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Jenckes was first elected to the U.S. House in 1863 as a Unionist, defeating [[Democrat]] opponent Charles J. Bradley by seventeen percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=714498 RI - Eastern District Race - Apr 01, 1863]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> He was subsequently re-elected three times by landslide margins.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=261645 Candidate - Thomas A. Jenckes]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref><ref>April 6, 1865. [https://www.nytimes.com/1865/04/06/archives/the-rhode-island-election.html The Rhode Island Election.] ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.md/uHuUy here]. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref>
Jenckes was first elected to the U.S. House in 1863 as a Unionist, defeating [[Democrat]] opponent Charles J. Bradley by seventeen percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=714498 RI - Eastern District Race - Apr 01, 1863]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> He was subsequently re-elected three times by landslide margins.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=261645 Candidate - Thomas A. Jenckes]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref><ref>April 6, 1865. [https://www.nytimes.com/1865/04/06/archives/the-rhode-island-election.html The Rhode Island Election.] ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.md/uHuUy here]. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref>
During his House tenure, Jenckes was mostly known for introducing legislation which created the [[Department of Justice]].<ref name=dojorigins>Shugerman, Jed H. (March 21, 2013). [https://law.utexas.edu/colloquia/archive/papers-public/2012-2013/05-02-13_shugerman_creation_of_doj.pdf The Creation of the Department of Justice: Professionalization Without Civil Rights or Civil Service]. ''The University of Texas at Austin School of Law''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> Contrary to some narratives that suggest this was an effort to bolster [[Reconstruction]] policies and safeguard the constitutional rights of blacks, it was primarily for the purpose of professionalizing legal practice.<ref>Freilach, Jennifer (April 6, 2017). [https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/165620 When Was the Department of Justice Established?] ''History News Network''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> Indeed, Jenckes "paid little attention" to protecting Southern blacks.<ref name=dojorigins/>
During his House tenure, Jenckes was mostly known for introducing legislation which created the [[Department of Justice]].<ref name=dojorigins>Shugerman, Jed H. (March 21, 2013). [https://law.utexas.edu/colloquia/archive/papers-public/2012-2013/05-02-13_shugerman_creation_of_doj.pdf The Creation of the Department of Justice: Professionalization Without Civil Rights or Civil Service]. ''The University of Texas at Austin School of Law''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> Contrary to some narratives that suggest this was an effort to bolster [[Reconstruction]] policies during the presidency of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] and safeguard the constitutional rights of blacks, it was primarily for the purpose of professionalizing legal practice.<ref>Freilach, Jennifer (April 6, 2017). [https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/165620 When Was the Department of Justice Established?] ''History News Network''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> Indeed, Jenckes "paid little attention" to protecting Southern blacks.<ref name=dojorigins/>
Considered a "reformer," Jenckes was an early advocate of civil service reform<ref name=papers>[http://memory.loc.gov/service/mss/eadxmlmss/eadpdfmss/2013/ms013048.pdf Thomas A. Jenckes Papers: A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress]. ''Library of Congress''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> and known as "the father of civil service."<ref name=dojorigins/> When he introduced legislation pushing it, fierce opposition was met by [[Radical Republican]] colleague [[John A. Logan]] of [[Illinois]],<ref>Jones, John Pickett (1982). [https://books.google.com/books?id=IpkCCUxeyW8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false John A. Logan: Stalwart Republican from Illinois], p. 21. ''Google Books''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> who was concerned with the plight of Southern blacks and called the bill "probably unconstitutional."<ref>''John A. Logan: Stalwart Republican from Illinois'', p. 34</ref> The enactment of a [[civil service system]] to replace the traditional [[spoils system]] would prevent Republicans from utilizing patronage to benefit blacks, and it was later implemented via the [[Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act]] years after Jenckes left office.<ref>Matthews, Dylan (July 20, 2016). [https://www.vox.com/2016/7/20/12233454/christie-trump-purge-federal-employees Donald Trump and Chris Christie are reportedly planning to purge the civil service]. ''Vox''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref>
Considered a "reformer," Jenckes was an early advocate of civil service reform<ref name=papers>[http://memory.loc.gov/service/mss/eadxmlmss/eadpdfmss/2013/ms013048.pdf Thomas A. Jenckes Papers: A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress]. ''Library of Congress''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> and known as "the father of civil service."<ref name=dojorigins/> When he introduced legislation pushing it, fierce opposition was met by [[Radical Republican]] colleague [[John A. Logan]] of [[Illinois]],<ref>Jones, John Pickett (1982). [https://books.google.com/books?id=IpkCCUxeyW8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false John A. Logan: Stalwart Republican from Illinois], p. 21. ''Google Books''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref> who was concerned with the plight of Southern blacks and called the bill "probably unconstitutional."<ref>''John A. Logan: Stalwart Republican from Illinois'', p. 34</ref> The enactment of a [[civil service system]] to replace the traditional [[spoils system]] would prevent Republicans from utilizing patronage to benefit blacks, and it was later implemented via the [[Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act]] years after Jenckes left office.<ref>Matthews, Dylan (July 20, 2016). [https://www.vox.com/2016/7/20/12233454/christie-trump-purge-federal-employees Donald Trump and Chris Christie are reportedly planning to purge the civil service]. ''Vox''. Retrieved November 25, 2021.</ref>