Difference between revisions of "Half-Breed Republicans"
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When accused of lacking sufficient political loyalty to the Republican Party, Half-Breeds would often accuse Stalwarts of holding excessive allegiance to their associated political machines and patronage.<ref name=georgefrisbiehoar/> Among the group's ambitions aside from moderate civil service reform included advocating industrial strength, higher tariffs, expanding markets abroad, and a business-friendly currency system on the national level. | When accused of lacking sufficient political loyalty to the Republican Party, Half-Breeds would often accuse Stalwarts of holding excessive allegiance to their associated political machines and patronage.<ref name=georgefrisbiehoar/> Among the group's ambitions aside from moderate civil service reform included advocating industrial strength, higher tariffs, expanding markets abroad, and a business-friendly currency system on the national level. | ||
| − | [[James Gillespie Blaine]], who led the faction, was personally opposed to civil service reform<ref>Weisberger, Bernarnd A. [https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/james-garfield-and-chester-arthur James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur]. ''Encyclopedia.com''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref> and his viewpoints often aligned with that of the Stalwarts | + | [[James Gillespie Blaine]], who led the faction, was personally opposed to civil service reform<ref>Weisberger, Bernarnd A. [https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/james-garfield-and-chester-arthur James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur]. ''Encyclopedia.com''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref> and his viewpoints often aligned with that of the Stalwarts,<ref name=levipmorton>[https://www.senate.gov/about/officers-staff/vice-president/morton-levi.htm About the Vice President | Levi Parsons Morton, 22nd Vice President (1889-1893)]. ''United States Senate''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref> such as opposing questionable policies pushed by President Hayes. He emerged as one of its main members largely due to sheer contempt for Stalwart [[Roscoe Conkling]],<ref name=levipmorton/> pertaining to a rivalry dating back to the 1860s.<ref>[http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/waughj/classes/gildedage/private/gilded_age_politics/history/bio_conkling.html Roscoe Conkling: Congressman and Political Boss (1829-1888)]. ''UCLA Social Sciences''. Retrieved November 20, 2021.</ref> |
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 20:22, November 20, 2021
Half-Breed was a pejorative term designated for the more moderate wing of the Republican Party from 1877–84 that pushed for a certain degree of civil service reform. A civil service system in the South would effectively barred black Americans from government jobs and stifle economic mobility.[1]
Conservatives in the rival Stalwart faction called them "Half-Breeds"[2] because they advocated allowing former Confederate Rebels into the civil service and paid lip service in dealing with the Ku Klux Klan's voter suppression of African American civil rights. They were considered only "half Republican", or Republican in Name Only. They helped facilitate the Jim Crow Democrats take over of the South at the end of Reconstruction.[1]
The Half-Breeds were led by corrupt U.S. Senator James G. Blaine of Maine. The group's main achievement was the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1884, which led to the creation of the bureaucratic Deep State.[3] Under the Pendleton Act, racist civil servants were no longer dependent up the patronage of an elected Democrat official, and were protected from firing when Democrats were voted out of office.
Other Half-Breeds included Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, William Henry Robertson and George Frisbie Hoar.
Ideology and leadership
Although the Half-Breeds were viewed as merely a group of disgruntled Blaine supporters promoting factionalism, their influence proved to be highly significant.[2] They viewed the term attributed negatively to them as either badges of honor or an identifying mark, similar to the the Democratic Party's embracing of the donkey as their symbol after Jacksonian Democrats were dubbed "jacka**es."
When accused of lacking sufficient political loyalty to the Republican Party, Half-Breeds would often accuse Stalwarts of holding excessive allegiance to their associated political machines and patronage.[2] Among the group's ambitions aside from moderate civil service reform included advocating industrial strength, higher tariffs, expanding markets abroad, and a business-friendly currency system on the national level.
James Gillespie Blaine, who led the faction, was personally opposed to civil service reform[4] and his viewpoints often aligned with that of the Stalwarts,[5] such as opposing questionable policies pushed by President Hayes. He emerged as one of its main members largely due to sheer contempt for Stalwart Roscoe Conkling,[5] pertaining to a rivalry dating back to the 1860s.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Matthews, Dylan (July 20, 2016). Donald Trump and Chris Christie are reportedly planning to purge the civil service. Vox. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Welch, Robert E., Jr. (1971). George Frisbie Hoar and the Half-Breed Republicans, pp. 2–3. Harvard University Press. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ↑ Earle, Peter C. (November 14, 2019). The Birth of the Deep State: A History. American Institute for Economic Research.
- ↑ Weisberger, Bernarnd A. James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 About the Vice President | Levi Parsons Morton, 22nd Vice President (1889-1893). United States Senate. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ↑ Roscoe Conkling: Congressman and Political Boss (1829-1888). UCLA Social Sciences. Retrieved November 20, 2021.