He graduated from Union College in 1848, taught school, was admitted to the bar and practiced law in New York City. [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. Arthur, a Republican, had been vice president for 199 days when he succeeded to the presidency. For his son, see. [112] Arthur thought otherwise and accepted. [60] He was hired by Thomas Murphy, a Republican politician, but also a friend of William M. Tweed, the boss of the Tammany Hall Democratic organization. The President Chester Arthur Timeline provides a brief record of events in the order of their occurrence. Chester A. Arthur, in full Chester Alan Arthur, (born October 5, 1829, North Fairfield, Vermont, U.S.died November 18, 1886, New York, New York), 21st president of the United States. [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. Arthur was a member of the Republican Party. [104] Arthur and Conkling campaigned vigorously for the Stalwart ticket and, owing partly to a splintering of the Democratic vote, were victorious. [219] By 1935, historian George F. Howe said that Arthur had achieved "an obscurity in strange contrast to his significant part in American history. In an era of political machines and the patronage system of political appointments, Republican political boss Roscoe Conkling (1829-1888), a U.S. senator from New York, was instrumental in helping Arthur obtain the important position, which controlled some 1,000 employees. Arthur attended high school and Union College in Schenectady, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. [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. Being obscure, he is not counted among the Presidents whom . He kept the condition a secret from the public; however, his poor health prevented him from actively seeking reelection in 1884. 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. "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. Garfield won the Republican nomination for president in 1880, and Arthur was nominated for vice president to balance the ticket as an Eastern Stalwart. [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. Arthur, in turn, gave government jobs to Conklings supporters, who contributed part of their salaries to the Republican Party. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. [68][g] Arthur resigned after Democrats controlled by William M. Tweed of Tammany Hall won a legislative majority, which meant they could name their own appointee. The United States and Luxembourg conclude an extradition treaty in New York. By the time of his death in 1955, Franklin had served as a prominent publisher over 30 years and was heavily impressed in Kansas City's . 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. [207] Arthur was buried with his family members and ancestors in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York. [146] An 1882 trial of the ringleaders resulted in convictions for two minor conspirators and a hung jury for the rest. 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. Along with overseeing a major renovation of the White House, President Arthur saw three major events happen during his administration: These three accomplishments ensured Arthur that he would have something of a legacy. [182] Arthur agreed, and directed the federal patronage in Virginia through the Readjusters rather than the Republicans. [161], During the Garfield administration, Secretary of State James G. Blaine attempted to invigorate United States diplomacy in Latin America, urging reciprocal trade agreements and offering to mediate disputes among the Latin American nations. [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. [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. 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. 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. [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. Prior to the Brooklyn Bridge opening celebration, President Arthur's health had been deteriorating. Arthur practiced law in New York City. [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. [149] Republicans lost seats in the 1882 congressional elections, in which Democrats campaigned on the reform issue. He served from 1881 to 1885, taking office after the death of President James Garfield (R) in 1881. [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. 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. Some older sources list the date as October 5, 1830. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. The Republican National Convention meets in Chicago. [14] They married in Dunham on April 12, 1821, soon after meeting. [44] He won the case, and the verdict led to the desegregation of the New York City streetcar lines.[44]. I have gained a better understanding of the American political system as well as the history of the system. [200] The Senate confirmed the nomination but, as expected, Conkling declined it,[200] the last time a confirmed nominee declined an appointment. Department 56 - A Christmas Story - Ralphie's House Department 56 $94. Arthur was a member of the Republican Party and worked as a lawyer before becoming the twentieth vice president under James Garfield. In the White House, Chester Arthurs sister Mary McElroy (1841-1917) often took on the role of hostess for social functions. He was elected as James Garfield's vice president in the presidential election of 1880, but when Garfield was assassinated, Arthur was left with no choice but to take his spot in the Oval Office. In 1848, after graduating from Union College, he taught at Schaghticoke in Rensselaer County. Of the nine accused, only two minor defendants are found guilty. Elected vice president on the Republican ticket of 1880, Arthur acceded to the presidency upon the assassination of . [10], Arthur's father, William Arthur, was born in 1796 in Dreen, Cullybackey, County Antrim, Ireland to a Presbyterian family of Scots-Irish descent. [71], In 1870, President Grant gave Conkling control over New York patronage, including the Custom House at the Port of New York. [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. How Did Chester A. Arthur Become President? [144] Finally, when Interior Secretary Samuel J. Kirkwood resigned that same month, Arthur appointed Henry M. Teller, a Colorado Stalwart to the office. Create an account to start this course today. He achieved prominence as a politician and as president of the United States. The assassin's bullet that wounded President James Garfield in July had claimed his life the day before. He succeeded James Garfield who had been assassinated in 1881. A skilled fisherman 8. Chester A. Arthur was not supposed to be president. 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. Two days later, in Washington, D.C., Arthur was given the oath of office by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. [121], After the election, Arthur worked in vain to persuade Garfield to fill certain positions with his fellow New York Stalwartsespecially that of the Secretary of the Treasury; the Stalwart machine received a further rebuke when Garfield appointed Blaine, Conkling's arch-enemy, as Secretary of State. He served four terms in Congress but left in 1843 to mount an unsuccessful run for the governorship of New read more. [193] Later that year, on the advice of Missouri Senator George Graham Vest, he visited Yellowstone National Park. [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. Employees were required to make political contributions (known as "assessments") back to the machine, which made the job a highly coveted political plum. Eastern newspapers praised the veto, while it was condemned in the Western states. [126] Just before going into recess in May 1881, the situation became more complicated when Conkling and the other senator from New York, Thomas C. Platt, resigned in protest of Garfield's continuing opposition to their faction. Chester A. Arthur 1881-1885 Dignified, tall, and handsome, with clean-shaven chin and side-whiskers, Chester A. Arthur looked like a president. [60] In the presidential election of 1864, Arthur and Murphy raised funds from Republicans in New York, and they attended the second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. His most famous case was his suit against a . [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. In the presidential election later. All nine defendants are found not guilty. [155] Arthur agreed with his party, and in 1882 called for the abolition of excise taxes on everything except liquor, as well as a simplification of the complex tariff structure. The President Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site was the first historic site owned by the State of Vermont. "[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. Suffering from poor health, he did not run for reelection in 1884. Chester Alan Arthur (1829-1886) 1829, Oct. 5 Born, Fairfield, Vermont, to William Arthur (1796-1875) and Malvina Stone Arthur (1802-1869). Create your account. 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. [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. President Chester Arthur represented the Republican . [45] The two were soon engaged to be married. Chester Arthur was selected as his running mate. [205] He managed a few public appearances until the end of 1885. To the surprise of reformers, he advocated and enforced the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. Chester Alan Arthur was born on October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont. [92] In September 1877, Hayes demanded the three men's resignations, which they refused to give. They collected large amounts of money that came from taxes. [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. His dad was the minister in Waterville and was building . Chester A. Arthur (b. October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont) was the 21st president of the United States. The son of an Irish-born Baptist minister who had immigrated to the U.S., Chester Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont, in 1829. [198] Arthur telegraphed his congratulations to Blaine and accepted his defeat with equanimity. "Men may die, but the fabric of free . [197] Blaine led on the first ballot, and by the fourth ballot he had a majority. [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. 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