The court renders a verdict in the second Star-Route case. [56] Even as his professional life improved, however, Arthur and his wife experienced a personal tragedy as their only child, William, died suddenly that year at the age of two. 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. 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 . [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. Although Chester Arthur had risen to power through machine politics, once in the White House he surprised Americans (and alienated Conkling and other supporters) by moving past partisanship. Windup Teacher. 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. Chester Arthur began his legal career in New York City and as a young attorney won several high-profile civil rights cases. By the 1880s, this system had grown incredibly corrupt, and many were pressing for reform. [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. [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. As president, Chester A. Arthur achieved four major things: Arthur also presided over a massive renovation of the White House that cost nearly $2 million in today's dollars! [132] Arthur was reluctant to be seen acting as president while Garfield lived, and for the next two months there was a void of authority in the executive office, with Garfield too weak to carry out his duties, and Arthur reluctant to assume them. [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. [112] Arthur thought otherwise and accepted. [130] Twenty-nine days before his execution for shooting Garfield, Guiteau composed a lengthy, unpublished poem claiming that Arthur knew the assassination had saved "our land [the United States]". $1.25. That treaty allowed only a "reasonable" suspension of immigration. [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. [30] Had that been true, opponents might have argued that Arthur was ineligible for the vice presidency under the United States Constitution's natural-born-citizen clause. Early in the summer of 1857, Chester Arthur, a young lawyer from New York City, accompanied by his partner, Henry D. Gardiner, came to Kansas to settle and grow up with the country. [224], "Chester Alan Arthur" and "Chester Arthur" redirect here. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A. Garfield. Although he campaigned for Garfield and helped get him elected, Arthur broke with Garfield after the election. [52] He also turned down command of four New York City regiments organized as the Metropolitan Brigade, again at Morgan's request. [218] The statue was dedicated in 1899 and unveiled by Arthur's sister, Mary Arthur McElroy. Arthur became a member of the New York State Militia in the late 1850s, although he never saw combat. [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. Chester A. Arthur served as America's twenty-first president from September 19, 1881, to March 4, 1885. (22) $121.72. Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 - November 18, 1886) was an American politician who served as the twenty-first President of the United States.Arthur was a member of the Republican Party and worked as a lawyer before becoming the 20th vice president under James Garfield.While Garfield was mortally wounded by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881, he did not die until September 19, at which . Kaschig, Merit. [90] Notwithstanding his cooperation, the Jay Commission issued a second report critical of Arthur and other Custom House employees, and subsequent reports urging a complete reorganization. President Arthur signed the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, one of the most consequential pieces of immigration legislation in United States History. He remained at the job until 1870 at a salary of $10,000 a year. Chester A. Arthur 's tenure as the 21st president of the United States began on September 19, 1881, when he succeeded to the presidency upon the assassination of President James A. Garfield, and ended on March 4, 1885. In the White House, Arthur became known for his sartorial style and taste for fine furnishings. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. His most famous case was his suit against a . 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. Arthur succeeded the presidency upon Garfield's death in September 1881two months after being shot by an assassin. [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. To the surprise of reformers, he advocated and enforced the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. 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. $50,000 in 1871 is equal to $1.13million in present terms. [182] He followed the same pattern in other Southern states, forging coalitions with independents and Greenback Party members. [194] Reporters accompanied the presidential party, helping to publicize the new National Park system. The Arthurs had four daughters when Chester was born. The Senate ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the care of wounded war personnel. The Democratic nominee, General Winfield Scott Hancock was popular and having avoided taking definitive positions on most issues of the day, he had not offended any pivotal constituencies. [149] This legislation greatly expanded similar civil service reforms attempted by President Franklin Pierce 30 years earlier. The United States and Luxembourg conclude an extradition treaty in New York. It was an incredibly strict anti-immigration law that was designed to keep Chinese labor out of the American market. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, delegates chose New York Customs House collector Chester A. Arthur (1829-86) as the Republican vice-presidential nominee. [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. Author of "The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur," Greenberger provided an encyclopedic overview of the life and legacy of the country's 21st president. [16][17] He was named "Chester" after Chester Abell,[18] the physician and family friend who assisted in his birth, and "Alan" for his paternal grandfather. [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. Chester Alan Arthur was born on October 5, 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont. Early in the Civil War he served as quartermaster general of New York state. In the early 1850s, he served as the principal of schools in North Pownal, Vermont, and Cohoes, New York. Sometime around 1882, Arthur learned he was suffering from Brights disease, a serious kidney ailment. Arthur's failing health and political temperament combined to make his administration less active than a modern presidency, yet he earned praise among contemporaries for his solid performance in office. [164] Legislation required to bring the treaty into force failed in the House, however, rendering it a dead letter. [223] Since 1944 it has been the location of Kalustyan's Spice Emporium. After James Garfield was assassinated in 1881, Chester A. Arthur became President of the United States. Arthur practiced law in New York City. [117] Realizing this, they adjusted their approach to claim that Democrats would lower the country's protective tariff, which would allow cheaper manufactured goods to be imported from Europe, and thereby put thousands out of work. [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. 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. [152] To their surprise, he acted quickly to appoint the members of the Civil Service Commission that the law created, naming reformers Dorman Bridgman Eaton, John Milton Gregory, and Leroy D. Thoman as commissioners. He graduated from Union College in 1848, taught school, was admitted to the bar and practiced law in New York City. 238 lessons. Chester Alan Arthur was born in the village of Fairfield, Vermont, on October 5, 1829. In the midterm elections, Democrats gain 50 seats in the House giving them a 197-118 majority (ten remaining seats were filled by minor parties). Secretary of State James G. Blaine resigns due to political differences between himself and President Arthur. [44] He won the case, and the verdict led to the desegregation of the New York City streetcar lines.[44]. [188] The American Indian Wars were winding down, and public sentiment was shifting toward more favorable treatment of Native Americans. This man was Chester A. Arthur. "[5] Mark Twain wrote of him, "It would be hard indeed to better President Arthur's administration. The act establishes the Republicans as the party in favor of higher protective tariffs. [128] Once there, he traveled with Conkling to Albany, where the former senator hoped for a quick re-election to the Senate, and with it, a defeat for the Garfield administration. [174], In his 1881 annual message, Arthur advocated a stronger Navy. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. In the White House, Chester Arthurs sister Mary McElroy (1841-1917) often took on the role of hostess for social functions. Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 - January 17, 1893) The presidents from Reconstruction to the turn of the century were less than mediocre. He served four terms in Congress but left in 1843 to mount an unsuccessful run for the governorship of New read more. [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. Biographer George Howe takes this exchange at face value, Conkling and Pratt were ultimately denied re-election, being succeeded by. More About Chester A. Arthur. He was once the president of the New York Arcade Railway Company. On September 21, he returned to Long Branch to take part in Garfield's funeral, and then joined the funeral train to Washington. He attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, graduating in 1848. [164] Similar efforts at reciprocal trade treaties with Santo Domingo and Spain's American colonies were defeated by February 1885, and an existing reciprocity treaty with the Kingdom of Hawaii was allowed to lapse. I have gained a better understanding of the American political system as well as the history of the system. In 1856, Arthur courted Ellen Herndon, the daughter of William Lewis Herndon, a Virginia naval officer. In 1854, he was admitted to the New York bar and began practicing law in New York City. Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont, grew up in upstate New York and practiced law in New York City. [93] Hayes then submitted the appointment of Theodore Roosevelt Sr., L. Bradford Prince, and Edwin Merritt (all supporters of Conkling's rival William M. Evarts) to the Senate for confirmation as their replacements. [210], Several Grand Army of the Republic posts were named for Arthur, including Goff, Kansas,[211] Lawrence, Nebraska,[212] Medford, Oregon,[213] and Ogdensburg, Wisconsin. [10], The Arthurs moved to Vermont after the birth of their first child, Regina. [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. In the Senate, Republicans take one seat and gain a 38-36 majority (with two seats filled by minor parties). They existed from the 1870s until Arthur became president in 1881, at which point Conkling was no longer a force, and Arthur had reformed the Civil Service. https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/chester-a-arthur. The family remained in Fairfield until 1832. [149] Republicans lost seats in the 1882 congressional elections, in which Democrats campaigned on the reform issue. [3], Suffering from poor health, Arthur made only a limited effort to secure the Republican Party's nomination in 1884, and he retired at the end of his term. [45] The two were soon engaged to be married. [9], Chester Alan Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont. [10] William Arthur also spent a brief time studying law, but while still in Waterville, he departed from both his legal studies and his Presbyterian upbringing to join the Free Will Baptists; he spent the rest of his life as a minister in that sect. [152] The chief examiner, Silas W. Burt, was a long-time reformer who had been Arthur's opponent when the two men worked at the New York Custom House. [30] This claim, too, failed to gain credence. [148] Failure to obtain a conviction tarnished the administration's image, but Arthur did succeed in putting a stop to the fraud. Department 56 - A Christmas Story - Ralphie's House Department 56 $94. [66] Arthur had a better reputation than Murphy, but reformers still criticized the patronage structure and the moiety system as corrupt. biography Chester Alan Arthur was born in the village of Fairfield, Vt., Oct. 5, 1829. The United States participates in an international conference establishing standard time. Two months before the end of his term, several New York Stalwarts approached him to request that he run for United States Senate, but he declined, preferring to return to his old law practice at Arthur, Knevals & Ransom. Arthur vetoes the Carriage of Passengers at Sea Bill, a steamboat safety bill, claiming that it contains several major technical errors. Chester Alan Arthur was an American attorney and politician who served as the 21st President of the United States (1881-85); he succeeded James A. Garfield upon the latter's assassination. [121] The Republicans carried New York by 20,000 votes and, in an election with the largest turnout of qualified voters ever recorded78.4%they won the nationwide popular vote by just 7,018 votes. [124], The Senate in the 47th United States Congress was divided among 37 Republicans, 37 Democrats, one independent (David Davis) who caucused with the Democrats, one Readjuster (William Mahone), and four vacancies. [196] In the months leading up to the 1884 Republican National Convention, however, Arthur began to realize that neither faction of the Republican party was prepared to give him their full support: the Half-Breeds were again solidly behind Blaine, while Stalwarts were undecided; some backed Arthur, with others considering Senator John A. Logan of Illinois. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A. Garfield.Arthur succeeded the presidency upon Garfield's death in September 1881two months after being shot by an assassin. [83] In 1876, Conkling was a candidate for president at the 1876 Republican National Convention, but the nomination was won by reformer Rutherford B. Hayes on the seventh ballot. On May 24, 1883, President Chester Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland participated in the ceremonial opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. James Garfield added Arthur to the 1880 presidential ticket because he thought it would help him win the state of New York, whose Republican party machine was instrumental to any political victory. 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. 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. Elected vice president on the Republican ticket of 1880, Arthur acceded to the presidency upon the assassination of President James A. Garfield. [200] Arthur nominated Horace Gray, a distinguished jurist from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to replace him, and the nomination was easily confirmed. 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. "[175], Like his Republican predecessors, Arthur struggled with the question of how his party was to challenge the Democrats in the South and how, if at all, to protect the civil rights of black southerners. [14] They quickly moved from Burlington to Jericho, and finally to Waterville, as William received positions teaching at different schools. Although he still objected to this denial of entry to Chinese laborers, Arthur acceded to the compromise measure, signing the Chinese Exclusion Act into law on May 6, 1882. [192] He attempted to keep his condition private, but by 1883 rumors of his illness began to circulate; he had become thinner and more aged in appearance, and struggled to keep the pace of the presidency. Reforms attempted by President Franklin Pierce 30 years earlier became a member of the system an. York bar and began practicing law in New York City returning his commission as commander-in-chief to the National! 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