Brown resigned from the Senate in 1867 but helped found the Liberal Republican Party in 1870 . The party chose Brown as its nominee for governor , and he defeated incumbent Republican Governor Joseph W. McClurg . Brown sought the new party 's 1872 presidential nomination but was defeated by Horace Greeley . After the nomination of Greeley , the 1872 Liberal Republican convention chose Brown as the party 's vice presidential nominee . Seeking to avoid splitting the vote of opponents to President Ulysses S. Grant 's re-election , the 1872 Democratic National Convention subsequently nominated the Liberal Republican ticket . The Republican ticket nonetheless triumphed in the election , as Grant won 55.6 % of the popular vote and a majority of the electoral vote . Greeley died after the election but before the electors officially cast their votes , and Brown received some of Greeley 's electoral votes . After the election , Gratz returned to his law practice and affiliated with the Democratic Party
1872 Democratic National Convention
1872 Democratic National Convention
Benjamin Gratz Brown