LJ Idol Week 5- Heel Turn
When James Garfield was inaugurated as President of the United States, he entered into what is often referred to as the most corrupt period of the US presidency. Garfield, and the whole executive branch, was under scrutiny for the status of civil service, which had been corrupted by the "spoils system." The spoils system allowed for elected officials to fire current civil service employees and replace them with friends/family at their discretion. In many cases, this meant that individuals would assist with a candidate's campaign with the implication that they would be rewarded with an lucrative position should the candidate win. While some of these practices still take place today, Garfield's election was at the height of the spoils system, and it's said that as he walked into the White House on his first day, the hallways were lined with people looking for their new jobs, and that those crowds returned day after day.
Ironically, it was one of his "supporters" who would lead to Garfield's own death. Charles Giuteau was an unsuccessful attorney with a questionable work ethic. He wrote a speech for Garfield during his presidential campaign, which he believed won Garfield the presidency. In exchange, he demanded an ambassadorship position in Vienna or Paris. He became such a nuisance that he was categorically rejected and asked to abandon his mission. In response, he purchased and practiced using a large calibur revolver, choosing a model that he thought would look best in a museum. He then laid in wait at the Baltimore and Petonic Railway Station, shooting the president twice in the back as he walked passed.
Garfield held on for a couple of months, but having been probed repeatedly by doctors looking for the stray bullets, he developed an infection which eventually caused his death. So, Chestur Arthur was promoted from vice-president to President of the United States.
Now, no one expected Chestur Arthur to continue with Garfield's platform of civil service reform. Arthur was a poster boy for the political machine. He'd spent his adult life inside of political circles playing the spoils game, and worked his way into a position as the collector of tariffs at the New York City Custom's House. The collector position was so highly coveted because in addition to a decent salary, it allowed for a percentage of all cargo seized as a result of shippers trying to evade the tax o be awarded to the collector as well. While Arthur acted as collector, it is estimated that he made more money than the President of the United States. Interestingly, Arthur is added as Garfield's vice-presidental nominee mainly because Garfield wanted the support of the political machine (Arthur's friends). So when Garfield succumbed to his infection, the general consensus was that Arthur would abandon civil service reform, appoint his cronies, and go back to the status quo.
However, Arthur did something completely unexpected (and something his political machine buddies could have never imagined- lest they would never have promoted him this far up the political ladder). He made civil service reform the cornerstone of his Presidency. He signed into law the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which allowed government positions to be awarded and retained based upon merit rather than favors.
Why the change of heart? Why would Arthur, a man whose incredible success was fueled by political favors turn his back on the same people who inspired his rise to the top? Some say it was public sentiment- that after Garfield was so publicly murdered by a man scorned by the spoils system, the American public dictated a change. Others believe that Arthur felt immense guilt for Garfield's death- his murderer's belief seemingly more in line with Arthur than his predecessor. However, there's been a more recent discovery which may have played into Arthur's decision making process.
Almost 75 years after Arthur's death, a series of letters were found from a female supporter of his. Julia Sand was a well educated but disabled woman from NY/NJ who took it upon herself to write to Chestur Arthur offering support and advice. Generally, Arthur was not well received as president. His time as collector at the tariff house made people believe he was corrupt, and many believed he was inept and solely chosen as vice president for his political connections. This is why Julia Sand made it her mission to encourage the new president, not only to effect change, but to be a better president and man than anyone believed he could be. While no one may know exactly how much Ms. Sand's support altered Arthur's course, we do know that he saved all of her letters, tucking them away with his most important papers.
If you could write to our new president, what would you say? Wouldn't it be wonderful if our voices helped him in achieving the unexpected?
Ironically, it was one of his "supporters" who would lead to Garfield's own death. Charles Giuteau was an unsuccessful attorney with a questionable work ethic. He wrote a speech for Garfield during his presidential campaign, which he believed won Garfield the presidency. In exchange, he demanded an ambassadorship position in Vienna or Paris. He became such a nuisance that he was categorically rejected and asked to abandon his mission. In response, he purchased and practiced using a large calibur revolver, choosing a model that he thought would look best in a museum. He then laid in wait at the Baltimore and Petonic Railway Station, shooting the president twice in the back as he walked passed.
Garfield held on for a couple of months, but having been probed repeatedly by doctors looking for the stray bullets, he developed an infection which eventually caused his death. So, Chestur Arthur was promoted from vice-president to President of the United States.
Now, no one expected Chestur Arthur to continue with Garfield's platform of civil service reform. Arthur was a poster boy for the political machine. He'd spent his adult life inside of political circles playing the spoils game, and worked his way into a position as the collector of tariffs at the New York City Custom's House. The collector position was so highly coveted because in addition to a decent salary, it allowed for a percentage of all cargo seized as a result of shippers trying to evade the tax o be awarded to the collector as well. While Arthur acted as collector, it is estimated that he made more money than the President of the United States. Interestingly, Arthur is added as Garfield's vice-presidental nominee mainly because Garfield wanted the support of the political machine (Arthur's friends). So when Garfield succumbed to his infection, the general consensus was that Arthur would abandon civil service reform, appoint his cronies, and go back to the status quo.
However, Arthur did something completely unexpected (and something his political machine buddies could have never imagined- lest they would never have promoted him this far up the political ladder). He made civil service reform the cornerstone of his Presidency. He signed into law the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which allowed government positions to be awarded and retained based upon merit rather than favors.
Why the change of heart? Why would Arthur, a man whose incredible success was fueled by political favors turn his back on the same people who inspired his rise to the top? Some say it was public sentiment- that after Garfield was so publicly murdered by a man scorned by the spoils system, the American public dictated a change. Others believe that Arthur felt immense guilt for Garfield's death- his murderer's belief seemingly more in line with Arthur than his predecessor. However, there's been a more recent discovery which may have played into Arthur's decision making process.
Almost 75 years after Arthur's death, a series of letters were found from a female supporter of his. Julia Sand was a well educated but disabled woman from NY/NJ who took it upon herself to write to Chestur Arthur offering support and advice. Generally, Arthur was not well received as president. His time as collector at the tariff house made people believe he was corrupt, and many believed he was inept and solely chosen as vice president for his political connections. This is why Julia Sand made it her mission to encourage the new president, not only to effect change, but to be a better president and man than anyone believed he could be. While no one may know exactly how much Ms. Sand's support altered Arthur's course, we do know that he saved all of her letters, tucking them away with his most important papers.
If you could write to our new president, what would you say? Wouldn't it be wonderful if our voices helped him in achieving the unexpected?