8 chapters | Chester A. Arthur (b. October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont) was the 21st president of the United States. [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. However, after President Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau, he passed away on September 19 in the year of 1881. It is estimated that more than twenty men were killed during the construction of the bridge, although records are debatable. [118] This argument struck home in the swing states of New York and Indiana, where many were employed in manufacturing. [74] Eventually, the pressure to replace Murphy grew too great, and Grant asked for his resignation in December 1871. Arthur approves a bill to appoint a tariff commission; the commission eventually recommends tariff reductions. Twenty-first President, 1881-1885. Major Events of Presidency: Chinese Exclusion Act passed. Chester A. Arthur, former machine politician, became a reformer in the Presidency. This lesson will examine the major events of Chester A. Arthur's presidency. [80] In that year, reform-minded Republicans formed the Liberal Republican party and voted against Grant, but he was re-elected in spite of their opposition. Copyright 2022. On September 21, he returned to Long Branch to take part in Garfield's funeral, and then joined the funeral train to Washington. The Brooklyn Bridge was the first bridge to be built across the East River linking New York City and Brooklyn. Previously the 20th vice president,. 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 . [82] As a result, his income dropped to $12,000 a yearmore than his nominal boss, the Secretary of the Treasury, but far less than what he had previously received. The Presidency of Chester Arthur spanned the period in United States history that encompasses the events of the Maturation Era or the Gilded Age. (22) $121.72. Chester A. Arthur The 21st President of the United States Presidents George Washington John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Madison James Monroe John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren. [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. Arthur was the second vice president to become chief executive due to an assassination. [191], Shortly after becoming president, Arthur was diagnosed with Bright's disease, a kidney ailment now referred to as nephritis. [158] While Arthur was not opposed to internal improvements, the scale of the bill disturbed him, as did its narrow focus on "particular localities," rather than projects that benefited a larger part of the nation. [224], "Chester Alan Arthur" and "Chester Arthur" redirect here. By the end of the project, Washington Roebling's health had deteriorated considerably. [51] He had an opportunity to serve at the front when the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment elected him commander with the rank of colonel early in the war, but at Governor Morgan's request, he turned it down to remain at his post in New York. [219] By 1935, historian George F. Howe said that Arthur had achieved "an obscurity in strange contrast to his significant part in American history. [97][i] Hayes again offered Arthur the position of consul general in Paris as a face-saving consolation; Arthur again declined, as Hayes knew he probably would. 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. Arthur takes office as vice president in the presidential administration of James Garfield. [20] Arthur also supported the Fenian Brotherhood, an Irish republican organization founded in America; he showed this support by wearing a green coat. 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. But, with one assassin's bullet, Arthur instead became the president, any questions of losing power forgotten. [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. [105] Arthur and the machine had rebuked Hayes and their intra-party rivals, but Arthur had only a few days to enjoy his triumph when, on January 12, 1880, his wife died suddenly while he was in Albany organizing the political agenda for the coming year. The portion of the law denying citizenship to Chinese-American children born in the United States was later found unconstitutional in, Earlier in 1874, during the Grant administration, Congress approved funds to rebuild four. [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. Blaine was defeated by Democrat Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) in the general election. Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 - November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. [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. 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. [205] On November 22, a private funeral was held at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City, attended by President Cleveland and ex-President Hayes, among other notables. 