Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/165

 RUTHERFORD BIRCHARD HAYES 131 tained their respective claims; but the two legis latures united into one, a majority of the members of both houses, whose election was conceded on both sides, meeting and organizing under the auspices of the Nichols government. President Hayes, hav ing received the necessary assurances of peace and good will, issued instructions to withdraw the troops of the United States from the state-house of South Carolina on April 10, 1877, and from the state-house of Louisiana on April 20, 1877, where upon in South Carolina the state government passed peaceably into the hands of Wade Hamp ton, and in Louisiana into those of Francis T. Nichols. The course thus pursued by President Hayes was, in the north as well as in the south, heartily approved by a large majority of the peo ple, to whom the many scandals springing from the interference of the general government in the internal affairs of the southern states had become very obnoxious, and who desired the southern states to be permitted to work out their own salvation. But this policy was also calculated to loosen the hold that the Republican party had upon the south ern states, and was therefore disliked by many Re publican politicians. President Hayes began his administration with earnest efforts for the reform of the civil service. In some of the departments competitive examina tions were resumed for the appointment of clerks.