Throughout the Victorian period, Britain had no fixed period of elections. Indeed, until the "Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011," the Prime Minister could call an election at any time. In America, conversely, the custom of having a presidential election every four years was built into the Constitution - and the custom of campaigning and "politicking" was built into American society. British magazines struggled to make sense of American political parties and campaign practices, while American magazines wrote about the various political ills that one party or the other felt should be reformed. In that regard, not so much has changed since Victorian times!

The Presidential Election in America: Honest Old Abe (Leisure Hour, 1860)

The Puzzles of Party in the United States (Leisure Hour, 1860)

How the President is Elected (Leisure Hour, 1868)

An effort to explain the American political process to a British audience.

Legislative Humor, by the Hon. S.S. Cox (Harper's Monthly, 1875B, 1876A)

"...'Legislative Humors' are meant to comprehend not alone the collective idiosyncrasy of the legislative body, but the peculiar fancies, fun, wit, and manners which obtain with the individual members of the body." This article looks at humor amongst British and American politicians.

Nominating the President (Harper's Monthly, 1876B)

The Lobby: Its Cause and Cure, by Arthur D. Sedgwick (Atlantic Monthly, 1878)

A Journey to a Political Convention (Scribners, 1879A)

The Dangers of an Office-Holding Aristocracy, by E.L. Godkin (Century Magazine, 1882B)

On the issues of permanent tenure in political offices.

Our Nominating Machines, by George Walton Green (Atlantic Monthly, 1883)

The Next Presidency, by Wayne McVeagh (Century Magazine, 1884A)

Predictions on how the forthcoming election would evolve.

The Use and Abuse of [Political] Parties, by Washington Gladden (Century Magazine, 1884B)

According to the author, the purity of government depends upon the purity of the parties, which cannot be maintained if parties are managed by professional politicians.

Work for a Constitutional Convention, by Isaac L. Rice (Century Magazine, 1884B)

How Shall We Elect Our Presidents? by George Ticknor Curtis (Century Magazine, 1885A)

What Shall Be Done with Our Ex-Presidents? (Century Magazine, 1885B)

The American Office-Seeker (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1886)

The New Political Generation, by Edward P. Clark (Century Magazine, 1888B)

"The Union has been reconstructed upon an enduring basis; now the Government itself is to be reconstructed. The slavery of human bondage has been abolished ; the servitude of the spoils system is now to be done away with. This is the work of the new political generation, and there is happily abundant evidence that it will prove equal to the task."

Presidents and President-Making (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889)

The Merit System vs. the Patronage System [of Politics], by Theodore Roosevelt (Century Magazine, 1890A)

The First Presidential Election Under Ballot Reform (Century Magazine, 1892A)

The election of 1892 would be the first in the US to be handled by secret ballot.

Money in Practical Politics, by Jeremiah W. Jenks (Century Magazine, 1892B)

The Hayes-Tilden Electoral Commission, by James Monroe (Atlantic Monthly, 1893)

Voting by Machine (Century Magazine, 1894A)

The new ballot system of using a voting machine!

"The Price of Peace," by Joseph B. Bishop (Century Magazine, 1894B)

On the evils of lobbying.

Fun on the Stump, by Edward J. McDermott (Century Magazine, 1895B)

Subtitled "Humors of political campaigning in Kentucky."

What is the Referendum? (Century Magazine, 1895A)

An explanation of how a referendum works.

Campaign Buttons, by George Dollar (The Strand, 1896B)

The Issues of 1896, by Theodore Roosevelt and William E. Russell (Century Magazine, 1896A)

A look at the state of the US from Republican (Roosevelt) and Democratic (Russell) viewpoints.

Humor and Pathos of Presidential Conventions, by Joseph B. Bishop (Century Magazine, 1896B)

This Country of Ours, by Hon. Benjamin Harrison (Ladies Home Journal, 1896)

A series providing a detailed explanation of the American political system, by former president Harrison.

Inauguration Scenes and Incidents, by Joseph B. Bishop (Century Magazine, 1897A)

See also

• American Government

• Political Issues, Concerns & Controversies