238 lessons. Instead, the Republicans chose Secretary of State James Blaine as their presidential nominee. [77] In total, his income came to more than $50,000more than the president's salary, and more than enough for him to enjoy fashionable clothes and a lavish lifestyle. In the federal presidential election, Grover Cleveland defeats James G. Blaine. [66], Conkling succeeded to leadership of the conservative wing of New York's Republicans by 1868 as Morgan concentrated more time and effort on national politics, including serving as chairman of the Republican National Committee. [48] The couple had three children: After his marriage, Arthur devoted his efforts to building his law practice, but also found time to engage in Republican party politics. [140] Arthur then selected Charles J. Folger, his friend and fellow New York Stalwart as Windom's replacement. [119] Candidates for high office did not personally campaign in those days, but as state Republican chairman, Arthur played a part in the campaign in his usual fashion: overseeing the effort in New York and raising money. [75] Grant then nominated Arthur, with the New York Times commenting, "his name very seldom rises to the surface of metropolitan life and yet moving like a mighty undercurrent this man during the last 10 years has done more to mold the course of the Republican Party in this state than any other one man in the country. Rational Irrationality, Caplan's Rational Irrationality: Definition & Economics, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, Limiting Immigration: Arthur signed the 1882, Building a Modern Navy: Known as the ''Father of the Steel Navy'' Arthur oversaw the building and expansion of the U.S. Navy, including the establishment of the. Windup Teacher. His father, William Arthur, had immigrated to America from northern Ireland when he was 18 and had become a Baptist minister. Born in an read more, Ellen Arthur (1837-80) was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, 21st president of the United States, though she never served as first lady because she died of pneumonia before her husband assumed office. In his first annual presidential address to Congress in 1881, Arthur requested civil service reform legislation and Pendleton again introduced his bill, but Congress did not pass it. During the Civil read more, Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), who served as the 22nd and 24th U.S. president, was known as a political reformer. After exiting the White House in March 1885, Arthur returned to New York City to resume his legal career. In the early morning hours of September 20, 1881, Vice President Chester A. Arthur took the oath of office as the 21st president of the United States in a private ceremony at his New York City home. They wanted some sort of reforms. The territory had been ceded to the United States by Russia in an 1867 treaty. In addition, he indulged his military interest by becoming Judge Advocate General for the Second Brigade of the New York Militia. [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. In the early 1850s, he served as the principal of schools in North Pownal, Vermont, and Cohoes, New York. He was a member of the ultra exclusive Restigouche Salmon Club. 10. Chester Arthur began his legal career in New York City and as a young attorney won several high-profile civil rights cases. The rest of 1862 Arthur was busier than ever, working seven days a week in the Union cause. James Garfield (1831-81) was sworn in as the 20th U.S. president in March 1881 and died in September of that same year from an assassins bullet, making his tenure in office the second-shortest in U.S. presidential history, after William Henry Harrison (1773-1841). In the White House, Chester Arthurs sister Mary McElroy (1841-1917) often took on the role of hostess for social functions. [163] Arthur and Frelinghuysen continued Blaine's efforts to encourage trade among the nations of the Western Hemisphere; a treaty with Mexico providing for reciprocal tariff reductions was signed in 1882 and approved by the Senate in 1884. Create an account to start this course today. A small number of Arthur's papers survived and passed to his grandson. [149] Both Democratic and Republican leaders realized that they could attract the votes of reformers by turning against the spoils system and, by 1882, a bipartisan effort began in favor of reform. [192] To rejuvenate his health outside the confines of Washington, Arthur and some political friends traveled to Florida in April 1883. [64] Conkling, elected to the United States Senate in 1867, noticed Arthur and facilitated his rise in the party, and Arthur became chairman of the New York City Republican executive committee in 1868. After leaving office in 1885, Arthur returned to New York City and rejoined his law practice Arthur, Knevals & Ransom. Prior to the Brooklyn Bridge opening celebration, President Arthur's health had been deteriorating. The son of a Baptist preacher who had emigrated from northern Ireland, Chester A. Arthur was America's 21st President (1881-85), succeeding President James Garfield upon his assassination. . The son of an Irish-born Baptist minister who had immigrated to the U.S., Chester Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont, in 1829. Arthur urged Congress to increase funding for Native American education, which it did in 1884, although not to the extent he wished. [203] Instead, Arthur nominated Samuel Blatchford, who had been a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals for the prior four years. [127], With the Senate in recess, Arthur had no duties in Washington and returned to New York City. Arthur also worked to outlaw polygamy in Utah, opposed the exclusion of Chinese and modernized the Navy. The murder trial of Charles Guiteau begins. He presided over the rebirth of the US Navy, but he was criticized for failing to alleviate the federal budget surplus which had been accumulating since the end of the Civil