Garfield won the Republican nomination for president in 1880, and Arthur was nominated for vice president to balance the ticket as an Eastern Stalwart. In the midterm elections, Democrats gain 50 seats in the House giving them a 197-118 majority (ten remaining seats were filled by minor parties). France presents the United States with the Statue of Liberty at a ceremony held in Paris. [195], As the 1884 presidential election approached, James G. Blaine was considered the favorite for the Republican nomination, but Arthur, too, contemplated a run for a full term as president. $1.25. [167], A more contentious debate materialized over the status of Chinese immigrants; in January 1868, the Senate had ratified the Burlingame Treaty with China, allowing an unrestricted flow of Chinese into the country. [13] Malvina Stone met William Arthur when Arthur was teaching school in Dunham, Quebec, near the Vermont border. [150] As a result, the lame-duck session of Congress was more amenable to civil service reform; the Senate approved Pendleton's bill 385 and the House soon concurred by a vote of 15547. A revised version of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which reduces the period of non-immigration to ten years but maintains the ban on Chinese citizenship, becomes law. When the War broke out in 1861 the Governor. [168] Three years later, after China had agreed to treaty revisions, Congress tried again to exclude working class Chinese laborers; Senator John F. Miller of California introduced another Chinese Exclusion Act that blocked entry of Chinese laborers for a twenty-year period. However, after President Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau, he passed away on September 19 in the year of 1881. They existed from the 1870s until Arthur became president in 1881, at which point Conkling was no longer a force, and Arthur had reformed the Civil Service. On September 21, he returned to Long Branch to take part in Garfield's funeral, and then joined the funeral train to Washington. [165], The 47th Congress spent a great deal of time on immigration, and at times was in accord with Arthur. [44] At that time, the state was the scene of a brutal struggle between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces, and Arthur lined up firmly with the latter. These restraints distinguished him sharply from the stereotype politician. During his childhood, he moved seven times. [184], Other federal action on behalf of blacks was equally ineffective: when the Supreme Court struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875 in the Civil Rights Cases (1883), Arthur expressed his disagreement with the decision in a message to Congress, but was unable to persuade Congress to pass any new legislation in its place. Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 - January 17, 1893) The presidents from Reconstruction to the turn of the century were less than mediocre. Arthur requested standardized time 6. [185] Arthur did, however, effectively intervene to overturn a court-martial ruling against a black West Point cadet, Johnson Whittaker, after the Judge Advocate General of the Army, David G. Swaim, found the prosecution's case against Whittaker to be illegal and based on racial bias. He succeeded James Garfield who had been assassinated in 1881. One presidential oath was administered by a state court judge, also in New York City by a New York State judge: Arthur first offered the post to Edwin D. Morgan, who had been his patron in New York; Morgan was confirmed by the Senate, but declined on the grounds of age. [10] William Arthur also spent a brief time studying law, but while still in Waterville, he departed from both his legal studies and his Presbyterian upbringing to join the Free Will Baptists; he spent the rest of his life as a minister in that sect. The son of a Baptist preacher who had emigrated from northern Ireland, Arthur was born on October 5, 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont. Arthur left office in 1885 and returned to his New York City home. The case helped lead to the desegregation of public transportation in New York City. [189] He also favored a move to the allotment system, under which individual Native Americans, rather than tribes, would own land. "[154], With high revenue held over from wartime taxes, the federal government had collected more than it spent since 1866; by 1882 the surplus reached $145 million. Chester Alan Arthur was born on October 5, 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont. 8 chapters | 10 Interesting Facts About Chester Arthur 10. The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material associated with Chester A. Arthur, including the Chester Alan Arthur Papers. The number of Civil Service positions affected by the bill would later be expanded. [209], Arthur's post-presidency was the second-shortest of all presidents who lived past their presidencies, after that of James K. Polk who died just three months after leaving office. [49] The office was a patronage appointment of minor importance until the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861, when New York and the other northern states were faced with raising and equipping armies of a size never before seen in American history. He attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, graduating in 1848. During Chester Arthurs childhood, his family moved around Vermont and upstate New York for his fathers work. [188] The American Indian Wars were winding down, and public sentiment was shifting toward more favorable treatment of Native Americans. biography Chester Alan Arthur was born in the village of Fairfield, Vt., Oct. 5, 1829. [224], "Chester Alan Arthur" and "Chester Arthur" redirect here. I have gained a better understanding of the American political system as well as the history of the system. [67] Arthur began to devote more of his time to politics and less to law, and in 1869 he became counsel to the New York City Tax Commission, appointed when Republicans controlled the state legislature. 