| 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 Republican convention delegates for president. For vice president the delegates chose Speaker Schuyler Colfax, who was Grant's choice. In Grant's acceptance telegram, a letter to then President of the Republican National Convention Joseph R. Hawley, Grant said "Let us have peace", [1] which captured the imagination of the American people.
As Republicans convened in Chicago in May 1868, Grant had no serious opposition for the nomination; he was nominated unanimously on the first ballot.
| Presidential Ballot | |
| Ballot | 1st |
|---|---|
| Grant | 648 |
Presidential Balloting / 2nd Day of Convention (May 21, 1868)
| Vice Presidential Ballot | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th (Before Shifts) | 5th (After Shifts) | |
| Colfax | 115 | 145 | 165 | 186 | 226 | 541 |
| Wade | 147 | 170 | 178 | 206 | 207 | 38 |
| Fenton | 126 | 144 | 139 | 144 | 139 | 69 |
| Wilson | 119 | 114 | 101 | 87 | 56 | 0 |
| Curtin | 51 | 45 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hamlin | 28 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 0 |
| Speed | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harlan | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Creswell | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pomeroy | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kelley | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Vice Presidential Balloting / 2nd Day of Convention (May 21, 1868)
