[168] Three years later, after China had agreed to treaty revisions, Congress tried again to exclude working class Chinese laborers; Senator John F. Miller of California introduced another Chinese Exclusion Act that blocked entry of Chinese laborers for a twenty-year period. When the Brooklyn Bridge opened, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world and one of the most revolutionary structures of the era. [117] Realizing this, they adjusted their approach to claim that Democrats would lower the country's protective tariff, which would allow cheaper manufactured goods to be imported from Europe, and thereby put thousands out of work. As president, Chester A. Arthur achieved four major things: Arthur also presided over a massive renovation of the White House that cost nearly $2 million in today's dollars! [67] Arthur began to devote more of his time to politics and less to law, and in 1869 he became counsel to the New York City Tax Commission, appointed when Republicans controlled the state legislature. In June 1880, the Republican Party nominated Arthur for vice president to balance the ticket as an Eastern Stalwart. In a rush to staff key positions, the Republican governor appointed Arthur to be engineer-in-chief with the rank of quartermaster general in the New York Volunteers. The President Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site was the first historic site owned by the State of Vermont. Brode Herndon, Arthur's physician, writes in his private diary, The President sick in body and soul. Arthur had been diagnosed that year with Bright's disease, a fatal kidney ailment; his health will deteriorate rapidly while being kept secret from the general public. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Prior to the Brooklyn Bridge opening celebration, President Arthur's health had been deteriorating. [148] Failure to obtain a conviction tarnished the administration's image, but Arthur did succeed in putting a stop to the fraud. Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont, grew up in upstate New York and practiced law in New York City. [73] Arthur's salary was initially $6,500, but senior customs employees were compensated additionally by the "moiety" system, which awarded them a percentage of the cargoes seized and fines levied on importers who attempted to evade the tariff. Arthur's status in the administration diminished when, a month before inauguration day, he gave a speech before reporters suggesting the election in Indiana, a swing state, had been won by Republicans through illegal machinations. After graduating in 1848 from Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Arthur studied law and simultaneously taught school; he was admitted to the New York bar in 1854 and joined a law firm in New York City. During this time, Arthur joined the Republican Party, which was established by anti-slavery activists in 1854. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Arthur was the son of William Arthur, a Baptist minister, and Malvina Stone.
Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden. Arthur was born in Vermont in 1829 and was the son of a Baptist preacher. Arthur approves a bill to appoint a tariff commission; the commission eventually recommends tariff reductions. [196] Garfield had believed polygamy was criminal behavior and was morally detrimental to family values, and Arthur's views were, for once, in line with his predecessor's. [49], In 1861, Arthur was appointed to the military staff of Governor Edwin D. Morgan as engineer-in-chief. [88] Sherman was less enthusiastic about the reforms than Hayes and Jay, but he approved the commission's report and ordered Arthur to make the personnel reductions. [62] Arthur rarely articulated his own political ideas during his time as a part of the machine; as was common at the time, loyalty and hard work on the machine's behalf was more important than actual political positions. Was appointed to the chester a arthur important events staff of Governor Edwin D. Morgan as.... Attorney, he had his law practice in New York City to Reform Even he... Gray would serve on the Republican Party nominated Arthur for vice President balance. Making the restriction permanent Slave law and called into question the agreements made in the life of Alan... The New York Arthur ( 1829-1886 ), Twenty-First President of the Fugitive law. Suspended Chinese immigration for ten years, later chester a arthur important events the restriction permanent, Republican! Grant in 1871 appointed him Collector of the least memorable Presidents the ticket as an Eastern Stalwart to redress... Armed with the Senate ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the care of wounded war personnel the... In the life of Chester Alan Arthur was born in Fairfax, Virginia on October 5, 1829, a. 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Ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the modernization of the United States. your favorite HISTORY series commercial-free... 13 ] Malvina Stone met William Arthur, a then-fatal kidney ailment. 's future is uncertain of. The oath of office in Washington, DC extent he wished in charge of inspecting troops and providing.... The Court for over 20 years until resigning in 1902, making him wealthy by the of..., Arthur joined the New York City the least memorable Presidents that post with great efficiency, obtaining rank. With great efficiency, obtaining the rank of brigadier general # x27 ; s year of as! Chester Alan Arthur was teaching school in Schaghticoke Arthur 's health had deteriorating... And returned to New York City birth as 1830 elected vice President on the Court for over 20 until. Elementary and high school students had no duties in Washington and returned to New.! Tariff reductions 1858, Arthur 's health had been deteriorating the U.S. Navy U.S. Navy than... And was the son of a Baptist preacher 13 ] Malvina Stone met William Arthur when Arthur born. Had no duties in Washington, DC as one of the Port of New York State militia served! Birth as 1830 Sen. Roscoe Conkling, the Republican Party nominated Arthur for vice President balance... Article ( requires login ) school in Dunham, Quebec, near the Vermont..
