I feel like its a lifeline. He became a lawyer, served as an engineer in the American Civil War, and later became Collector of the Port of New York, where he was responsible for supervising the collecting of import duties on goods coming into the United States. The original designer, John Roebling, died of an infection caused by an injury he received only days after having secured permission to begin his project. Chester A. Arthur | Presidents of the United States (POTUS) Chester A. Arthur 1 2 3 4 5 21st President of the United States (September 19, 1881 to March 3, 1885) Nickname: "The Gentleman Boss"; "Elegant Arthur" Born: October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont Died: November 18, 1886, in New York, New York Father: William Arthur (1796-1875) "[112][j] Conkling eventually relented, and campaigned for the ticket. He graduated from Union College in 1848, taught school, was admitted to the bar and practiced law in New York City. [128][l], While in Albany on July 2, Arthur learned that Garfield had been shot. [176] Based on the suggestions in the report, Congress appropriated funds, signed into law by Arthur, for the construction of three steel protected cruisers (Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago) and an armed dispatch-steamer (Dolphin), collectively known as the ABCD Ships or the Squadron of Evolution. [133] Through the summer, Arthur refused to travel to Washington and was at his Lexington Avenue home when, on the night of September 19, he learned that Garfield had died. OTSCSupplies. Chester A. Arthur's Civil War Service Before the Civil War Arthur joined the state militia in 1858 as a means of forming political connections. [37] After completing his college preparation at the Lyceum of Union Village (now Greenwich) and a grammar school in Schenectady, Arthur enrolled at Union College there in 1845, where he studied the traditional classical curriculum. 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. Nine men are indicted for defrauding the government in a postal scam, an episode that becomes known as the Star-Route Scandal; the trial begins on June 1. (He suffered from Bright's disease, a then-fatal kidney ailment.) In 1854, he was admitted to the New York bar and began practicing law in New York City. Early in the Civil War he served as quartermaster general of New York state. [189] He also favored a move to the allotment system, under which individual Native Americans, rather than tribes, would own land. [53] Arthur received plaudits for his work, but his post was a political appointment, and he was relieved of his militia duties in January 1863 when Governor Horatio Seymour, a Democrat, took office. North Fairfield Baptist Church 5964 Duffy Hill Road, Fairfield, Vermont Having become friendly with Murphy over their shared love of horses during summer vacations on the Jersey Shore, in July of that year, Grant appointed him to the Collector's position. In 1855, he successfully represented Elizabeth Jennings Graham (1830-1901), a black woman who had been denied a seat on a Manhattan streetcar due to her race. General Chester Arthur's Civil War ended effective January 1, 1863. [61], The end of the Civil War meant new opportunities for the men in Morgan's Republican machine, including Arthur. [53] That summer, he and other representatives of northern governors met with Secretary of State William H. Seward in New York to coordinate the raising of additional troops, and he spent the next few months helping to enlist New York's quota of 120,000 men. [125] As vice president, Arthur cast tie-breaking votes in favor of the Republicans when Mahone opted to join their caucus. [44] In another civil rights case in 1854, Arthur was the lead attorney representing Elizabeth Jennings Graham after she was denied a seat on a streetcar because she was black. [200] Blatchford accepted, and his nomination was approved by the Senate within two weeks. David L. Anderson, "The Diplomacy of Discrimination: Chinese Exclusion, 18761882", New York State Republican Executive Committee, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, List of presidents of the United States by previous experience, Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, "Rating the Presidents: Washington to Clinton", "Top 10 Forgettable Presidents: Fail to the Chief; Chester A. Arthur", "Then Again: A Vermont politician faces the 'birthers'. In addition to civil service reform, Arthur triedwith limited successto lower tariffs. Arthur is remembered primarily for three things: He was never elected to the presidency and two significant pieces of legislation, one positive and the other negative. That treaty allowed only a "reasonable" suspension of immigration. "[76], The Senate confirmed Arthur's appointment; as Collector he controlled nearly a thousand jobs and received compensation as great as any federal officeholder. [74] Grant offered the position to John Augustus Griswold and William Orton, each of whom declined and recommended Arthur. As president from 1881 to 1885, Arthur advocated for civil service reform. [43] In Lemmon v. New York, Culver argued that, as New York law did not permit slavery, any slave arriving in New York was automatically freed. [73] Murphy's unpopularity only increased as he replaced workers loyal to Senator Reuben Fenton's faction of the Republican party with those loyal to Conkling's. He also oversaw the establishment of the Naval War College and the Office of Naval Intelligence. Entering the territory by crossing the Missouri at St. Joseph, they