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DDH - Rutherford B.Hayes · Plausibly Live - The Dave Bowman Show Podcast

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  History is strange, it's alien, and it won't give us what we
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  would like to have. Rutherford B Hayes, born October
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  4th, 1822 in Delaware, OH, would rise from modest beginnings to
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  become the 19th President of the United States.
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  His life reflects the broad currents of American history in
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  the 19th century, encompassing the Civil War, Reconstruction,
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  turbulent politics of the Gilded Age.
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  He was orphaned at a young age when his father died and was
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  raised by his mother, Sophia Hayes, and a close knit,
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  industrious family. His early life marked by strong
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  commitment to education, which culminated in his graduation
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  from Kenyon College in 1842 and later Yale Law School in 1845.
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  These formative years instilled in Hayes a sense of duty in
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  public service that would shape his future political career.
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  After establishing a successful law practice in Ohio, his career
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  took a significant turn when the Civil War erupted in 1861.
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  He answered the call to serve and joined the 23rd Ohio
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  Infantry, rising quickly through the ranks due to his leadership
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  and his courage. He fought in numerous
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  engagements, including the Battle of South Mountain, where
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  he was seriously wounded. His wartime service, marked by
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  bravery and resilience, helped him to build a reputation that
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  would carry him into national politics.
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  By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of Brigadier
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  General, and his relationship with men like William McKinley,
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  also a future president, who had served under him, solidified his
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  standing within the Republican Party.
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  With the Union restored and the war behind him, Hayes turned to
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  politics. He was elected to the US House
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  of Representatives in 1865, but he only served one term before
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  quickly returning to Ohio, where he was elected as governor in
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  1867. His time as governor was marked
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  by efforts to reform public education, expand veterans
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  benefits, and fight political corruption.
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  He was re elected twice, further cementing his status as a
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  reformed mine politician at a time when the nation was weary
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  of the scandals that had marred the presidency of Ulysses S
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  Grant. This reputation, along with his
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  moderate stance on Reconstruction, made him an
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  attractive candidate for the Republican nomination in 1876,
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  the year marked by economic downturn and widespread
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  political disillusionment. The 1876 presidential election
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  remains one of the most controversial in American
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  history. I'd say it's the most
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  controversial, but we've forgotten about it.
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  Facing Democratic candidate Samuel J Tilden, Hayes lost the
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  popular vote but found himself in a deadlock over the Electoral
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  College. There were disputed results in
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  Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana, along with Oregon,
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  which led to accusations of fraud and voter intimidation
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  from both parties. To resolve the impasse, Congress
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  established an Electoral Commission, which awarded the
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  contested electoral votes to Hayes, making him president by a
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  single electoral vote. The result was the Compromise of
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  1877, an unwritten agreement that effectively ended
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  Reconstruction by removing federal troops from the South in
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  exchange for Hayes's presidency. Though this compromise settled
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  the election, it came at a high cost for African Americans in
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  the South, who were left vulnerable to the rise of Jim
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  Crow laws and disenfranchisement.
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  Hayes's presidency from 1877 to 1881 was defined by his
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  commitment to civil service reform and reconciliation
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  between the North and South. He was an early proponent of
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  merit based appointments, attempting to dismantle the
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  corrupt patronage system that had dominated American politics
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  for decades. Although his efforts were only
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  partly successful during his term, they laid the groundwork
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  for future reforms like the Pendleton Civil Service Act of
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  1883 and others. In terms of economic policy, he
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  supported a return to the gold standard, believing that it
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  would stabilize the post civil war economy and promote long
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  term growth. Internationally, Hayes played a
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  significant role in mediating the War of the Pacific 1879 to
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  1884 between Chile, Bolivia and Peru.
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  His administration work to prevent the conflict from
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  escalating into a wider regional war, marking one of the first
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  instances of US involvement in Latin American diplomacy.
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  Domestically, he sought to promote Native American
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  assimilation through education, though his policies, much like
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  those of his predecessors, were controversial and more often
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  ineffective. Hayes is also remembered for his
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  handling of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, during which he
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  deployed federal troops to quell the violence violence raising
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  questions about the role of government in labor disputes.
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  True to his word, Hayes did not seek re election in 1880, stead
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  focusing on ensuring a smooth transition to his successor,
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  James A Garfield. He left office with mixed public
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  opinion, seen by some as a reformer and others by as a
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  president would compromise too much, particularly regarding the
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  end of Reconstruction. His departure, however, from the
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  White House marked the beginning of an active post presidential
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  career, retiring to his family estate in Fremont, OH.
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  Hayes devoted his post presidency to public service,
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  became a leading advocate for educational reform, particularly
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  in the South, and worked to improve conditions for prisoners
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  and for veterans. He played a significant role in
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  establishing Ohio State University, reflecting his
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  belief in the power of education to lift people out of poverty.
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  He also remained very active in veterans organizations, offering
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  to support those who had fought to preserve the union.
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  Hayes would pass away in January of 1893 at the age of 70.
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  His death marked the end of a life dedicated to public
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  servants, though his legacy would evolve over time.
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  Initially criticized for his role in ending Reconstruction,
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  Hayes has since been re evaluated by historians who
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  emphasized his efforts at reform and his commitment to
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  reconciliation. The Rutherford B Hayes
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  Presidential Library and museums in Ohio stand as a testament to
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  his impact on the nation. His presidency is often seen as
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  a transitional 1, bridging the gap between the Civil War era
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  and the dawn of the Gilded Age. Rutherford B Hayes was a man who
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  was shaped by the dramatic events of his time, the Civil
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  War, Reconstruction, the political battles of the late
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  19th century. While his presidency was marked
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  by controversy, particularly the Compromise of 1877, his
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  commitment to reform and reconciliation left a lasting
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  impact on the nation. His efforts to establish civil
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  service reform, promote education, and mediate
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  international disputes foreshadowed the progressive
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  reforms of the earliest 20th century.
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  His legacy, while complicated, reflects the challenges of
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  leadership in a deeply divided nation.