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== The Election of 1880 ==

== The Election of 1880 ==

The marvelous inventions of the 1870s led up to a very interesting presidential election in 1880.  The race of 1876 had been a virtual tie, and the general election in 1880 was nearly as close, with only 10,000 separating the winner (the Republican) from the loser (the Democrat).

The marvelous inventions of the 1870s led up to a very interesting presidential election in 1880.  The race of 1876 had been a virtual tie, and the general election in 1880 was nearly as close, with only 10,000 separating the winner (the Republican) from the loser (the Democrat).

Stalwarts like a powerful Republican Party Senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling, supported the "spoils system" and opposed Garfield and Blaine over it.  To appease the Stalwarts and try to earn their support, Garfield picked a Stalwart, Chester Arthur, as his running mate (Vice President).   

Stalwarts like a powerful Republican Party Senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling, supported the "spoils system" and opposed Garfield and Blaine over it.  To appease the Stalwarts and try to earn their support, Garfield picked a Stalwart, Chester Arthur, as his running mate (Vice President).   

But Garfield did not compromise after he was sworn into office.  He appointed an anti-Stalwart and arch-rival of Senator Conkling to run the New York Customs House, which was a big position that Conkling had expected to fill based on patronage.  Garfield insulted Conkling on purpose in order to establish that the president had control over these positions based on merit, rather than local senators based on patronage.  Conkling contested the nomination and tried to block it in the U.S. Senate.  Conkling even arranged for the Senate to confirm all of Garfield's uncontested nominations except this one; Garfield responded by withdrawing all those other nominations except the one that Conkling opposed!  That forced the other senators to choose between Conkling and all the nominees, who were friends of other senators.  Conkling, having been checkmated, resigned in protest in the expectation that he would be reappointed by the New York legislature to his position.  Fed up, however, the New York legislature refused to reappoint him (in those days U.S. Senators were picked by the legislatures rather than elected by the people), and Conkling was gone from the Senate.  The issue had thereby been resolved in Garfield's favor and against the Stalwarts.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jg20.html</ref>

But Garfield did not compromise after he was sworn into office.  He appointed an anti-Stalwart and arch-rival of Senator Conkling to run the New York Customs House, which was a key position that Conkling had expected to fill based on patronage.  Garfield insulted Conkling in order to establish that the president had control over these positions based on merit, rather than local senators based on patronage.   

 

Conkling contested this nomination and tried to block it in the U.S. Senate.  Conkling even arranged for the Senate to confirm all of Garfield's uncontested nominations except this one; Garfield responded by withdrawing all those other nominations except the one that Conkling opposed!  That forced the other senators to choose between Conkling and all the other nominees, who were friends of other senators.  Conkling, having been checkmated, resigned in protest in the expectation that he would be reappointed by the New York legislature to his position.  Fed up, however, the New York legislature refused to reappoint him (in those days U.S. Senators were picked by the legislatures rather than elected by the people), and Conkling was gone from the Senate.  The issue had thereby been resolved in Garfield's favor and against the Stalwarts.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jg20.html</ref>

But then tragedy struck Garfield.  On July 2, 1881, in a railroad station in Washington, D.C., an embittered attorney who had unsuccessfully sought a consular post shot President Garfield.  Garfield then lived for several weeks as experts from around the country examined his wound, and tried to get the bullet out.  Garfield even asked Alexander Graham Bell to develop a device (an induction-balance electrical gadget) to find the bullet.  Nothing worked, and all the doctors who probed Garfield's wound had the effect of infecting him.  This was before doctors took better care to sterilize instruments and wash their hands to remove all germs.

But then tragedy struck Garfield.  On July 2, 1881, in a railroad station in Washington, D.C., an embittered attorney, who had unsuccessfully sought a consular post, shot President Garfield.  Garfield then lived for several weeks as experts from around the country examined his wound, and tried to get the bullet out.  Garfield even asked Alexander Graham Bell to develop a device (an induction-balance electrical gadget) to find the bullet.  Nothing worked, and all the doctors who probed Garfield's wound had the effect of infecting him.  This was before doctors took better care to sterilize instruments and wash their hands to remove all germs.

Garfield was removed to the "Jersey shore" (the ocean-front property along the coast of New Jersey) to recuperate.  The helped at first, but ultimately an infection in the wound killed him on September 19, 1881, when he died from an internal hemorrhage.  

Garfield was removed to the "Jersey Shore" (ocean-front property along the coast of New Jersey) to recuperate.  This helped at first, but ultimately an infection in the wound killed him on September 19, 1881, when he died from an internal hemorrhage.  

The assassination shocked the country and discredited the Stalwarts.  Vice President Chester Arthur, who was Garfield's running mate in order to appease the Stalwarts, had never been elected to any public office before then, and was never elected to one afterward either!  He had been an abolitionist and a New York attorney.  Historians view him as being ineffective as a president, which is not surprising given his lack of experience for the position.   

The assassination shocked the country and discredited the Stalwarts.  Vice President Chester Arthur, who was Garfield's running mate in order to appease the Stalwarts, had never been elected to any public office before, and was never elected to one afterward either!  He had been an abolitionist and a New York attorney.  Historians view him as being ineffective as a president, which is not surprising given his lack of experience for the position.   

The Democratic Party won big in the congressional elections of 1882, by advocating reform of the patronage or "spoils system."  President Arthur then abandoned the Stalwarts and established a civil service system whereby the victors cannot fire and replace government workers with his supporters.  Specifically, President Arthur signed into law the Pendleton Act in 1883, which established an examination system for federal jobs.  It also established the Civil Service Commission, which is a bipartisan committee to administer federal exams.  Those who supported "reform" of the government employment system declared victory.

The Democratic Party won big in the congressional elections of 1882, by advocating reform of the patronage or "spoils system."  President Arthur then abandoned the Stalwarts and established a civil service system whereby the victors cannot fire and replace government workers with his supporters.  Specifically, President Arthur signed into law the Pendleton Act in 1883, which established an examination system for federal jobs.  It also established the Civil Service Commission, which is a bipartisan committee to administer federal exams.  Those who supported "reform" of the government employment system declared victory.