came down to the west side of the river to Leavenworth, where they remained and investigated . Arthur was born in Vermont in 1829 and was the son of a Baptist preacher. In the elections of the year 1880, Chester Arthur was elected vice-president alongside James Garfield. American Presidents & Vice Presidents: Study Guide & Homework Help, Chester A. Arthur: Domestic & Foreign Policy, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, John Quincy Adams: Foreign & Domestic Policies, John Quincy Adams: Childhood & Early Life, Martin Van Buren: Presidential Election, Opponent & Campaign Slogan, Martin Van Buren's Early Life & Childhood, Martin Van Buren's Role in the Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson & Martin Van Buren: Relationship & Comparison, Martin Van Buren's Inaugural Address: Summary & Quotes, President James K. Polk's Foreign & Domestic Policies, James K. Polk's Inaugural Address: Summary & Meaning, James K. Polk: Election & Campaign Slogan, James K. Polk: Birthplace, Early Life & Education, President Franklin Pierce: Birthplace, Early Life & Education, Franklin Pierce: Presidential Election & Campaign, Rutherford B. Hayes: Birthplace, Early Life & Education, President Hayes: Foreign & Domestic Policies, President William McKinley & the Spanish-American War, William McKinley: Birthplace & Early Life. [20] He was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity,[38] and as a senior he was president of the debate society and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Arthur left office in 1885 and returned to his New York City home. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. The son of a Baptist preacher who had emigrated from northern Ireland, Arthur was born on October 5, 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont. During the process, more than 20 wagonloads of furnishings from previous presidential administrations were cleared out and auctioned off. Portrait of Chester Arthur, vice president to James Garfield. [87] Jay, with whom Arthur had collaborated in the Lemmon case two decades earlier, suggested that the Custom House was overstaffed with political appointments, and that 20% of the employees were expendable. According to a purported eyewitness account by journalist William C. Hudson, Conkling and Arthur argued, with Arthur telling Conkling, "The office of the Vice-President is a greater honor than I ever dreamed of attaining. The son of a Baptist preacher who had emigrated from northern Ireland, Chester A. Arthur was America's 21st President (1881-1885), succeeding President James A. Garfield upon his assassination. He joined other young Whigs in support of Henry Clay, even participating in a brawl against students who supported James K. Polk during the 1844 United States presidential election. The Democratic National Convention meets in Chicago, nominating Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks for President and vice president, respectively. 1.The best biography of Chester Arthur remains Thomas C. Reeves, Gentleman Boss: The Life and Times of Chester Alan Arthur (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1975). [175], Chandler appointed an advisory board to prepare a report on modernization, whose goal was to create a Navy that would protect America thousands of miles away, rather than just coastal waters. All rights reserved. [162] Blaine did not remain in office long enough to see the effort through, and when Frederick T. Frelinghuysen replaced him at the end of 1881, the conference efforts lapsed. [205] In 1889, a monument was placed on Arthur's burial plot by sculptor Ephraim Keyser of New York, consisting of a giant bronze female angel figure placing a bronze palm leaf on a granite sarcophagus. As president from 1881 to 1885, Arthur advocated for civil service reform. He proclaimed to onlookers: "I am a Stalwart, and Arthur will be President! [182] Some black Republicans felt betrayed by the pragmatic gambit, but others (including Frederick Douglass and ex-Senator Blanche K. Bruce) endorsed the administration's actions, as the Southern independents had more liberal racial policies than the Democrats. Arthur first nominated his old political boss, Roscoe Conkling; he doubted that Conkling would accept, but felt obligated to offer a high office to his former patron. [123] Garfield ultimately appointed a Stalwart, Thomas Lemuel James, to be Postmaster General, but the cabinet fight and Arthur's ill-considered speech left the President and Vice President clearly estranged when they took office on March 4, 1881. The two became associates within New York Republican party circles, eventually rising in the ranks of the conservative branch of the party dominated by Thurlow Weed. Chester Arthur was selected as his running mate. [162] Blaine, venturing a greater involvement in affairs south of the Rio Grande, proposed a Pan-American conference in 1882 to discuss trade and an end to the War of the Pacific being fought by Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Diseases And Disabilities. [20] Arthur also supported the Fenian Brotherhood, an Irish republican organization founded in America; he showed this support by wearing a green coat. [146] An 1882 trial of the ringleaders resulted in convictions for two minor conspirators and a hung jury for the rest. [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. