Chester Alan Arthur and Charles Folger
Chester Alan Arthur was different from most Presidents, in that he never sought election to the Presidency, or any other office for that matter. He had been the organizer and adviser, the fundraiser and campaigner. For most of his political life he had been a member of the Stalwart faction of the New York Republicans. He had offended his former political master, New York Senator Roscoe Conkling, when he accepted James Garfield's offer of the number two spot on the ticket. The Garfield-Arthur ticket was successful in the election of 1880, and when Garfield died as the result of an assassin's bullet, Arthur unexpectedly found himself as President.
When he assumed office, Arthur found himself with few friends. He arrived in Washington, D.C. on September 22. Arthur initially took up residence at the home of Senator John P. Jones. He had said, of the White House, "I will not live in that house." He ordered significant remodeling for the White House. Arthur came into conflict with Garfield's cabinet, most of whom represented his opposition within the party. He asked the cabinet members to remain until December, when Congress would reconvene, but Treasury Secretary William Windom submitted his resignation in October to enter a Senate race in his home state of Minnesota. Arthur was in need of a friend, so he replaced Windom with Charles J. Folger, his friend and fellow New York Stalwart.
Folger had been a member of the New York State Senate from 1862 to 1869. In 1869, he resigned from the State Senate when he was appointed Assistant United States Treasurer in New York City by President Ulysses S. Grant. A year later, in 1870, he was elected one of the first judges of the re-organized New York Court of Appeals. In November he was elected to a full 14-year term as Chief Judge. In 1881, President James Garfield offered him the position of Attorney General, which he declined. Later that year, however, he resigned from the bench to accept an appointment by President Arthur to serve as Secretary of the Treasury.
As President, Arthur supported civil service reform, even though this was contrary to his history as a Stalwart and supporter of the "spoils system." But despite Arthur's credentials as a reformer, his friend and Treasury Secretary Folger upheld the practice of "tapping" government employees for voluntary party contributions. But Arthur and Folger both saw the writing on the wall and knew that Republican electoral success depended on responding to the public's cry for civil service reform. Arthur and Folger did institute some civil service reforms, including the introduction of classification rules in Treasury Department hiring. Folger also reduced government expenditures to lessen the tax burden on corporations.
Folger had a problem that many Treasury Secretaries might envy. During fiscal years 1882 to 1884, the US treasury was in a surplus position of over $100 million. Folger recommended that the surplus be used to reduce the national debt. Arthur's administration reduced the national debt by over $400 million. No previous administration had been able to eliminate so much public debt.
In 1882, Folger received the Republican nomination for Governor of New York. He did not campaign for the office, and did not resign his office. Folger subsequently lost the election to Grover Cleveland.
Like his President, Folger spent much of his time in office battling significant health issues. His health rapidly worsened in 1884 and he died in September. Arthur did not last much longer. He died in November of 1886 from Bright's Disease.
When he assumed office, Arthur found himself with few friends. He arrived in Washington, D.C. on September 22. Arthur initially took up residence at the home of Senator John P. Jones. He had said, of the White House, "I will not live in that house." He ordered significant remodeling for the White House. Arthur came into conflict with Garfield's cabinet, most of whom represented his opposition within the party. He asked the cabinet members to remain until December, when Congress would reconvene, but Treasury Secretary William Windom submitted his resignation in October to enter a Senate race in his home state of Minnesota. Arthur was in need of a friend, so he replaced Windom with Charles J. Folger, his friend and fellow New York Stalwart.
Folger had been a member of the New York State Senate from 1862 to 1869. In 1869, he resigned from the State Senate when he was appointed Assistant United States Treasurer in New York City by President Ulysses S. Grant. A year later, in 1870, he was elected one of the first judges of the re-organized New York Court of Appeals. In November he was elected to a full 14-year term as Chief Judge. In 1881, President James Garfield offered him the position of Attorney General, which he declined. Later that year, however, he resigned from the bench to accept an appointment by President Arthur to serve as Secretary of the Treasury.
As President, Arthur supported civil service reform, even though this was contrary to his history as a Stalwart and supporter of the "spoils system." But despite Arthur's credentials as a reformer, his friend and Treasury Secretary Folger upheld the practice of "tapping" government employees for voluntary party contributions. But Arthur and Folger both saw the writing on the wall and knew that Republican electoral success depended on responding to the public's cry for civil service reform. Arthur and Folger did institute some civil service reforms, including the introduction of classification rules in Treasury Department hiring. Folger also reduced government expenditures to lessen the tax burden on corporations.
Folger had a problem that many Treasury Secretaries might envy. During fiscal years 1882 to 1884, the US treasury was in a surplus position of over $100 million. Folger recommended that the surplus be used to reduce the national debt. Arthur's administration reduced the national debt by over $400 million. No previous administration had been able to eliminate so much public debt.
In 1882, Folger received the Republican nomination for Governor of New York. He did not campaign for the office, and did not resign his office. Folger subsequently lost the election to Grover Cleveland.
Like his President, Folger spent much of his time in office battling significant health issues. His health rapidly worsened in 1884 and he died in September. Arthur did not last much longer. He died in November of 1886 from Bright's Disease.