A Destiny Made Manifest - Part 13: The Corrupted Years

In 1880, America has not only extended its borders to the Pacific, but to Africa as well. The Congo Territory is firmly under American control, and further plans for colonization on the continent are under way as well.

Under the guidance of Roscoe Conkling, the American Empire will soon reach its zenith.

Soon after Conkling wins his reelection, the King of Warri surrenders at the tip of a bayonet, and signs away his lands. A provisional government is set up with its capital in Warri, administered by the military until a civillian government is put into place.

The 47th Congress is elected and... okay. Seriously. Party loyalty is an insane mechanic. The Republicans get 80%+ of every presidential election, but they manage to barely get a third of the Senate? That's busted and stupid.

I'm a Western superfan so seeing this pop-up made me smile, and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a rad thing, but it wasn't a well-known event until the 1930s. I'll take the 1.225 prestige though!

The military begins to implement more modern steel artillery into armies. This should hopefully help us pack a harder punch in future wars fought against civilized nations (and there will be many).

In the new Benin Territory, the 3rd Army is transformed unto the African Army. Ulysses Fry is sent home to command a more important force, and young General Nathaniel Kimball is given command.

Conkling orders the creation of a new army, intending for this to be the new 3rd.

In the new colony in Benin, the administration present there push American education policies on the native Africans, with moderate success at these attempts to "civilize" them.

Several artifacts have been seized by the African Army in Benin, and have been shipped back to the mainland for display in the Smithsonian. As these totems, works of pottery, and indigenous weaponry are on display for the public to see, many Americans become fascinated with Africa (in a horrifically condescending way, but it's still something).

African Americans across the nation find the American colonization of Africa to be insulting.

Efforts by Secretary of War Alexander Ramsey to justify a war against the nearby nation of Calabar were discovered by nearby Spanish naval officers. Spain, still pissed at America for annexing Cuba and recognizing the Philippines and Puerto Rico, reveals the act to the Great Powers, who condemn American aggression.

Despite the efforts of Europe to dissuade an American invasion of the small city-state of Calabar, the African Army crosses the border in late 1881. Conkling, in his last journal entry (published posthumously), writes that "Europe does not have the guts to stop us."

Just before Christmas, General Crittenden dies and is replaced by Ulysses Fry as the head of the 2nd.

After just a month, American troops have subjugated the people of Calabar. The new city is integrated into the Territory of Benin.

This would be Conkling's last great victory.

On January 11th, 1882, in an outing through Washington, Roscoe Conkling is shot twice in the stomach on the street by an assassin, Jonathan Bates. Bates, an educated and wealthy New York lawyer, had been rejected time and time again for public office in his city thanks to the Stalwart system of spoils. Upon shooting Conkling, he screamed out, "By God, a Half-Breed will be president!" Three days later, Conkling succumbed to his wounds and died. His last words were, reportedly, "Let my empire not die with me."

James Garfield, a reluctant man who no one expected to be of any significance, was sworn in as the 17th President on January 17th, 1882. He quickly reshuffles his cabinet, putting Half-Breeds into power; James G. Blaine is made the Secretary of State.

America, lagging behind a bit in the department of machines, finally begins to adopt the compound steam engine.

President Garfield, finding the policy of ruthless imperialism distasteful, switches his tactics to adopt an approach he felt would lead to compromise between Stalwarts and Half-Breeds. Targeting the Somali Sultanates of Warsangali, Majeerteen, and Geledi, Garfield and Blaine decided to merely influence these nation's governments and attempt to negotiate trading agreements, then later put pressure on these governments to become American protectorates.

While this compromise sounded good to many at first, and works on paper, this proved to be highly ineffective.

Egypt, a nation subjugated time and time again since the reign of Cleopatra, has been invaded by the ruthless and powerful United Kingdom. The goal of the invasion is the annexation of the entire state. Garfield's Half-Breed administration condemns the naked aggression.

With an army stated across the Atlantic Ocean, the American military continues to develop at the logistical level.