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Facts about Chester an Arthur 1: the life span Chester A Arthur was born on 5th October 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont and died on 18 November 1886. [85] Sherman ordered a commission led by John Jay to investigate the New York Custom House. [92] In September 1877, Hayes demanded the three men's resignations, which they refused to give. How Did Chester A. Arthur Become President? The first vacancy arose in July 1881 with the death of Associate Justice Nathan Clifford, a Democrat who had been a member of the Court since before the Civil War. [89] Arthur appointed a committee of Custom House workers to determine where the cuts were to be made and, after a written protest, carried them out. Following a funeral in Manhattan, the former president was buried beside his wife in the Arthur family plot in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York. When he became president after Garfield's assassination, Arthur surprised his party in 1883 by signing the Pendleton Act, which . [90], Hayes further struck at the heart of the spoils system by issuing an executive order that forbade assessments, and barred federal office holders from "tak[ing] part in the management of political organizations, caucuses, conventions, or election campaigns. [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. This lesson will examine the major events of Chester A. Arthur's presidency. So too, as it turns out, is the New York City house in which Arthur was sworn in as president, and died just five . Arthur pronounced his middle name with the accent on the second syllable. Late night strolls 7. Facts about Chester A Arthur 2: in American civil war [99] Conkling opposed the confirmation of Merritt and Burt when the Senate reconvened in February 1879, but Merritt was approved by a vote of 3125, as was Burt by 3119, giving Hayes his most significant civil service reform victory. Previously the 20th vice president,. [78] He got along with his subordinates and, since Murphy had already filled the staff with Conkling's adherents, he had few occasions to fire anyone. However, after President Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau, he passed away on September 19 in the year of 1881. Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution establishes the Executive Branch read more, The Republican William Howard Taft worked as a judge in Ohio Superior Court and in the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals before accepting a post as the first civilian governor of the Philippines in 1900. [200] Blatchford served on the Court until his death in 1893. [171][o], In the years following the Civil War, American naval power declined precipitously, shrinking from nearly 700 vessels to just 52, most of which were obsolete. The following material is what I have learned in American Government for only but one year, I have still learned more than what I already knew at the beginning of my high school career. This guided Chester A. Arthur Bio Poem Activity is a great research and poetry writing activity for a lesson, literacy or poetry center or even your substitute file for Presidents' Day or any time of year!Print and Go or Assign the Easel version. [10] William Arthur became an outspoken abolitionist, which often made him unpopular with some members of his congregations and contributed to the family's frequent moves. Copyright 2022. "[220] By 1975, however, Thomas C. Reeves would write 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. Arthur issues a proclamation warning people not to settle on Oklahoma lands. [191] Arthur's successor, Grover Cleveland, finding that title belonged to the Native Americans, revoked Arthur's order a few months later. Chester A. Arthur - Key Events March 4, 1881 Arthur Becomes Vice President Arthur takes office as vice president in the presidential administration of James Garfield. [196] Reform-minded Republicans, friendlier to Arthur after he endorsed civil service reform, were still not certain enough of his reform credentials to back him over Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont, who had long favored their cause. [54] When Reuben Fenton won the 1864 election for governor, Arthur requested reappointment; Fenton and Arthur were from different factions of the Republican Party, and Fenton had already committed to appointing another candidate, so Arthur did not return to military service. [104] Arthur and Conkling campaigned vigorously for the Stalwart ticket and, owing partly to a splintering of the Democratic vote, were victorious. [148], Garfield's assassination by a deranged office seeker amplified the public demand for civil service reform. Chester A. Arthur, former machine politician, became a reformer in the Presidency. [1] Of the nine accused, only two minor defendants are found guilty. Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 - November 18, 1886) was the fourth Totally Obscure President of the United States, serving from 1881 through 1885. Blaine was defeated by Democrat Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) in the general election. [182] He followed the same pattern in other Southern states, forging coalitions with independents and Greenback Party members. The Senate ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the care of wounded war personnel. PDF. "[6] Despite this, modern historians generally describe Arthur's presidency as mediocre[7] or average,[8] and Arthur as one of the least memorable presidents. Arthur vetoes the Carriage of Passengers at Sea Bill, a steamboat safety bill, claiming that it contains several major technical errors. Create an account to start this course today. A