Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. 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 . Congress passes a bill repealing the 1862 test oath, which required office holders to swear they had never engaged in illegal or disloyal conduct. Still, the crowd of people who showed up for the event were unaware, and the President received a spectacular welcome. Arthur was also involved in the so-called Lemmon slave case, in which the New York Supreme Court ruled in 1860 that slaves being transferred to a slave state through New York would be freed. [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. The President Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site was the first historic site owned by the State of Vermont. [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. "[36] During his time at school, he gained his first political inclinations and supported the Whig Party. [192] To rejuvenate his health outside the confines of Washington, Arthur and some political friends traveled to Florida in April 1883. The act establishes the Republicans as the party in favor of higher protective tariffs. It was striking to us that it seemed like common knowledge to all that Chester A. Arthur was born in Waterville and the historical storyline was compelling. [132] Also, after Conkling's resignation, the Senate had adjourned without electing a president pro tempore, who would normally follow Arthur in the succession. Late night strolls 7. General Chester Arthur's Civil War ended effective January 1, 1863. [121] The Electoral College result was more decisive214 to 155and Garfield and Arthur were elected. [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. [37], After graduating in 1848, Arthur returned to Schaghticoke and became a full-time teacher, and soon began to pursue an education in law. [43] Campaign biographers would later give Arthur much of the credit for the victory; in fact his role was minor, although he was certainly an active participant in the case. [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. Arthur was unable to convince Congress to adopt the idea during his administration but, in 1887, the Dawes Act changed the law to favor such a system. [109], Garfield and his supporters knew they would face a difficult election without the support of the New York Stalwarts and decided to offer one of them the vice presidential nomination. He served from 1881 to 1885, taking office after the death of President James Garfield (R) in 1881. Chester A. Arthur, former machine politician, became a reformer in the Presidency. William's mother was born Eliza McHarg and she married Alan Arthur. In the presidential election later. Nicknamed the Gentleman Boss and Elegant Arthur, he reportedly owned 80 pairs of pants. [37] During his winter breaks, he served as a teacher at a school in Schaghticoke. [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. [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. [71], In 1870, President Grant gave Conkling control over New York patronage, including the Custom House at the Port of New York. Arthur owned at least 80 pairs of pants. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. [175] He gave full authority to his new Secretary of Navy William E. Chandler, Hunt's successor. [151] Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law on January 16, 1883. [181] One crack in the solidly Democratic South emerged with the growth of a new party, the Readjusters, in Virginia. It was an incredibly strict anti-immigration law that was designed to keep Chinese labor out of the American market. During Chester Arthurs childhood, his family moved around Vermont and upstate New York for his fathers work. [58] They also had a daughter, Ellen, in 1871. Under this system, elected officials rewarded their supporters with political appointments in their administrations. [63], At the time, U.S. custom houses were managed by political appointees who served as Collector, Naval Officer, and Surveyor. It is estimated that more than twenty men were killed during the construction of the bridge, although records are debatable. Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont, grew up in upstate New York and practiced law in New York City. [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. [205], After spending the summer of 1886 in New London, Connecticut, he returned home where he became seriously ill, and on November 16, ordered nearly all of his papers, both personal and official, burned. [115], As expected, the election was close. [111] They next approached Arthur, and Conkling advised him to also reject the nomination, believing the Republicans would lose. [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. However, after President Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau, he passed away on September 19 in the year of 1881. While in office, Arthur rose above partisanship and in 1883 signed the Pendleton Act, which required government jobs to be distributed based on merit. In the Senate, Republicans take one seat and gain a 38-36 majority (with two seats filled by minor parties). [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. The territory had been ceded to the United States by Russia in an 1867 treaty. 