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The Greenback Party In Maine, 1876-1884, Everett L. Meader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Greenback party was the strongest third party movement to make its appearance in Maine during the half-century following the Civil War. The party was founded on debtors demand for an inflated currency during the hard times caused by the Panic of 1873.

The heavy taxation policy necessary to liquidate Maine’s large Civil War debt proved most burdensome to the farmers and other holders of real estate and led many of the agrarians to throw in their political lot with the new party. Many Republicans also joined their ranks when they became disaffected with, the machinations of the Grant and …