MAJOR GENERAL NATHANIEL P. BANKS - DOCUMENT SIGNED CIRCA 1893 CO-SIGNED BY: JOHN SHAW, JOHN D. LONG, JOSEPH GRISWOLD, GEORGE W. JOHNSON, EDWARD BRODIE GLASGOW, HENRY A. GOODRICH, PETER SMITH, FRANK COUSINS, GEORGE W. WALKER, JOHN R. BULLARD, JONATHAN A. LANE, EDWARD GLINES, BENJAMIN S. LOVELL, JOHN SIMPKINS - HFSID 283569

MASSACHUSETTS ELECTORAL COLLEGE MEMBERS
Nathaniel P. Banks and all fourteen other prominent Bay State Republicans who cast their Electoral Votes for Benjamin Harrison in 1892 have signed this page
Signatures: "Nathaniel P. Banks", “John D. Long”, "Joseph Griswold", "Geo. W. Johnson", "Edward B. Glasgow", "Henry A. Goodrich", "Peter D. Smith", "Frank Cousins", "Geo. W. Walker", “John Shaw”, “Edward Glines”, “Benj S. Lovell”, "John R. Bullard", "Jonathan A. Lane" and “John Simpkins”. 8x10 lined paper. Titled (unknown hand): "Autographs of the Electoral College of Massachusetts 1893". Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland won the Presidential election of 1892 (277-145), becoming the first man to win non-consecutive Presidential terms, but Massachusetts cast its 15 Electoral Votes for incumbent Republican President Benjamin Harrison. The Bay State's vote was no surprise; it had never delivered its Electors to a Democrat and would not do so until 1936. All Americans were reminded of the Electoral College's importance in 2000, when Democratic nominee Al Gore won more popular votes than Republican George W. Bush, but fell short in the Electoral College. Voters in 1892 were well aware of this possibility, since in two of the previous four Presidential elections, the popular vote-winning Democrat (Tilden in 1876 and Cleveland in 1888) had lost the Electoral Vote tally. The Electoral College, originally conceived as an instrument whereby respected sages would rise above the popular passion and choose a President, ceased to function in that way as early as 1896, when opposing parties began to field rival slates of Electors. Electors are not bound by law to conform to the popular vote in their respective states, but Electors are faithful party loyalists who almost always do so. Most Electors are not top tier politicians, but respected citizens with a history of party activism. Pride of place on the document has been given to Nathaniel Banks (1816-1894), a Union General during the Civil War, was a long time U.S. Representative (four separate tenures between 1852 and 1891), Speaker of the House (1856-1857) and Governor (1858-1861). Banks and fellow signer John D. Long were at-large electors. Other signers include Boston lawyer John Bullard (ca. 1846-1900), Lieutenant Colonel Edward B. Glasgow (1843-1915), and local celebrity nonagenarian and businessman Henry A. Goodrich (1830-1922). The remainder of the signers includes lawyers, judges, and businessmen. Joseph Griswold (ca. 1840-1916) ran a cotton business. Jonathan A. Lane (ca. 1822-1898) was a textile manufacturer who was heavily involved in politics in the Boston area.Other signers include Honorable Peter Smith (1842-1911), George W. Walker (died in 1901), George W. Johnson (1827-1909), Frank Cousins, John Shaw, United States Congressman John Simpkins (1862-1898), Edward Glines (1849-1917), and Benjamin S. Lovell (1844-1900). Horizontal folds. Lightly creased and toned. Otherwise, fine condition.