How did the spoils system affect President James Garfield and his successor Chester A. Arthur? need help
The spoils system, also known as patronage, was a practice whereby political leaders rewarded their supporters with government jobs and appointments. This system was prevalent in the United States during the 19th century and had a significant impact on the presidencies of James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur.
In the 1880 presidential election, James Garfield, a Republican, was elected as the 20th President of the United States. Garfield's presidency was marred by factionalism within the Republican Party, primarily between the "Stalwarts," who championed the spoils system, and the "Half-Breeds," who advocated for civil service reform.
One of the main Stalwart leaders was New York Senator Roscoe Conkling, who expected Garfield to reward his faction with government appointments. However, Garfield was more inclined to support civil service reform and tried to distance himself from the spoils system. This conflict led to a bitter standoff between the two factions, with Conkling attempting to block many of Garfield's appointments.
Tragically, the spoils system also played a role in James Garfield's assassination. On July 2, 1881, Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau, a mentally unstable lawyer who was upset that the president had not granted his request for a government job. Guiteau, who considered himself a Stalwart, believed that by assassinating Garfield, he would help advance the Stalwart cause and be rewarded with a government position. Garfield died from his wounds on September 19, 1881.
Following Garfield's death, Vice President Chester A. Arthur, also a Stalwart, assumed the presidency. Despite his previous association with the spoils system, the circumstances of Garfield's assassination led Arthur to embrace civil service reform. In 1883, he signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law, which established a merit-based system for government appointments and sought to end the spoils system. Under this law, government positions were to be awarded based on qualifications and examinations rather than political loyalty.
In summary, the spoils system had a significant impact on both James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. For Garfield, it contributed to factionalism within his party and ultimately played a role in his assassination. As for Arthur, it led to a shift in his position towards civil service reform, culminating in the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which marked the beginning of the end of the spoils system.