By the time of the June 1876 Democratic National Convention , Tilden had emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in the 1876 presidential election . Tilden 's appeal to the national party was based on his reputation for reform and his electoral success in the country 's most populous state . He was also a skilled organizer whose canvassing system and field knowledge was so thorough that , months before the 1874 election , he 'd predicted his own winning margin accurately to within 300 votes . Tilden further bolstered his presidential candidacy through a nationwide newspaper advertising campaign . As many Democrats expected that their party would win the 1876 presidential elections , Tilden faced competition from some of the party 's most prominent leaders , including Thomas F. Bayard , Allen G. Thurman , Thomas A. Hendricks , and General Winfield Scott Hancock
1876 Democratic National Convention
1876 Democratic National Convention
Samuel J. Tilden