The Presidency of Rutherford B. HayesThis new interpretation of the Hayes administration contradicts the widely held view that Hayes was an inept politician and an ineffective leader. Hoogenboom argues that it was Hayes's character and personality that set his presidency apart in the Gilded Age. This volume covers all issues, decisions, and developments during the Hayes presidency—from the withdrawal of troops from Louisiana and South Carolina that signalled the end of Reconstruction, through the Great Strike of 1877—the most violent general strike in American history—and the Nez Perce War, to the struggle for civil service reform and the fight to preserve voting rights. Hoogenboom credits Hayes with being a patient reformer, principled but practical, cautious yet courageous. His honesty and decency echoed the pristine values of the early American Republic, while his attempts to rally support by emphasizing issues and policies—rather than by relying on political organization—anticipated the style of twentieth-century presidents. |
Contents
A New Southern Policy | 25 |
Labor and Currency Problems 51 79 | 51 |
The Federal Bureaucracy | 111 |
The Native Americans | 127 |
Foreign Affairs | 153 |
The Politics of Succession | 173 |
The End of an Administration | 193 |
Notes 211 | 255 |
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appointments army bill blacks Blaine Boynton C. R. Williams cabinet campaign canal Carl Schurz Chandler Chinese civil servants civil service civil-service reform clerks collector commission Committee Congress congressional Conkling Conkling's copy at HPC Cornell Despite Diary and Letters Edward McPherson electoral Evarts federal friends Garfield George William Curtis governor Grant greenbacks Hayes administration Hayes's hereafter cited Historical Society Ibid Jacob Dolson Cox James John Sherman July June Kellar laborers land Lesseps Louisiana Lucy McPherson ment million Monroe Doctrine National Native Americans Nez Perces nomination Ohio Pennsylvania Polakoff politicians Politics of Inertia Poncas postmaster president railroad Republican party Rutherford Birchard Hayes secretary Senate Seward Sherman to Hayes silver Smith to Hayes South Carolina southern Democrats southern policy spoils system strike Tilden tion troops United University Press veto vols votes Washington William Henry Smith wrote York Customhouse