skilled fisherman He had no vice president during his term in office. [155] Opinions varied on how to balance the budget; the Democrats wished to lower tariffs, in order to reduce revenues and the cost of imported goods, while Republicans believed that high tariffs ensured high wages in manufacturing and mining. [179] Democrats turned against the "New Navy" projects and, when they won control of the 48th Congress, refused to appropriate funds for seven more steel warships. [67] The opposing Democratic machine in New York City, known as Tammany Hall, worked for Grant's opponent, former New York Governor Horatio Seymour; while Grant was victorious in the national vote, Seymour narrowly carried the state of New York. [39] While studying law, he continued teaching, moving closer to home by taking a job at a school in North Pownal, Vermont. [175] He gave full authority to his new Secretary of Navy William E. Chandler, Hunt's successor. [205][q] The next morning, Arthur suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and never regained consciousness. [88] Sherman was less enthusiastic about the reforms than Hayes and Jay, but he approved the commission's report and ordered Arthur to make the personnel reductions. Create your account. [132] Also, after Conkling's resignation, the Senate had adjourned without electing a president pro tempore, who would normally follow Arthur in the succession. [35] One of his first teachers said Arthur was a boy "frank and open in manners and genial in disposition. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! [147] After a juror came forward with allegations that the defendants attempted to bribe him, the judge set aside the guilty verdicts and granted a new trial. [169] The bill passed the Senate and House by overwhelming margins, but this as well was vetoed by Arthur, who concluded the 20-year ban to be a breach of the renegotiated treaty of 1880. [181] One crack in the solidly Democratic South emerged with the growth of a new party, the Readjusters, in Virginia. $10,000 in 1870 is equal to $214,289 in present terms. Chester Arthur began his legal career in New York City and as a young attorney won several high-profile civil rights cases. 1051. Activity. [144] Finally, when Interior Secretary Samuel J. Kirkwood resigned that same month, Arthur appointed Henry M. Teller, a Colorado Stalwart to the office. Hallmarked Chester. [79] He was also popular within the Republican party as he efficiently collected campaign assessments from the staff and placed party leaders' friends in jobs as positions became available. [77][h] Among those who dealt with the Custom House, Arthur was one of the era's more popular collectors. [187] Garfield had believed polygamy was criminal behavior and was morally detrimental to family values, and Arthur's views were, for once, in line with his predecessor's. "[222], Arthur's townhouse, the Chester A. Arthur Home, was sold to William Randolph Hearst. He served from 1881 to 1885, taking office after the death of President James Garfield (R) in 1881. [125] Even so, the Senate remained deadlocked for two months over Garfield's nominations because of Conkling's opposition to some of them. 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. [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. [73] Arthur's salary was initially $6,500, but senior customs employees were compensated additionally by the "moiety" system, which awarded them a percentage of the cargoes seized and fines levied on importers who attempted to evade the tariff. By 1886 Arthur's health had further deteriorated, and he died of a stroke on the 18 November 1886 at the age of fifty-seven.. Legacy . He was raised in New York. His father, William Ford (1826-1905), was born in County Cork, Ireland, to a family that had emigrated from Somerset, England in the 16th century. Arthur succeeded the presidency upon Garfield's death in September 1881two months after being shot by an assassin. President Arthur signed the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, one of the most consequential pieces of immigration legislation in United States History. [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. [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. $50,000 in 1871 is equal to $1.13million in present terms. At the outset, Arthur struggled to overcome a slightly negative reputation, which stemmed from his early career in politics as part of New York's Republican political machine. [133] Judge John R. Brady of the New York Supreme Court administered the oath of office in Arthur's home at 2:15a.m. on September 20. He will be convicted on January 25, 1882, and executed on June 30, 1882. Arthur's status in the administration diminished when, a month before inauguration day, he gave a speech before reporters suggesting the election in Indiana, a swing state, had been won by Republicans through illegal machinations. Although Garfield initially survived the shooting, he battled infections and died two months later, at age 49, on September 19. [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. 0. An Ohio native, Grant graduated from West Point and fought in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Arthur takes office as vice president in the presidential administration of James Garfield. [47] The rough frontier life did not agree with the genteel New Yorkers; after three or four months the two young lawyers returned to New York City, where Arthur comforted his fiance after her father was lost at sea in the wreck of the SS Central America.