Remembering Chet Arthur
On November 18, 1886 (126 years ago today) Chester Alan Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, died at the age of 57 in New York City, from a kidney ailment known as Bright's Disease.
Arthur became President following the death of James Garfield. When Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881 Arthur was in Albany, New York and he received news of the shooting later in the day. Assassin Charles J. Guiteau, a deranged office-seeker, believed that assassinating Garfield would convince Arthur to appoint him to a patronage job and he proclaimed to onlookers: "I am a Stalwart, and Arthur will be President!" The public soon learned that Guiteau was mentally unstable and unconnected with the Vice President.
Arthur was reluctant to be seen to act as President while Garfield lived, and the next two months saw a vacuum in the executive office, with Garfield too weak to carry out any of his duties and Arthur refusing to assume them. Arthur refused to travel to Washington and was at home when, on the night of September 19, he learned that Garfield had died. Judge John R. Brady of the New York Supreme Court administered the oath of office in Arthur's home at 2:15 a.m. the following day, and Arthur boarded a train for the nation's capital two days later.
Arthur completed Garfield's term, but failing health prevented him from seeking election to the Presidency. He left office in 1885 and returned to his New York City home. Two months before the end of his term, he was approached him to run for the United States Senate, but he declined, preferring to return to his old law practice at Arthur, Knevals & Ransom. His health limited his activity with the firm. He took on few assignments with the firm and was often too ill to leave his house.
After summering in New London, Connecticut, in 1886, he returned home, quite ill and, on November 16, ordered most of his papers, both personal and official, burned. The next morning, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and never regained consciousness. He died the following day at the age of 57.
On November 22, a private funeral was held at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City, attended by President Grover Cleveland and former President Rutherford Hayes. Arthur was buried in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York, beside his wife Ellen.
Arthur was a very private man who shielded his family from public attention while President and had almost no dealings with the press. His leading biographer, Thomas C. Reeves, pointed out that Arthur's "appointments, if unspectacular, were unusually sound; the corruption and scandal that dominated business and politics of the period did not tarnish his administration." Biographer Zachary Karabell noted that, although Arthur was "physically stretched and emotionally strained, he strove to do what was right for the country." But perhaps the best compliment came from journalist Alexander McClure who wrote "no man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted as Chester Alan Arthur, and no one ever retired ... more generally respected, alike by political friend and foe."
Arthur became President following the death of James Garfield. When Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881 Arthur was in Albany, New York and he received news of the shooting later in the day. Assassin Charles J. Guiteau, a deranged office-seeker, believed that assassinating Garfield would convince Arthur to appoint him to a patronage job and he proclaimed to onlookers: "I am a Stalwart, and Arthur will be President!" The public soon learned that Guiteau was mentally unstable and unconnected with the Vice President.
Arthur was reluctant to be seen to act as President while Garfield lived, and the next two months saw a vacuum in the executive office, with Garfield too weak to carry out any of his duties and Arthur refusing to assume them. Arthur refused to travel to Washington and was at home when, on the night of September 19, he learned that Garfield had died. Judge John R. Brady of the New York Supreme Court administered the oath of office in Arthur's home at 2:15 a.m. the following day, and Arthur boarded a train for the nation's capital two days later.
Arthur completed Garfield's term, but failing health prevented him from seeking election to the Presidency. He left office in 1885 and returned to his New York City home. Two months before the end of his term, he was approached him to run for the United States Senate, but he declined, preferring to return to his old law practice at Arthur, Knevals & Ransom. His health limited his activity with the firm. He took on few assignments with the firm and was often too ill to leave his house.
After summering in New London, Connecticut, in 1886, he returned home, quite ill and, on November 16, ordered most of his papers, both personal and official, burned. The next morning, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and never regained consciousness. He died the following day at the age of 57.
On November 22, a private funeral was held at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City, attended by President Grover Cleveland and former President Rutherford Hayes. Arthur was buried in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York, beside his wife Ellen.
Arthur was a very private man who shielded his family from public attention while President and had almost no dealings with the press. His leading biographer, Thomas C. Reeves, pointed out that Arthur's "appointments, if unspectacular, were unusually sound; the corruption and scandal that dominated business and politics of the period did not tarnish his administration." Biographer Zachary Karabell noted that, although Arthur was "physically stretched and emotionally strained, he strove to do what was right for the country." But perhaps the best compliment came from journalist Alexander McClure who wrote "no man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted as Chester Alan Arthur, and no one ever retired ... more generally respected, alike by political friend and foe."