Hayes-Tilden standoff

By 1876, federal troops had been withdrawn from all but three southern states- South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana . The Democrats had returned to power in all ex-confederate states except these. This fact would play a key role in the presedential election of 1876. The republicans nominated Rutherford B. Hayes and the Democrats chose New York's reform governor , Samuel J. Tilden. When the popular voted were counted , the democrats had won a clear majority and expected Tilded to be put in the white house. In three southern states , however, the returns were contested. To win the election , Tilden needed one more electoral vote from either South Carolina, Florida, or Louisiana. A special electoral commission was created to determine who was entitled to the disputed votes of the three states. In the party vote all of the electoral votes were given to Hayes, the republican. Outraged democrats threatened to filibuster the results and send the election to the house of rep. , which they controlled.