Chester
Arthur, the son of a Baptist minister, was born in Fairfield, Vermont,
on 5th October, 1829. He graduated from Union College in 1848 and
three years later became principal of North Pownal Academy.
Arthur studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1854 and commenced
practice in New York City. An opponent
of slavery and racial
discrimination, Arthur successfully represented Lizzie Jennings,
an African American, it her case against a Brooklyn streetcar company,
after she had been forced off a car reserved for whites. Arthur won
the case and this led to city bringing an end to racial discrimination
in public transport.
A member of the Republican Party,
Arthur worked closely with Roscoe Conking,
the political boss of New York. With Conkling's help, Arthur was appointed
by President Ulysses S. Grant as customs
collector for the city's port in 1871.
When President Rutherford Hayes obtained
power he attempted to bring an end to Conkling's control of the New
York City customhouse. In July 1878 Arthur was suspended from
duty and he was forced to return to his former work as a lawyer.
In 1880 Arthur worked with Roscoe Conking
to help Ulysses S. Grant become the Republican
Party presidential candidate. After 36 ballots James
Garfield defeated Grant and James G. Blaine
for the nomination. To preserve party unity, Arthur became the vice-presidential
candidate.
It was a close election and James Garfield
defeated defeated Winfield S. Hancock,
the Democratic Party candidate, by
4,449,053 votes to 4,442,030.Garfield attempted to select a Cabinet
that would retain the unity of the Republican
Party. However, Roscoe Conking, the
leader of the Stalwart group, was unhappy with some of Garfield's
choices and refused to serve in his administration.
On 2nd July, 1881, James Garfield was
waiting for a train in Washington with Robert
Lincoln, his Secretary of War, when Charles J. Guiteau, shot him
in the back. A supporter of Roscoe Conking,
Guiteau, surrendered to the police with the words: "I am a Stalwart.
Chester Arthur is now the president of the United States. After a
four month struggle Garfield died on 19th September, 1881 and Arthur
became president.
There was fear that Arthur was under the control of Roscoe
Conking. However, he gave his support to the Civil Service Act
(1883) that created a merit-based system of appointment and promotion.
He also vetoed an $18 million rivers and harbours bill that would
have provided money for political patronage.
Arthur was a candidate for the presidential nomination in 1884, but
was beaten by James G. Blaine. He therefore
retired from politics after Grover Cleveland
took office. Chester Arthur died in New York
City on 18th November, 1886.
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