1051. By the end of the project, Washington Roebling's health had deteriorated considerably. On the 36th ballot, James Garfield, a Civil War general and congressman from Ohiowas chosen as the compromise candidate. Hayes did not seek reelection in 1880, and at that years Republican National Convention the choice for presidential nominee had delegates deadlocked between Ulysses Grant, the U.S. president from 1869 to 1877, and James Blaine (1830-93), a U.S. senator from Maine. [40] In 1852, Arthur moved again, to Cohoes, New York, to become the principal of a school at which his sister, Malvina, was a teacher. [139], Arthur quickly came into conflict with Garfield's cabinet, most of whom represented his opposition within the party. [166] He also signed in August of that year the Immigration Act of 1882, which levied a 50-cent tax on immigrants to the United States, and excluded from entry the mentally ill, the intellectually disabled, criminals, or any other person potentially dependent upon public assistance. [96], Arthur's job was spared only until July 1878, when Hayes took advantage of a Congressional recess to fire him and Cornell, replacing them with the recess appointment of Merritt and Silas W. Major events during the Arthur administration included, civil service reform, an effort to combat postal fraud, unsuccessful tries at meaningful tariff reform and wasteful spending. [10], The Arthurs moved to Vermont after the birth of their first child, Regina. 1. For years, government jobs in the United States had been distributed via the spoils system. The bill establishes a three-man Civil Service Commission and specifies rules for filling federal government positions according to a merit system. The couple had two children who survived to adulthood: Chester Arthur Jr. (1864-1937) and Ellen Herndon Arthur (1871-1915). "Charles Guiteau's reasons for assassinating President Garfield, 1882 | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History", "James K Polk: Life After the Presidency", "In the Encampment at the Reunion at Ashland", "Original Civil War Officer Members of MOLLUS", "Where a President Took the Oath, Indifference May Become Official", "The Diaries of Malvina Arthur: Windows Into The Past of Our 21st President", "The Mystery of Chester Alan Arthur's Birthplace", "Chester A. Arthur Is the Most Forgotten President in U.S. History, According to Science", "Republican State Committee: Gen. Chester A. Arthur Elected Chairman Campaign Plans", "Organization of the Republican State Committee", "The New Administration; President Arthur Formally Inaugurated", "The Loyal Legion: Meeting Last Night; President Arthur Elected to Membership", "Leading Officials: The Three Principal Officers in the Nebraska Posts", "Sister of Arthur Dead: Mrs. Regina M. Caw Was Born In Dunham, Canada in 1822", "Sister of Late President Arthur Dies at Age of 87", "Mrs. John E. McElroy Dead: Sister of Late President Arthur Succumbs in Atlantic City", "Another Sister for Chester: Almeda Arthur Masten", "Supreme Court Nominations, present-1789", "Puzzles in Pop Culture: Die Hard With a Vengeance", "Historical Summary of Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Posts by State: Wisconsin", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Essays on Chester Arthur and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chester_A._Arthur&oldid=1133648013, Regina (18221910), the wife of William G. Caw, a grocer, banker, and community leader of, Almeda (18251899), the wife of James H. Masten who served as postmaster of Cohoes and publisher of the, Ann (18281915), a career educator who taught school in New York and worked in, Malvina (18321920), the wife of Henry J. Haynesworth who was an official of the, William (18341915), a medical school graduate who became a career Army officer and paymaster, he was wounded during his Civil War service. PDF. [118] Hancock did not help his own cause when, in an attempt to remain neutral on the tariff, he said that "[t]he tariff question is a local question", which only made him appear uninformed about an important issue. Hallmarked Chester. [92] In September 1877, Hayes demanded the three men's resignations, which they refused to give. [35] One of his first teachers said Arthur was a boy "frank and open in manners and genial in disposition. Create an account to start this course today. He, along with many of those involved in the project, had contracted decompression sickness because of working in the caissons used to form the foundations of the bridge towers. [205][q] The next morning, Arthur suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and never regained consciousness. [145] Reformers feared Arthur, as a former supporter of the spoils system, would not commit to continuing the investigation into the scandal. The Presidency of Chester Arthur spanned the period in United States history that encompasses the events of the Maturation Era or the Gilded Age. Congress passes the Edmunds Act, which excludes bigamists and polygamists from voting and holding office, and establishes a five-man Utah commission to supervise voting in the territory of Utah. (5) $55.11. 