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. Chester A. Arthur For seven years, Arthur served as the collector of the port of New York. [70] In 1871, Grant offered to name Arthur as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, replacing Alfred Pleasonton; Arthur declined the appointment. 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. $10,000 in 1870 is equal to $214,289 in present terms. [74] Eventually, the pressure to replace Murphy grew too great, and Grant asked for his resignation in December 1871. James Garfield dies from blood poisoning and complications after surgeons search endlessly to find the lost bullet in his back, lodged in his pancreas. [100] Arthur immediately took advantage of the resulting free time to work for the election of Edward Cooper as New York City's next mayor. [156] In May of that year, Representative William D. Kelley of Pennsylvania introduced a bill to establish a tariff commission;[156] the bill passed and Arthur signed it into law but appointed mostly protectionists to the committee. His father, William Arthur, had immigrated to the United States from northern Ireland when he was 18 and had become a Baptist minister. The bill establishes a three-man Civil Service Commission and specifies rules for filling federal government positions according to a merit system. How Did Chester A. Arthur Become President? biography Chester Alan Arthur was born in the village of Fairfield, Vt., Oct. 5, 1829. [134] Before leaving New York, he ensured the presidential line of succession by preparing and mailing to the White House a proclamation calling for a Senate special session. [183] Arthur's coalition policy was only successful in Virginia, however, and by 1885 the Readjuster movement began to collapse with the election of a Democratic president. Oct 5, 1829 - Nov 18, 1886 Chester Alan Arthur was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. 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. Chester Arthur Franklin was a leading African American editor and publisher of the Kansas City Call, who used his newspaper platform to advocate for systemic change and equity, both for Kansas City's black community and for African Americans nationwide. 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. [74] Grant offered the position to John Augustus Griswold and William Orton, each of whom declined and recommended Arthur. [182] He followed the same pattern in other Southern states, forging coalitions with independents and Greenback Party members. The verdict in the Star-Route trial is rendered. The United States recognizes the independence of Korea, although Korea's future is uncertain because of Chinese, Russian, and Japanese manipulations. All Rights Reserved. Arthur urged Congress to increase funding for Native American education, which it did in 1884, although not to the extent he wished. Congress passes a bill mandating the use of the census for determining congressional representation, a move which increases the number of representatives in Congress to 325. He is the only president to date who served two non-consecutive terms, and also the only Democratic president to win election during the period of Republican read more, Departing from the monarchical tradition of Britain, the founding fathers of the United States created a system in which the American people had the power and responsibility to select their leader. They wanted some sort of reforms. 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 . Twenty-first President, 1881-1885. On the 36th ballot, James Garfield, a Civil War general and congressman from Ohiowas chosen as the compromise candidate. Previously the 20th vice president,. Congress was unable to override the veto, but passed a new bill reducing the immigration ban to ten years. He also oversaw the establishment of the Naval War College and the Office of Naval Intelligence. 1. [46] Later that year, he started a new law partnership with a friend, Henry D. Gardiner, and traveled with him to Kansas to consider purchasing land and setting up a law practice there. As president from 1881 to 1885, Arthur advocated for civil service. Nell Arthur died of pneumonia at age 42, less than two years before her husband became president. Important event: Chester Arthur (1829-1886), the 21st U.S. president, took office after the death of President James Garfield (1831-1881). Arthur issues a proclamation recommending the observance of the 100th anniversary of General George Washington returning his commission as commander-in-chief to the Continental Congress. [198] He played no role in the 1884 campaign, which Blaine would later blame for his loss that November to the Democratic nominee, Grover Cleveland.[199]. For his son, see. 