Midlander]

The Marshall Court (1800-1835)
3. MA SC Chief Justice William Cushing (F-MA) (1789-1810)
8. Gov. William Patterson (F-NJ) (1793-1802)
9. Delegate to the Constitutional Convention Samuel Chase (F-MD) (1796-1811)
11. Fmr. Member of the VA House of Delegates Bushrod Washington (F-VA) (1798-1829)
12. Fmr. NC A.G. Alfred Moore (F-NC) (1800-1804)
13. Replacing Ellsworth (resigned) — SoS John Marshall (F-VA)* (1800-1835)
14. Replacing Moore (resigned) — Speaker of the SC House William Johnson (DR-SC) (1804-1834)
15. Replacing Patterson (resigned) — Justice on NY Court of Appeals Henry Brockholst Livingston (DR-NY) (1802-1823)
16. New seat — Amb. John Adams (F-MA) (1807-1826)
17. Replacing Cushing (died) — Chief Justice of KY Court of Appeals Thomas Todd (DR-KY) (1807-1826)
18. Replacing Chase (died) — Fmr. Rep. Gabriel Duvall (DR-MD) (1811-1844)
19. Replacing Washington (resigned) — Fmr. Rep. Joseph Story (DR-MA) (1811-1845)
20. Replacing Livingston (died) — Sec. Smith Thompson (DR-NY) (1823-1843)
21. Replacing Todd (died) — US Federal Judge John Boyle (I-VA) (1826-1835)
22. Replacing Adams — Sec. John McLean (DR-OH) (1826-1861)
23. Replacing Johnson (died) — Rep. James Wayne (D-GA) (1836-1867)
24. Replacing Boyle (died) — Fmr. Rep. Henry Baldwin (D-PA) (1836-1844)
*denotes Chief Justice
Jefferson nominates Marshall in honor of George Washington (it's still "his" term). Marshall is confirmed by acclamation.
Johnson is nominated and confirmed by acclamation.
Adams is appointed by President Henry Lee III and approved by acclamation.
1810: Cushing dies. Thomas Todd replaces him on the court.
1811: Chase dies. Gabriel Duvall is approved by the Senate 18-17, with the Vice President breaking the tie.
1814: Washington resigns. Joseph Story is approved by acclamation to replace him.
Smith Thompson replaces Livingston on the court after his death.
Boyle replaces Todd when he dies.
Jackson nominates the popular Secretary, McLean, to the SCOTUS.
Andrew Jackson nominates Wayne and Baldwin to the Supreme Court.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Nobody had any qualms about Washington nominating his nephew?

[West_Midlander]

Nobody had any qualms about Washington nominating his nephew?

Thanks for the question
I think given Washington's popularity and Assoc. Justice Washington's experience the potential nepotism of the appointment is able to be overlooked by Senators.

[West_Midlander]

(A tangent from listing SCOTUS justices)
Western Canada is not settled as early as in OTL. The boundaries of the Western portions of the country remain unsure.
1888: The United States settles Graham Island off the coast of (British) Columbia. The US also settles the small islands hugging the mainland of the (British) Columbia coast across the Strait of Georgia/Salish Sea from Victoria Island.