Rutherford B. Hayes stepped into the presidency under a cloud of controversy that few leaders have ever had to weather. His election in 1876 remains the most disputed in American history, resolved only days before his inauguration through a complex political compromise.
Yet, despite being dubbed “Rutherfraud” by his critics, Hayes proved to be a man of quiet dignity and staunch integrity. As the 19th President, he oversaw the official end of Reconstruction, initiated early civil service reforms, and worked to restore faith in a government shaken by corruption. We are here to guide you through the life of this often-underappreciated leader who prioritized national unity and honest governance above political gain.
Table of Historical Contents
From Ohio Lawyer to Citizen Soldier
Born on October 4, 1822, in Delaware, Ohio, Rutherford Birchard Hayes was raised by his mother and uncle after his father died before his birth. He had a privileged upbringing that allowed him to pursue a robust education. Hayes graduated as valedictorian from Kenyon College and later earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. He established a successful law practice in Cincinnati, where he gained a reputation as a defender of fugitive slaves in court proceedings.
Army Officer in the 23rd Ohio Infantry
When the Civil War broke out, Hayes was nearly 40 years old with a wife and three young children. Despite his age and family obligations, he felt a profound duty to serve. He joined the 23rd Ohio Infantry and proved to be a brave and capable officer. He was wounded in action five times—once severely at the Battle of South Mountain—and had four horses shot out from under him. He ended the war as a brevet major general, a true citizen-soldier who had earned his rank through blood and sacrifice.
While still in the field, local Republicans nominated him for the U.S. House of Representatives. When urged to come home to campaign, Hayes famously replied, “An officer fit for duty who at this crisis would abandon his post to electioneer for a seat in Congress ought to be scalped.” This dedication only increased his popularity. He won the seat, later serving three terms as the thirty-second Governor of Ohio, where he built a record as a moderate reformer and fiscal conservative. In 1876, the Republican Party turned to him as a safe, untainted candidate to succeed Ulysses S. Grant.
| Rutherford B. Hayes: Fast Facts | |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | October 4, 1822 |
| Death Date | January 17, 1893 |
| Political Party | Republican |
| Term in Office | March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 |
| Vice President | William A. Wheeler |
| Key Achievement | Ended Reconstruction and began civil service reform |
| Nickname | “Rud” or “His Fraudulency” (by opponents) |
Governing Through Compromise: Policies and Initiatives
The Hayes presidency began with the “Compromise of 1877.” To resolve the disputed election against Democrat Samuel Tilden, Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South in exchange for Hayes entering the White House. This deal effectively ended Reconstruction in the United States. Hayes, however, genuinely hoped to protect the rights of Black citizens through goodwill and negotiation rather than military force—a hope that ultimately proved naive.
Major Policies and Initiatives of President Rutherford B. Hayes:
- Civil Service Reform: Hayes was a pioneer in fighting the “spoils system,” where government jobs were given to political supporters regardless of qualification. He issued an executive order forbidding federal officeholders from being required to make campaign contributions or take part in party politics. While Congress blocked legislation, Hayes set a vital precedent for merit-based government.
- The End of Reconstruction: Fulfilling the political deal that elected him, Hayes ordered federal troops to withdraw from the statehouses in South Carolina and Louisiana. This returned control of the South to local Democratic governments, marking the formal end of the Reconstruction era.
- Resumption of Specie Payments: Hayes was a “hard money” advocate. He successfully backed the resumption of gold payments for paper currency (greenbacks) in 1879. This policy helped stabilize the post-war economy and restored confidence in U.S. credit, though it was unpopular with debt-ridden farmers.
- Arbitration in Paraguay: In a rare foreign policy role, Hayes served as an arbitrator in a territorial dispute between Argentina and Paraguay following the War of the Triple Alliance. He ruled in favor of Paraguay, securing their claim to the Chaco region. To this day, a department in Paraguay (Presidente Hayes) and a city (Villa Hayes) are named in his honor.
A Nation in Transition: Domestic and Foreign Events
Hayes presided over a country that was rapidly industrializing and moving westward, yet still deeply scarred by the Civil War. His administration faced labor unrest and continued debates over the currency.
Significant Domestic and Foreign Events: From Railroad Strikes to Border Tensions
- The Great Railroad Strike of 1877: Just months into his term, Hayes faced the first major interstate strike in U.S. history. Railroad workers, protesting wage cuts, shut down rail lines across the country. Violent riots erupted in several cities. Reluctantly, Hayes sent federal troops to restore order and get the trains moving again, setting a precedent for federal intervention in labor disputes.
- Veto of the Bland-Allison Act: Congress passed this act to require the government to buy and coin silver, an inflationary measure supported by Western miners and farmers. Hayes, believing it would damage the economy, vetoed it. Congress overrode his veto—the only time this happened during his presidency—but Hayes limited the law’s impact by purchasing only the minimum amount of silver required.
- Conflict with the “Stalwarts”: Hayes engaged in a bitter power struggle with the “Stalwart” faction of the Republican Party, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling. The Stalwarts defended the patronage system. Hayes struck a major blow by firing the future president Chester A. Arthur from his lucrative post as Collector of the Port of New York, asserting presidential authority over appointments.
- Border Tensions with Mexico: Bandits and indigenous raiders frequently crossed the border between Texas and Mexico. Hayes authorized the U.S. Army to pursue these raiders into Mexican territory if necessary, causing diplomatic tension but ultimately forcing the Mexican government to better police its own border.