Socialists in Maryland ally with local progressives on the issue of temperance.

A new method of developing steel, known as "Martin Steel," helps American industry continue its ascension.

The 48th Congress, assembled in early 1883, showed the continued rise of the Workingmen's Party as they officially passed the (proper) Democratic Party. Despite this, the Democrats maintain their stranglehold on the Senate, while the Republicans hold the House. This leads to legislative stagnation.

In Spain, Communists have risen near Madrid! Ghastly!

America continues to develop better and better metal. We do lots of metal stuff in this part.

In Arizona, at a particularly loud demonstration by American socialists, local businessmen begin to organize a militia to crack down on the demonstrators in a forceful manner. The Flagstaff Incident, as it became known as, was ended when the Workingmen's state governor ordered the Arizona State Militia to protect the demonstrators.

After a previous general's retirement, Eugene Rosencrans is selected as his replacement of the head of the 4th Army. Rosencrans, remembered as one of the most infamous generals in American history to this day, would later make his mark on this nation.

Henri Cartier, a French archaeologist, has made a fascinating discovery in Egypt. The tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen has been unearthed in the Valley of the Kings, filled with lavish decorations and pageantry. The British, who were nearly finished with their conquest of Egypt, attempted to arrest Cartier, but the crafty Frenchman managed to extract most of the most interesting finds back to Paris before he was detained by British colonial officers for theft.

These artifacts can still be found in the Louvre today.

On September 4th, 1883, the New York Times published evidence that many Half-Breed members of Congress - including current Secretary of State James G. Blaine - had attempted to extort votes in the Election of 1876 through bullying, blackmail, and even ballot-stuffing. Blaine and the rest of the offending politicians were exiled from the Republican Party, and Garfield reshuffled nearly his entire cabinet as a result. While President Garfield was not implicated in the report, his association with the Half-Breeds destroyed any chance he had of receiving the nomination in 1884.

This effectively ended the schism of the Republican Party, putting the Stalwarts on top. Despite this, the party suffered; "mugwumps" bolted from the party to the Democrats or the Workingmen. It appeared as though the Republicans would be ruined in the 1884 Election.

In the Dutch East Indies, the volcano Krakatoa explodes, and has great effects on the world. Global temperatures drop a degree Celsius, sunsets were exceptionally red (as seen in "The Scream"), and Southern California received an incredible amount of rainfall from 1883 to 1884. As far away as South Africa, boats rocked from the resulting tsunamis.

The 6th Army is finally assembled, and command is given to Christopher Washington, an old career officer.

The Brits have finished their conquest of Egypt. Africa is turning a disgusting shade of red.

In the Benin Territory, large amounts of natives are upset with the American occupation and protest against American rule. Colonial administrators pray that no formal rebellion takes place.

Finally, we begin to develop basic economic thought. That seems important.

Garfield's efforts in the Somali Sultanates have largely borne fruit thus far. His new Stalwart administration mostly disapproves of his methods, but they bow to his authority.

We get better at metal once again!

After a tumultuous four years, America looks forward to another presidential election. James Garfield, knowing the inevitability of the result, announces in a press conference in April that he would not seek his party's nomination.

The Republicans, largely leaderless, begin to scramble for a nominee.

The Republican National Convention was relatively gutted from the previous nominations, appearing weak for the first time since 1864. While the Republicans had wanted to nominate General Ulysses Fry, but he declined the nomination, stating he had no interest in politics. Early front-runners included Senator Joseph Hawley, Secretary of Treasury John Sherman, and Senator George F. Edmunds. The first few ballots were inconclusive, and journalists indicated "low enthusiasm in the room."

On the second day of the convention, however, 41 year-old Representative Robert Todd Lincoln rose from his chair and delivered the rousing Chicago Address, pleading for a strong national government that would serve the people. The Republicans, he argued, had lost much respect through the scandals of the Half-Breeds, and stated that he believed that an aggressive war policy was the only way forward for the party. He even made vague references to a possible invasion of Mexico. His most famous quote from the speech, of course, was the phrase "progressive at home, aggressive abroad."