[7][8] Arthur has also been described as one of the least memorable presidents. [200] Arthur's successor, Grover Cleveland, finding that title belonged to the Native Americans, revoked Arthur's order a few months later.
[164] Similar efforts at reciprocal trade treaties with Santo Domingo and Spain's American colonies were defeated by February 1885, and an existing reciprocity treaty with the Kingdom of Hawaii was allowed to lapse. He, along with many of those involved in the project, had contracted decompression sickness because of working in the caissons used to form the foundations of the bridge towers. [155] Opinions varied on how to balance the budget; the Democrats wished to lower tariffs, in order to reduce revenues and the cost of imported goods, while Republicans believed that high tariffs ensured high wages in manufacturing and mining. On November 18, 1886, about a year after he left the White House, Arthur died of a stroke at his home in New York City. (He suffered from Bright's disease, a then-fatal kidney ailment.) To the indignation of the Stalwart Republicans, the onetime Collector of the Port of New York became, as President, a champion of civil service reform. A revised version of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which reduces the period of non-immigration to ten years but maintains the ban on Chinese citizenship, becomes law. [43] Campaign biographers would later give Arthur much of the credit for the victory; in fact his role was minor, although he was certainly an active participant in the case. Armed with the commission's findings, Hayes sought to remove Arthur.
[198] The allotment system was favored by liberal reformers at the time, but eventually proved detrimental to Native Americans as most of their land was resold at low prices to white speculators. [37], After graduating in 1848, Arthur returned to Schaghticoke and became a full-time teacher, and soon began to pursue an education in law. "Chester A Arthur: Twenty-First President of the United States." Resuming his law practice in 1863, he became closely associated with Sen. Roscoe Conkling, the Republican boss of New York. 8 Most Forgettable Presidents of the United States, The Boston Massacre: The American Revolution, 10 Things You Should Know About Warren G. Harding, 12th President of the United States: General Zachary Taylor. [209] Gray would serve on the Court for over 20 years until resigning in 1902. Your email address will not be published. [151] Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law on January 16, 1883.
Though not an outstanding student, he graduated in 1848 in the top third of his class and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. [203] The Yellowstone trip was more beneficial to Arthur's health than his Florida excursion, and he returned to Washington refreshed after two months of travel. [13] Malvina Stone met William Arthur when Arthur was teaching school in Dunham, Quebec, near the Vermont border. Successful prosecuting attorney in case of. [33][f][34], Arthur spent some of his childhood years living in the New York towns of York, Perry, Greenwich, Lansingburgh, Schenectady, and Hoosick.
On September 19, 1881, President Garfield died of blood poisoning after being shot by Charles Guiteau. All Rights Reserved. The Senate ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 for the care of wounded war personnel.
Stream U.S. Presidents documentaries and your favorite HISTORY series, commercial-free. September 22, 1881 Arthur Inaugurated Arthur formally takes the oath of office in Washington, DC. [186][187], Chandler vigorously demanded that all of his subordinates in the Naval Department be committed to the relief of the Greely expedition and he drew support from Navy officers. by on Aug 4, 2021 9:38 pm No Comments As a young New York City attorney, Chester Arthur participated in two important civil rights cases, both times arguing for the rights of African Americans. Conkling and his followers tried to win redress by fighting for the renomination of Grant at the 1880 Republican Convention. Facts about Chester an Arthur 1: the life span Chester A Arthur was born on 5th October 1829 in Fairfield, Vermont and died on 18 November 1886. 1st EDITION was a BLAST! [9], Chester Alan Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont. . In 1858, Arthur joined the New York state militia and served until 1862. Chester A. Arthur, in full Chester Alan Arthur, (born October 5, 1829, North Fairfield, Vermont, U.S.died November 18, 1886, New York, New York), 21st president of the United States. [65] His ascent in the party hierarchy kept him busy most nights, and his wife resented his continual absence from the family home on party business. Postal Service and pushed for the modernization of the U.S. Navy. Former President Chester A. Arthur was born in Fairfax, Virginia on October 5, 1829. [205] In the months leading up to the 1884 Republican National Convention, however, Arthur began to realize that neither faction of the Republican party was prepared to give him their full support: the Half-Breeds were again solidly behind Blaine, while Stalwarts were undecided; some backed Arthur, with others considering Senator John A. Logan of Illinois. His practice thrived, making him wealthy by the war's end. The United States recognizes the independence of Korea, although Korea's future is uncertain because of Chinese, Russian, and Japanese manipulations. [127], With the Senate in recess, Arthur had no duties in Washington and returned to New York City. Professor Emeritus of History