Challenges and Accomplishments of Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes pledged to serve only one term, a promise that liberated him from the need to campaign for re-election. This allowed him to make unpopular but principled decisions.
Key Accomplishments and Challenges:
- Restoring Dignity to the Office: After the corruption-plagued years of the Grant administration, Hayes brought a sense of rectitude and propriety back to the White House. He and his wife, Lucy, were known for their sobriety (banning alcohol from the White House) and moral uprightness.
- Navigating a Divided Government: Democrats controlled the House of Representatives for his entire term and the Senate for the last two years. Hayes had to fight constantly to protect executive power, successfully vetoing appropriations bills that Democrats tried to use to repeal federal election laws.
- Civil Rights Failure: While Hayes hoped Southern Democrats would respect the rights of African Americans in exchange for home rule, this trust was misplaced. The withdrawal of troops accelerated the disenfranchisement of Black voters in the South, a failure that weighed heavily on Hayes in his later years.
The Hayes Cabinet and Vice President
Hayes assembled a cabinet of high capability, choosing men based on merit rather than political connections. This independence infuriated party bosses but resulted in an efficient administration.
Vice President William A. Wheeler
William A. Wheeler, a Congressman from New York, was a virtual stranger to Hayes before the 1876 convention. When suggested as a running mate, Hayes famously asked, “Who is Wheeler?” Despite this rocky start, the two developed a warm friendship.
Wheeler was a quiet, competent man who presided over the Senate with fairness but played a limited role in policy-making. He was one of the few Vice Presidents to be genuinely liked by the President he served.
Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz was a German immigrant and a leading liberal reformer. As Secretary of the Interior, he was a relentless advocate for civil service reform and the conservation of natural resources. He implemented merit-based promotion systems within his department and fought against the destruction of public forests, decades before the modern conservation movement took hold. He also attempted to reform the Indian Bureau to reduce corruption, though his policies of assimilation remain controversial today.
Secretary of the Treasury John Sherman
John Sherman, the younger brother of Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman, was a financial expert. He was the architect of the administration’s economic success, skillfully managing the resumption of gold payments and refinancing the national debt at lower interest rates. His steady hand helped pull the nation out of the economic depression that had lingered since 1873.
Secretary of State William M. Evarts
William Evarts was a brilliant lawyer who had successfully defended President Andrew Johnson during his impeachment trial. As Secretary of State, he focused on expanding American trade in Latin America and Asia. He also asserted U.S. dominance over the proposed Panama Canal, declaring that any canal built across Central America must be under American control, a policy that foreshadowed future U.S. actions in the region.
A Legacy of Integrity
True to his word, Rutherford B. Hayes did not seek a second term in 1880. He retired to his home, Spiegel Grove, in Fremont, Ohio, where he dedicated the rest of his life to humanitarian causes. He became a passionate advocate for prison reform and educational opportunities for African Americans, serving as a trustee for the fund that helped establish scholarships for black students.
Hayes died of a heart attack on January 17, 1893. His last words were reportedly, “I know that I am going where Lucy is.”
Historians generally view Rutherford B. Hayes as an average to above-average president. He was not a charismatic visionary, but he was exactly what the country needed at that moment: a steady, honest administrator who could calm the political waters.
He successfully asserted the independence of the presidency against a hostile Congress and planted the seeds of civil service reform that would blossom in later years. While the end of Reconstruction remains a complicated part of the Hayes Presidential legacy, his commitment to healing the nation’s divisions and cleaning up the government helped restore faith in the American presidency.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why was the election of 1876 so controversial?
It was one of the closest and most chaotic elections in United States history. Democrat Samuel Tilden won the popular vote, but 20 electoral votes from four states (Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon) were disputed due to allegations of fraud and voter intimidation. A special Electoral Commission was created to decide the winner. They awarded all 20 disputed votes to Hayes, giving him a victory margin of just one electoral vote (185 to 184).
2. Why was his wife called “Lemonade Lucy”?
First Lady Lucy Webb Hayes was a staunch supporter of the temperance movement. She and the President banned alcohol from being served at White House functions. Critics mocked this policy, claiming that she only served lemonade at state dinners, earning her the nickname “Lemonade Lucy.” In reality, the ban was also a political move to gain support from prohibitionists, and the nickname was only popularized after she left the White House.
3. What was the “Compromise of 1877”?
It was an informal, unwritten deal that settled the disputed 1876 U.S. election. Democrats agreed to accept the Electoral Commission’s decision to make Hayes president. In return, Republicans agreed to withdraw the remaining federal troops from the South, appoint a Democrat to the cabinet, and provide federal subsidies for a southern transcontinental railroad. The deal effectively ended the Reconstruction era.
4. Did Hayes really say, “Who is Wheeler?”
Yes. When his political advisors suggested William A. Wheeler as a running mate to balance the ticket geographically, Hayes genuinely did not know who he was. Despite this, the two men became close friends, and Hayes often invited Wheeler to join him for private dinners at the White House, a rarity for presidents and vice presidents of that era.
5. How did Hayes contribute to the telephone?
Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to have a telephone installed in the White House in 1877. The phone number was simply “1”. However, since hardly anyone else in Washington had a telephone at the time, it was rarely used for official business.