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. [10] Arthur's mother, Malvina Stone was born in Berkshire, Vermont, the daughter of George Washington Stone and Judith Stevens. [40] In 1853, after studying at State and National Law School in Ballston Spa, New York, and then saving enough money to relocate, Arthur moved to New York City to read law at the office of Erastus D. Culver, an abolitionist lawyer and family friend. The bill passed both houses narrowly on March 3, 1883, the last full day of the 47th Congress; Arthur signed the measure into law, with no effect on the surplus. [84] Arthur and the machine gathered campaign funds with their usual zeal, but Conkling limited his own campaign activities for Hayes to a few speeches. A chronology of key events in the life of Chester Alan Arthur (1829-1886), twenty-first president of the Unites States. [128][l], While in Albany on July 2, Arthur learned that Garfield had been shot. [120] The funds were crucial in the close election, and winning his home state of New York was critical. On May 24, 1883, President Chester Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland participated in the ceremonial opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. The foreman of the jury charges that a government agent attempted to bribe him, and the judge orders a retrial, to begin on December 7, 1882. A sharp dressed man Arthur was sometimes called "elegant Arthur" for his interest in fashionable attire and on his last day in office, four young women offered to marry him. [11] Her family was primarily of English and Welsh descent, and her maternal grandfather, Uriah Stone, had served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. [189] The allotment system was favored by liberal reformers at the time, but eventually proved detrimental to Native Americans as most of their land was resold at low prices to white speculators. 8 chapters | [117], With the war fifteen years in the past and Union generals at the head of both tickets, the tactic was less effective than the Republicans hoped. The Presidency of Chester Arthur spanned the period in United States history that encompasses the events of the Maturation Era or the Gilded Age. [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. [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. [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. [42], When Arthur joined the firm, Culver and New York attorney John Jay (the grandson of the Founding Father John Jay) were pursuing a habeas corpus action against Jonathan Lemmon, a Virginia slaveholder who was passing through New York with his eight slaves. [104] They were successful, but narrowly, as Cornell was nominated for governor by a vote of 234216. [10], Arthur's father, William Arthur, was born in 1796 in Dreen, Cullybackey, County Antrim, Ireland to a Presbyterian family of Scots-Irish descent. 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. [200] The Senate confirmed the nomination but, as expected, Conkling declined it,[200] the last time a confirmed nominee declined an appointment. After Rutherford Hayes became president, he ousted Arthur from the job in 1878 in an attempt to reform the New York Custom House and spoils system. [148] Failure to obtain a conviction tarnished the administration's image, but Arthur did succeed in putting a stop to the fraud. The event commemorated the 223rd anniversary of the College's charter, the first granted to a college by the Board of Regents of the State of New York. It was said he had over eighty pairs of pants and often changed them several times a day. 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). In 1859, Arthur married Ellen Nell Lewis Herndon (1837-1880), the Virginia-born daughter of a U.S. naval officer. American Presidents Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. With great fanfare, the granite monument marking what was believed to have been the site of Chester A. Arthur's birth was dedicated in 1903 on land granted to the State of Vermont by Peter Bent Brigham Northrop. [30] This claim, too, failed to gain credence. "[159] Congress overrode his veto the next day[158] and the new law reduced the surplus by $19 million. In a special message to Congress, Arthur asks the legislature to appropriate funds for naval reconstruction work. Arthur vetoes the Carriage of Passengers at Sea Bill, a steamboat safety bill, claiming that it contains several major technical errors. [44] He won the case, and the verdict led to the desegregation of the New York City streetcar lines.[44]. [85] Hayes's opponent, New York Governor Samuel J. Tilden, carried New York and won the popular vote nationwide, but after the resolution of several months of disputes over twenty electoral votes (from Florida, Louisiana, Oregon, and South Carolina), Hayes was declared the winner. [33][f][34], Arthur spent some of his childhood years living in the New York towns of York, Perry, Greenwich, Lansingburgh, Schenectady, and Hoosick. This lesson will examine the major events of Chester A. Arthur's presidency. [194] The Yellowstone trip was more beneficial to Arthur's health than his Florida excursion, and he returned to Washington refreshed after two months of travel. North Fairfield Baptist Church 5964 Duffy Hill Road, Fairfield, Vermont [169][170] The Chinese Exclusion Act attempted to stop all Chinese immigration into the United States for ten years, with exceptions for diplomats, teachers, students, merchants, and travelers. Chandler, an aggressive administrator, purged the Navy of wood-and-canvas warship supporters and created the Naval War College. Employees were required to make political contributions (known as "assessments") back to the machine, which made the job a highly coveted political plum. [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. An Ohio native, Grant graduated from West Point and fought in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Arthur attended high school and Union College in Schenectady, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. [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. 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