War. [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. "[222], Arthur's townhouse, the Chester A. Arthur Home, was sold to William Randolph Hearst. [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. In 1854, he was admitted to the New York bar and began practicing law in New York City. He was the fifth of eight children born to William Arthur, a Baptist minister, and Malvina Stone Arthur. [59], Arthur's political prospects improved along with his law practice when his patron, ex-Governor Morgan, was elected to the United States Senate. [223] Since 1944 it has been the location of Kalustyan's Spice Emporium. The verdict in the Star-Route trial is rendered. [58] They also had a daughter, Ellen, in 1871. [20], Arthur had seven siblings who lived to adulthood:[21], The family's frequent moves later spawned accusations that Arthur was not a native-born citizen of the United States. Arthur formally takes the oath of office in Washington, DC. [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. [187] In 1882, he signed the Edmunds Act into law; the legislation made polygamy a federal crime, barring polygamists both from public office and the right to vote. [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. Mary Ruth teaches college history and has a PhD. 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. He died the following day, on November 18, at the age of 57. 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. A skilled fisherman 8. This man was Chester A. Arthur. July 14, 2017. 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. [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. 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. [110] Levi P. Morton, the first choice of Garfield's supporters, consulted with Conkling, who advised him to decline, which he did. Secretary of State James G. Blaine resigns due to political differences between himself and President Arthur. [179] Even without the additional ships, the state of the Navy improved when, after several construction delays, the last of the new ships entered service in 1889. [128][k] The Republican majority in the state legislature was divided on the question, to Conkling and Platt's surprise, and an intense campaign in the statehouse ensued. 4, 1885 Political Party Republican Party (1854-1886), Whig Party (Before 1856) Personal Info Born Oct. 5, 1829 Died Nov. 18, 1886 (at age 57) Religion Episcopal School Union College State and National Law School Profession Arthur was born in Vermont in 1829 and was the son of a Baptist preacher. [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. His first son died suddenly when he was only three years old. 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. In the early hours of September 20, Arthur was sworn in as president at his Manhattan brownstone at 123 Lexington Avenue by a New York state judge. Arthur worked for one of the most prominent law firms in New York City. [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. Guiteau's poem also states he had (incorrectly) presumed that Arthur would pardon him for the assassination. Congress passes the so-called Mongrel Tariff Act, a complex tariff revision that reduces rates on various items by less than 2 percent; Arthur had lobbied Congress for a 20 to 25 percent cut on all items. Burt. [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. [164] Legislation required to bring the treaty into force failed in the House, however, rendering it a dead letter. Arthur is sworn in as President of the United States. Important event: Chester Arthur (1829-1886), the 21st U.S. president, took office after the death of President James Garfield (1831-1881). 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'. "[154], With high revenue held over from wartime taxes, the federal government had collected more than it spent since 1866; by 1882 the surplus reached $145 million. Arthur, in turn, gave government jobs to Conklings supporters, who contributed part of their salaries to the Republican Party. [72] Murphy's reputation as a war profiteer and his association with Tammany Hall made him unacceptable to many of his own party, but Conkling convinced the Senate to confirm him. Sometime around 1882, Arthur learned he was suffering from Brights disease, a serious kidney ailment. Chester Arthur (1829-1886), the 21st U.S. president, took office after the death of President James Garfield (1831-1881). [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. [144], In the 1870s, a scandal was exposed, in which contractors for star postal routes were greatly overpaid for their services with the connivance of government officials (including Second Assistant Postmaster General Thomas J. Brady and former senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey). Arthur instead became the President, any questions of losing power forgotten struck in! The confines of Washington, DC confines of Washington, DC government jobs to Conklings,... Also had a daughter, Ellen, in turn, gave government jobs to supporters... The most prominent law firms in New York bar and began practicing law in New York City Brooklyn... In North Pownal, Vermont, and Grant asked for his resignation in December 1871 ) often on. Arthur is sworn in as President of the New York City and Brooklyn the general...., former machine politician, became a reformer in the White House, Arthurs. 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