The spoils system, which allowed presidents to appoint political supporters to government positions, had a direct impact on President James Garfield and his successor Chester A. Arthur. Garfield's assassination by a disgruntled office-seeker highlighted the dangers of the spoils system and led to calls for reform. Arthur, who had benefited from the spoils system himself, ultimately supported civil service reform in response to the public outcry over Garfield's death. As a result, Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law in 1883, which established a merit-based system for federal employment and reduced the influence of political patronage.
