POTUS

Chester A. Arthur: AP US History Rundown

Overview

Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886) served as the 21st POTUS of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He ascended to the presidency upon the assassination of James A. Garfield. Known for his unexpected commitment to civil service reform, Arthur transitioned from a machine politician to a relatively principled president.

Key Events and Associations

• Customs Collector of the Port of New York: Prior to becoming vice president, Arthur held this highly lucrative and politically influential position. It was a key component of the patronage system, and Arthur himself benefitted greatly from it. This appointment was under President Ulysses S. Grant.
• Assassination of James A. Garfield (1881): Garfield’s death elevated Arthur to the presidency. This event created a vacuum for Arthur to take charge of reform, as many were shocked by the assassination and sought change in the system that enabled it.
• Civil Service Reform: Arthur’s unexpected championing of civil service reform was a direct response to the corruption that led to Garfield’s assassination.

Important Legislation Signed

• Pendleton Act (1883): This landmark legislation established the United States Civil Service Commission and mandated that some federal government positions be awarded based on merit rather than political affiliation. This was a watershed moment in curbing the Spoils System that had dominated American politics.
• Tariff Act of 1883 (Mongrel Tariff): A compromise bill that lowered some tariff rates but left many others unchanged. It pleased neither high-tariff nor low-tariff advocates, reflecting the complex political forces at play during the Gilded Age.

Groups and Factions

• Republicans: Arthur was a lifelong Republican, associated with the Stalwart faction, which supported the spoils system.
• Stalwarts vs. Half-Breeds: The Republican Party was divided between the Stalwarts (led by Roscoe Conkling, who supported patronage) and the Half-Breeds (led by James G. Blaine, who advocated for civil service reform). Arthur was initially associated with the Stalwarts, but his presidency saw him shift towards the Half-Breed position on civil service reform.

Impact on the Country

• Civil Service Reform: The Pendleton Act marked the beginning of the end of the Spoils System in the United States federal government. It laid the groundwork for a more professional and merit-based civil service, reducing the influence of political machines.
• Modernization of the Navy: Arthur oversaw the beginning of a significant modernization of the U.S. Navy, recognizing the need for a stronger naval presence in a rapidly changing world.
• Reduced Political Corruption: While corruption certainly did not disappear, Arthur’s efforts contributed to a gradual decline in the blatant political corruption that had characterized the post-Civil War era.

Additional Considerations

• “Prince Arthur”: This was a derisive nickname Arthur received before his presidency, referring to his perceived lavish lifestyle and association with the New York political machine.
• Unsuccessful Re-election Bid: Despite his success in implementing civil service reform, Arthur was not nominated for a second term by the Republican Party in 1884, due to his perceived betrayal of the Stalwarts and his ill health (he suffered from Bright’s disease, a kidney ailment).