Happy Birthday Chet
On this day October 5th in 1829, 181 years ago today, Chester Alan Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, was born in Fairfield, Vermont. He became president on the death of James Garfield in 1881 and served out Garfield's term, but was never elected to the office. He served his term without a vice-president.
Going into the job, Arthur was perceived as corrupt, unfairly so I believe. In a previous journal entry I've written about Arthur's good work as a civil rights lawyer defending unpopular cases for African-Americans. Arthur was a member of the Stalwarts, Republicans who believed in the "spoils system", a faction that supported patronage for the winning party. Arthur's patron was New York political boss Roscoe Conkling. Arthur was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant Collector of the Port of New York in 1871, a very lucrative and powerful position. He was fired from the position by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878, who tried to give the appearance of cleaning up corruption in government.
In order to win the GOP nomination in 1880, James Garfield sought the support of the Stalwart. Arthur was put on the ticket, but according to some historians, Garfield disliked Arthur and wouldn't even let him in his house. When Garfield was assassinated on July 2, 1881, his assassin Charles Guiteau proclaimed "I am a Stalwart of the Stalwarts and Arthur is president now." But if he was expecting Arthur to run a corrupt government, he would be disappointed.
A major accomplishment on Arthur's watch was the passing of The Pendleton Act of 1883. The bill was written by a Democrat, Senator George Pendleton. It "banned salary kickbacks, apportioned federal appointments among the states, and ruled that new employees must begin their service at the bottom of the career ladder, advancing only by merit exams." It was ironic that Arthur, a product of the Spoils System, was the president who dealt the blow to end patronage. This caused a huge rift with his former friend Roscoe Conkling, who fought successfully against Arthur's nomination in 1884.
The political fighting took a toll on Arthur's health. He was diagnosed with Bright's Disease, a terminal kidney ailment. He died on November 18, 1886. Perhaps publisher Alexander K. McClure summed up Arthur's presidency best when he wrote, "No man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted, and no one ever retired more generally respected." Even Mark Twain, who was usually a cynic when it came to politicians, said, "It would be hard indeed to better President Arthur's administration."
Going into the job, Arthur was perceived as corrupt, unfairly so I believe. In a previous journal entry I've written about Arthur's good work as a civil rights lawyer defending unpopular cases for African-Americans. Arthur was a member of the Stalwarts, Republicans who believed in the "spoils system", a faction that supported patronage for the winning party. Arthur's patron was New York political boss Roscoe Conkling. Arthur was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant Collector of the Port of New York in 1871, a very lucrative and powerful position. He was fired from the position by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878, who tried to give the appearance of cleaning up corruption in government.
In order to win the GOP nomination in 1880, James Garfield sought the support of the Stalwart. Arthur was put on the ticket, but according to some historians, Garfield disliked Arthur and wouldn't even let him in his house. When Garfield was assassinated on July 2, 1881, his assassin Charles Guiteau proclaimed "I am a Stalwart of the Stalwarts and Arthur is president now." But if he was expecting Arthur to run a corrupt government, he would be disappointed.
A major accomplishment on Arthur's watch was the passing of The Pendleton Act of 1883. The bill was written by a Democrat, Senator George Pendleton. It "banned salary kickbacks, apportioned federal appointments among the states, and ruled that new employees must begin their service at the bottom of the career ladder, advancing only by merit exams." It was ironic that Arthur, a product of the Spoils System, was the president who dealt the blow to end patronage. This caused a huge rift with his former friend Roscoe Conkling, who fought successfully against Arthur's nomination in 1884.
The political fighting took a toll on Arthur's health. He was diagnosed with Bright's Disease, a terminal kidney ailment. He died on November 18, 1886. Perhaps publisher Alexander K. McClure summed up Arthur's presidency best when he wrote, "No man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted, and no one ever retired more generally respected." Even Mark Twain, who was usually a cynic when it came to politicians, said, "It would be hard indeed to better President Arthur's administration."