10. [118] This argument struck home in the swing states of New York and Indiana, where many were employed in manufacturing. [107], Conkling and his fellow Stalwarts, including Arthur, wished to follow up their 1879 success at the 1880 Republican National Convention by securing the presidential nomination for their ally, ex-President Grant. Windup Teacher. [218] At the dedication, Secretary of War Elihu Root described Arthur as, "wise in statesmanship and firm and effective in administration," while acknowledging that Arthur was isolated in office and unloved by his own party. **PRE-ORDER** The Chester House from Dept 56 Christmas Vacation Snow Village **SHIPS LATE NOVEMBER** $149. The United States and Luxembourg conclude an extradition treaty in New York. "[219] Indeed, Howe had earlier surmised, "Arthur adopted [a code] for his own political behavior but subject to three restraints: he remained to everyone a man of his word; he kept scrupulously free from corrupt graft; he maintained a personal dignity, affable and genial though he might be. [163] Frelinghuysen also discontinued Blaine's peace efforts in the War of the Pacific, fearing that the United States might be drawn into the conflict. [65] His ascent in the party hierarchy kept him busy most nights, and his wife resented his continual absence from the family home on party business. Major Events During Arthur's Presidency As president, Chester A. Arthur achieved four major things: Civil Service Reform Limiting Immigration Building a Modern Navy Arthur also. [75] Grant then nominated Arthur, with the New York Times commenting, "his name very seldom rises to the surface of metropolitan life and yet moving like a mighty undercurrent this man during the last 10 years has done more to mold the course of the Republican Party in this state than any other one man in the country. Arthur was born in Vermont in 1829 and was the son of a Baptist preacher. [157], Congress attempted to balance the budget from the other side of the ledger, with increased spending on the 1882 Rivers and Harbors Act in the unprecedented amount of $19 million. Under this system, elected officials rewarded their supporters with political appointments in their administrations. Arthur was president from 1881-1885, and his presidency was mostly unremarkable, except for a few major events. [70] In 1871, Grant offered to name Arthur as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, replacing Alfred Pleasonton; Arthur declined the appointment. On May 24, 1883, President Chester Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland participated in the ceremonial opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. [200] Blatchford served on the Court until his death in 1893. "[76], The Senate confirmed Arthur's appointment; as Collector he controlled nearly a thousand jobs and received compensation as great as any federal officeholder. Owing to the shock of Garfield's assassination and eventual death, Americans all over had started to grow fed up of Roscoe Conkling's machine. Republicans were pleased with the committee's make-up but were surprised when, in December 1882, they submitted a report to Congress calling for tariff cuts averaging between 20 and 25%. Although Garfield initially survived the shooting, he battled infections and died two months later, at age 49, on September 19. [131], More troubling was the lack of legal guidance on presidential succession: as Garfield lingered near death, no one was sure who, if anyone, could exercise presidential authority. Chester A. Arthur, James A. Garfield's vice president, had received all his political jobs--including the vice presidency--in return for his loyalty to the Republican Party. Prior to the Brooklyn Bridge opening celebration, President Arthur's health had been deteriorating. [153] That year, Arthur expressed satisfaction with the new system, praising its effectiveness "in securing competent and faithful public servants and in protecting the appointing officers of the Government from the pressure of personal importunity and from the labor of examining the claims and pretensions of rival candidates for public employment. [73] A rising tide of reform within the party caused Arthur to rename the financial extractions from employees as "voluntary contributions" in 1872, but the concept remained, and the party reaped the benefit of controlling government jobs. He had no vice president during his term in office. The son of a Baptist preacher who had emigrated from northern Ireland, Chester A. Arthur was America's 21st President (1881-85), succeeding President James Garfield upon his assassination. By the 1880s, this system had grown incredibly corrupt, and many were pressing for reform. 