| 1868 presidential election | |
| Nominees Grant and Colfax | |
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | May 20–21, 1868 |
| City | Chicago, Illinois |
| Venue | Crosby's Opera House |
| Candidates | |
| Presidential nominee | Ulysses S. Grant of Illinois |
| Vice presidential nominee | Schuyler Colfax of Indiana |
The 1868 Republican National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in Crosby's Opera House, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, on May 20 to May 21, 1868. Ulysses S. Grant won the election and became the 18th president of the united states.
Commanding General of the U.S. Army Ulysses S. Grant was the unanimous choice of the Republicans for president. At the convention he was unopposed and chosen by acclamation on the first ballot. For vice president the delegates chose Speaker Schuyler Colfax, who was Grant's choice. In Grant's acceptance telegram he said "Let us have peace", which captured the imagination of the American people.
| Candidate | Born[1] | Office Held | State | Delegates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulysses S. Grant |
April 27, 1822 (age 46) Point Pleasant, Ohio |
6th Commanding General of the United States Army (1864–1869) |
Ohio |
650 |
| Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| Ulysses S. Grant | 650 |
| Vice Presidential Ballot | ||||||
| Ballot | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th Before Shifts | 5th After Shifts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schuyler Colfax | 115 | 145 | 165 | 186 | 226 | 541 |
| Benjamin Wade | 147 | 170 | 178 | 206 | 207 | 38 |
| Reuben E. Fenton | 126 | 144 | 139 | 144 | 139 | 69 |
| Henry Wilson | 119 | 114 | 101 | 87 | 56 | 0 |
| Andrew G. Curtin | 51 | 45 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hannibal Hamlin | 28 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 0 |
| James Speed | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Harlan | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| John A.J. Creswell | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Samuel C. Pomeroy | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| William D. Kelley | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
