Grover Cleveland, the only U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms (1885-1889 and 1893-1897) besides Donald Trump, remains one of the most underappreciated defenders of the Constitution and limited government. A Democrat who rejected the rising tide of federal intervention, Cleveland upheld the principle that public office exists to serve — not rule — the people. His words and actions reveal a deep commitment to individual liberty, moral governance, and constitutional restraint.
Cleveland rightly understood that a free government depends on an informed and virtuous citizenry. At a reception to the Evangelical Alliance in December 1887, he declared, “The success of a government by the people depends upon the morality, the justice and the honesty of the people.” He believed that civic virtue was essential to self-government — a principle nearly forgotten today.
In contrast, many Americans now lack even a basic understanding of how their government operates — a crisis exacerbated by government-run schools that emphasize ideology over civic literacy. To preserve liberty, citizens must become informed, seek the truth, and take personal responsibility for educating others.
Cleveland viewed public officials as accountable servants, not ruling elites. “Officeholders are the agents of the people, not their masters,” he said. This principle stands in stark contrast to today’s bureaucratic state, where elected officials routinely expand federal power while claiming to act more “efficiently” or “compassionately.”
Cleveland’s commitment to constitutional government reminds us that electing principled leaders requires holding them accountable to their oath — not their party. Organizations such as The John Birch Society provide essential tools to help citizens monitor their representatives and restore constitutional governance.
Perhaps Cleveland’s most famous constitutional stand was his veto of the 1887 Texas Seed Bill, which would have provided federal aid to drought-stricken farmers. In his veto message, he explained:
I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit.
He further affirmed, “Though the people support the government; the government should not support the people.” To Cleveland, federal charity not only was unconstitutional, but weakened personal responsibility and fostered dependence on government.
His insight has proven prophetic. Today, more than 80 percent of federal spending is unconstitutional, funding programs such as student loan “forgiveness,” green-energy subsidies, and government grocery stores in so-called food deserts. Rather than fostering self-reliance, these initiatives promote long-term dependency and distort the proper role of government.
Cleveland believed that civil society — families, churches, and voluntary associations — should lead in providing aid. This was demonstrated following major crises such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, when Americans voluntarily mobilized to help one another without federal coercion. Lower taxes and limited government empower individuals and communities to act without the inefficiencies and political strings of federal programs.
Cleveland’s leadership was grounded in faith and personal integrity. He acknowledged the nation’s dependence on divine Providence, stating:
I know there is a Supreme Being who rules the affairs of men and whose goodness and mercy have always followed the American people, and I know He will not turn from us now if we humbly and reverently seek His powerful aid.
He also emphasized honesty in public life: “Whatever you do, tell the truth.” These values contrast sharply with today’s political landscape, where deceit and manipulation often replace accountability and virtue. Cleveland’s example offers a blueprint for restoring moral clarity to public office.
Cleveland’s presidency echoed the Jeffersonian model of limited government and national sovereignty. His opposition to the annexation of Hawaii in 1893 — on the grounds that it followed the illegitimate overthrow of a sovereign monarchy — showed his refusal to compromise constitutional principles for imperial ambitions. His actions stand in stark contrast to today’s entrenched federal bureaucracy and the deep ties between government and special interests.
Today’s Republican Party faces an identity crisis, fractured between populists, liberty-minded constitutional conservatives, and globalist moderates. Similarly, Cleveland faced divisions within his own Democratic Party — yet remained a principled outlier, governing according to conviction rather than party orthodoxy.
His nonconsecutive presidencies — a distinction now shared by President Donald J. Trump — also reflect the populist resistance to establishment forces. Cleveland’s 1892 victory, achieved despite a strong third-party challenger, mirrors today’s political climate, where outsider candidates challenge entrenched power (i.e., Robert F. Kennedy Jr.).
Reviving Cleveland’s model of principled leadership requires an informed electorate and courageous representatives who understand and uphold the Constitution. Books such as The Forgotten Conservative by John Pafford and An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland by H. Paul Jeffers provide valuable insight into Cleveland’s example of statesmanship.
The Republican Party — and the nation as a whole — would benefit from reclaiming Cleveland’s legacy as a champion of limited government, moral leadership, and civic virtue. Having won the popular vote three times, he clearly presented a winning message. Americans must take personal responsibility to educate themselves and others using tools such as The New American’s Freedom Index and state Legislative Scorecards.
As Cleveland declared:
We have undertaken to discover and proclaim the richest blessings of a free government, with the Constitution as our guide. Let us follow the way it points out; it will not mislead us.