9. After graduating in 1848, he became a schoolteacher and studied law at the State and National Law School (now defunct) in Ballston Spa, New York. Born in an read more, Ellen Arthur (1837-80) was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, 21st president of the United States, though she never served as first lady because she died of pneumonia before her husband assumed office. When the war broke out on July 27, 1862, three weeks after President Lincoln's call for 300,000 more men, Arthur was appointed quartermaster-general and oversaw the construction of a huge tent city in City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan, where thousands of men gathered, were provisioned, and sent to war. [30] This claim, too, failed to gain credence. [149] Both Democratic and Republican leaders realized that they could attract the votes of reformers by turning against the spoils system and, by 1882, a bipartisan effort began in favor of reform. [80] In that year, reform-minded Republicans formed the Liberal Republican party and voted against Grant, but he was re-elected in spite of their opposition. The United States Bureau of Labor is created within the Department of the Interior; an independent Department of Labor will not be created until 1913. [192] To rejuvenate his health outside the confines of Washington, Arthur and some political friends traveled to Florida in April 1883. It's evident that Arthur took both events hard, even though in his political activities he'd rarely been home, and in fact his wife almost left him. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. [58] They also had a daughter, Ellen, in 1871. He graduated from Union College in 1848, taught school, was admitted to the bar and practiced law in New York City. The Senate ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the care of wounded war personnel. [191], Shortly after becoming president, Arthur was diagnosed with Bright's disease, a kidney ailment now referred to as nephritis. [122] The running mates, never close, detached as Garfield continued to freeze out the Stalwarts from his patronage. I feel like its a lifeline. To the surprise of reformers, he advocated and enforced the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. The President Chester Arthur Timeline provides a brief record of events in the order of their occurrence. His first son died suddenly when he was only three years old. [51] He had an opportunity to serve at the front when the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment elected him commander with the rank of colonel early in the war, but at Governor Morgan's request, he turned it down to remain at his post in New York. [126] Just before going into recess in May 1881, the situation became more complicated when Conkling and the other senator from New York, Thomas C. Platt, resigned in protest of Garfield's continuing opposition to their faction. [66] Arthur had a better reputation than Murphy, but reformers still criticized the patronage structure and the moiety system as corrupt. Chester A. Arthur's four-year presidency is often overlooked by historians. Twenty-first President, 1881-1885. Additionally, the Pendleton Act allowed for the establishment of a bipartisan Civil Service Commission to enforce the law. [52] He also turned down command of four New York City regiments organized as the Metropolitan Brigade, again at Morgan's request. A skilled fisherman 8. [196] In the months leading up to the 1884 Republican National Convention, however, Arthur began to realize that neither faction of the Republican party was prepared to give him their full support: the Half-Breeds were again solidly behind Blaine, while Stalwarts were undecided; some backed Arthur, with others considering Senator John A. Logan of Illinois. July 14, 2017. The most important events of his administration were the passage of the Tariff Act of 1883 and of the "Edmunds Law" prohibiting polygamy in the territories, and the completion of three great transcontinental railways -- the Southern Pacific, the Northern Pacific, and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. [143] Frelinghuysen advised Arthur not to fill any future vacancies with Stalwarts, but when Postmaster General James resigned in January 1882, Arthur selected Timothy O. Howe, a Wisconsin Stalwart. [196] Business leaders supported him, as did Southern Republicans who owed their jobs to his control of the patronage, but by the time they began to rally around him, Arthur had decided against a serious campaign for the nomination. The commission's recommendations were ignored, however, as the House Ways and Means Committee, dominated by protectionists, provided a 10% reduction. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. [172] The nation's military focus over the fifteen years before Garfield and Arthur's election had been on the Indian wars in the Western United States, rather than the high seas, but as the region was increasingly pacified, many in Congress grew concerned at the poor state of the Navy. His father, William Arthur, had immigrated to America from northern Ireland when he was 18 and had become a Baptist minister. Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829[b] November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885.
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