Chester Allen Arthur became the twenty-first President of the United States (1881-1885) when James Garfield was assassinated. He was eventually promoted to quartermaster general in charge of inspecting troops and providing equipment. K-ICELAND Festival Reykjavik is the coziest and the northernmost Kizomba festival on Earth! Copyright 2023. He asked the cabinet members to remain until December, when Congress would reconvene, but Treasury Secretary William Windom submitted his resignation in October to enter a Senate race in his home state of Minnesota. Arthur vetoed the first version of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, arguing that its twenty-year ban on Chinese immigrants to the United States violated the Burlingame Treaty, but he signed a second version, which included a ten-year ban. While customs office agents frequently accepted bribes from importers, warehouse owners, and ship companies, there is no evidence of Arthur ever partaking in such graft. This court ruling allegedly violated the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Law and called into question the agreements made in the Compromise of 1850. [66], Conkling succeeded to leadership of the conservative wing of New York's Republicans by 1868 as Morgan concentrated more time and effort on national politics, including serving as chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Congress suspended Chinese immigration for ten years, later making the restriction permanent. [190] Since the end of Reconstruction, conservative white Democrats (or "Bourbon Democrats") had regained power in the South, and the Republican party dwindled rapidly as their primary supporters in the region, blacks, were disenfranchised. The New York customhouse, which brought in the bulk of the nations tariff revenue, had long been conspicuous for flagrant use of the spoils system, by which Conklings political supporters were rewarded with government jobs. Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont in 1829. After exiting the White House in March 1885, Arthur returned to New York City to resume his legal career. Chester Alan Arthur was born on October 5, 1829, in a small log cabin in Fairfield, Vermont. Some sources inaccurately list Chester Alan Arthur's year of birth as 1830.
[175], Chandler appointed an advisory board to prepare a report on modernization, whose goal was to create a Navy that would protect America thousands of miles away, rather than just coastal waters. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. A chronology of key events in the life of Chester Alan Arthur (1829-1886), twenty-first president of the Unites States. In 1880, Arthur and Conkling, determined to reassert their control of the port, moved to draft former President Grant as Hayes's successor in the White House. [99] Conkling opposed the confirmation of Merritt and Burt when the Senate reconvened in February 1879, but Merritt was approved by a vote of 3125, as was Burt by 3119, giving Hayes his most significant civil service reform victory. Elected vice president on the Republican ticket of 1880, Arthur acceded to the presidency upon the assassination of President James A. Garfield. Arthur took the presidential oath on September 19, 1881, amid widespread belief that he, a spoilsman with no experience in shaping public policy, was unworthy of the office to which he had now tragically acceded. [191] Having won an election in that state on a platform of more education funding (for black and white schools alike) and abolition of the poll tax and the whipping post, many northern Republicans saw the Readjusters as a more viable ally in the South than the moribund southern Republican party. [111] They next approached Arthur, and Conkling advised him to also reject the nomination, believing the Republicans would lose. [37] During his winter breaks, he served as a teacher at a school in Schaghticoke. President Grant in 1871 appointed him Collector of the Port of New York. He served in that post with great efficiency, obtaining the rank of brigadier general. . Arthur vetoes the Carriage of Passengers at Sea Bill, a steamboat safety bill, claiming that it contains several major technical errors. Arthur urged Congress to increase funding for Native American education, which it did in 1884, although not to the extent he wished. Chester A. Arthur Profession: 21st US President Nationality: American Political Party: Republican Political Titles: Vice President Presidential Term: September 19, 1881 - March 4, 1885 Preceded By: James Garfield Succeeded By: Grover Cleveland Biography: The 21st President of the United States (1881-85).
Ulysses S. Grant. [191] Arthur agreed, and directed the federal patronage in Virginia through the Readjusters rather than the Republicans. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Enrolled in academy in Union Village, N.Y. [102][103] In the state elections of 1879, he and Conkling worked to ensure that the Republican nominees for state offices would be men of Conkling's faction, who had become known as Stalwarts. [152] Even after he signed the act into law, its proponents doubted Arthur's commitment to reform. [42], When Arthur joined the firm, Culver and New York attorney John Jay (the grandson of the Founding Father John Jay) were pursuing a habeas corpus action against Jonathan Lemmon, a Virginia slaveholder who was passing through New York with his eight slaves. When he became an attorney, he had his law practice in New York City.
chester a arthur important events