While he had intended to finish his speech and endorse the nomination of aged General Jeffrey Chapman, he was shocked when many Congressmen put his name forward. Lincoln, flabbergasted, accepted, and his name was added to the ballot.

After just one more ballot, Robert Todd Lincoln won 76% of the votes in the convention. George F. Edmunds was to be his running mate.

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The Democrats, believing that they could capitalize on the scandals of the Republican Party, nominated Winfield Scott Hancock, an Union general from the Southern Rebellions. An affable man who happened to be named after one of the best presidents in American History, Hancock was a dream candidate for the Democrats, who hoped to win the Freedmen vote in the South while appealing to Northerners by selecting a Union officer.

Governor Grover Cleveland of New York was selected as his running mate.

The Workingmen's Party once again goes with Patrick Ingleson, but doesn't figure to be a major player in the election.

The Workingmen's Party wins another victory with the passage of the Workplace Regulation Act of 1884.

In response to American imperialism, the American Anti-Imperialism League is founded by American socialists. While the imperialist Lincoln argues that the society should be formally denounced by Garfield's administration, the president decides to pretend it doesn't exist.

In New York, Hancock capitalizes on nativism in response to the influx of immigrants from Europe. Lincoln attempts to position himself as the pro-immigrant candidate, but doesn't make much ground.

In a major blow to Garfield's African policy, the Sultanate of Warsangali is invaded and seized by the British. As Warsangali did not call for American aid, the state was crushed. While America continues to influence the rest of the Somali states, support for this policy is quickly vanishing amongst the American people.

In California, Lincoln argues successful for his jingoistic war policy. Despite this, Democratic support in the state remains high.

(I know that Jingoism is a Democratic policy, but I'm RPing)

New York, shaping up to be a battleground state, is the site of many debates. While Lincoln wins arguments based on his fiscal policy, Hancock maintains a hold on the state thanks to Grover Clevelands's popularity there.

From a poll conducted on June 28th, 1884:

"Which candidate would you vote for in the presidential election?

Winfield Scott Hancock: 45.6%

Robert Todd Lincoln: 41.2%

Patrick Ingleson: 13.2%"

In Buffalo, New York, the city responds in a profoundly Democratic way to arguments of trade policy. This is thanks to Grover Cleveland's popularity in the city he was once mayor of.

In Part 3 of Getting Good at Metals, we get better at metals.

In Wisconsin, arguments of religion are brought up in an argument between Ingleson and Hancock. While Ingleson successfully sways the crowd towards a secular idea, Lincoln rallies in Mississippi and Tennessee before crowds of Freedmen, promising them a permanent place in American society through his administration.

We continue to trundle along with economic thought, hoping to catch up to the modern day.

In October, the Workingmen's Party spearheads a bill to introduce small unemployment subsidies to those without jobs. It's a great win for progressives across the nation, regardless of party identification.

Just weeks before the election, tensions in Southern Macedonia lead to a small crisis between Greece and the Ottoman Empire which is quickly averted.

In the days before the election, things truly appear neck and neck. Surprisingly, Lincoln has managed to fare well so far, despite the sinking reputation of his party. His aggressive foreign policy combined with his progressive domestic policy excited many Americans. Meanwhile, Winfield Scott Hancock felt confident that enough Northern states would swing his way that he would win the election.

As the electoral college results roll in, American is shocked to find that Robert Todd Lincoln comfortably won the election. Despite losing key states like New York and Tennessee, he managed to find support of Freedmen in Southern states and completely rolled in the Midwest.

The popular vote trickles in, revealing that Lincoln won by the slimmest of margins - just few thousand votes. Despite this, the first truly dark horse American president in many years has been elected to the White House. Hurrah, President Lincoln!

(I'm completely ignoring the busted ass election numbers that Victoria 2 gives me now.)

Thanks for clicking! Stay tuned to see the presidency of Robert Todd Lincoln!