Page:Conspectus of the history of political parties and the federal government - Houghton - 1860.djvu/47

Rh  opposed it, and the majority of the Republicans supported it. Some held that the restriction of currency would make hard times and prostrate business, and others held that inflation would be far more disastrous. No harm came of it, however, and resumption was accomplished at the time fixed, and practically some months before, without any convulsion or disturbance of business.

ELECTION OF 1876.—On the 14th of June, 1876, the Republican national convention, at Cincinnati, nominated Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, for President, and William A. Wheeler, of New York, for Vice-President. The Democratic convention at St. Louis nominated Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, for President, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana, for Vice-President. The “National” or “Greenback” party met at Indianapolis on the 17th of May, and nominated Peter Cooper, of New York, for President, and Samuel F. Cary, of Ohio, for Vice-President. The Republicans elected 173 undisputed electors, and the Democrats 184. Florida had four votes and Louisiana eight, which were contested. The Republican returning boards had given certificates of election to the Republican electors, but the Democrats contested their validity. Very grave apprehensions were felt all over the country while this contest was unsettled, and many threats were made by intemperate partisans. Finally, on the 29th of January, 1877, Congress appointed an to settle the contest. It consisted of five members of the Supreme Court, Judges Clifford, Field, Miller and Strong, who selected Judge Bradley for the fifth; five senators, Edmunds, Frelinghuysen and Morton, Republicans, and Bayard and Thurman, Democrats—Senator Thurman subsequently retired on account of illness, and was replaced by Kernan, of New York; and five representatives, Abbott, Hunton and Payne, Democrats, and Garfield and Hoar, Republicans. The Commission, by one majority, decided that the Republican certificates were valid, and that the twelve disputed electoral votes should be counted for Mr. Hayes, who was thus elected.

CONCILIATION.—The most prominent feature of the opening of the administration of President Hayes was his disposition to conciliate the disaffected feeling in the south, and accomplish, by mild means, what force and repressive legislation had failed in. He appointed a former confederate officer, David M. Key, of Tennessee, Postmaster-General, and made Carl Schurz, a leader of the Liberal Republicans in 1872, Secretary of the Interior. He, also, very early in his administration, removed the government troops from Louisiana and other states, and left the latter to themselves. During a tour of the southern states, soon afterward, he made several speeches, in which he declared his desire and purpose to bring about a better state of feeling and a more cordial union. His inaugural address indicated his desire for such a state of things, and for the reform of some of the abuses of the civil service. He had foreshadowed these views in his letter of acceptance of the nomination. Some Republicans thought he carried conciliation too far. These called themselves “stalwarts.”

CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.—An attempt was early made to revive and extend some of the regulations of the civil service reform, partially established in the previous administration. Several orders were issued and strict obedience claimed, and, by them, considerable fluttering among office holders was caused; but they were, after a time, construed into nothing of any force, and were gradually relaxed, if not abandoned.

ENFORCEMENT OF ELECTION LAWS.—The most exciting party contest of the administration grew out of Democratic efforts in defeating the law authorizing the use of United States troops to keep the peace at the polls. The employment of deputy marshals, for the same purpose, was sought to be defeated. The means resorted to were the attachment of “riders,” or conditions to the military and civil appropriation bills, requiring that the troops should not be allowed at any election in any state, and that the marshals should not interfere in the elections. The Republicans resisted the conditions, and the bill failed in 1879, making an immediate extra session necessary. The contest was not then settled, and continued into the following session in 1880.

NEGRO EXODUS.—A striking feature of the movements of 1879, was a very general negro emigration, usually called “exodus,” from the lower Mississippi river states and from the Carolinas. The earlier emigrants, and the larger number, went to Kansas. Later, a considerable number went to Indiana. A committee, to investigate the character and causes of the movement, was appointed by the Senate; it ascertained that the causes were in some cases political, and in some pecuniary.

RESUMPTION.—On the 1st of January, 1879, specie payments were resumed, after about eighteen years of suspension. The certainty that resumption would take place at the appointed time, without any difficulty or derangement of business, set it in operation, practically, some months before the time. The premium on gold was very small, and many private business houses were paying specie when desired. All apprehensions and prophecies of evil proved chimerical.

REFUNDING.—By authority of Congress, the six per cent. bonds were refunded, at different times, at five, four and a half, and four per cent. The new bonds were freely taken, and soon commanded a premium in Europe, as well as at home.

TAMMANY.—There were threatening divisions in both parties at the New York election of 1879. The Tammany Society, of New York City, which had long led the Democracy of the city, except for a few years after the exposure of Tweed’s peculations,