Remembering Rutherford Hayes
On January 17, 1893, 131 years ago today, Rutherford Birchard Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, died at the age of 71. Hayes was elected President in 1876 in the closest US presidential election in history, even closed than the Bush-Gore election of 2000. Like George W. Bush in 2000, Hayes received fewer popular votes than his opponent, but unlike 2000, the 1876 election involved a dispute over the electoral votes of several states, and the outcome of the election was in doubt until February when a congressional committee awarded all three disputed states to Hayes in what became known as the Compromise of 1877.
Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio on October 4, 1822. His father died 10 weeks before Hayes was born. Hayes practiced law and was city solicitor of Cincinnati from 1858 to 1861. He fought in the Civil War and was wounded five times, most seriously at the Battle of South Mountain. Hayes had a reputation for bravery in combat and was promoted to the rank of major general. After the war, he served in the U.S. Congress from 1865 to 1867 as a Republican. Hayes left Congress to run for Governor of Ohio and was elected to two terms, serving from 1867 to 1871. After his second term had ended, he returned to practicing law for a time, but returned to serve a third term as governor in 1875.
As President, Hayes was a reformer who implemented civil service reform. His biggest failure was in not protecting African Americans from retaliation in the south like his predecessor Ulysses S. Grant had. He ordered federal troops out of southern capitols, leading to retaliation from angry whites against African-Americans and ultimately to the Jim Crow laws that persisted for decades. Some historians believe that this was part of the bargain that led to Compromise of 1877. Hayes kept his pledge not to run for re-election.
After the inauguration of his successor, Hayes and his family returned to their home in Spiegel Grove, Ohio. Hayes became an active advocate for educational charities, arguing for federal education subsidies for all children. He believed that education was the best way to heal the rifts in American society and allow individuals to improve themselves. He unsuccessfully urged Congress to pass a bill that would have allowed federal aid for education for the first time. He encouraged African-American students to apply for scholarships from the Slater Fund, one of the charities with which he was affiliated. Hayes also advocated for better prison conditions. Another cause that troubled him in retirement was the disparity between the rich and the poor. In an 1886 speech he said that "free government cannot long endure if property is largely in a few hands and large masses of people are unable to earn homes, education, and a support in old age."
Hayes was greatly saddened by the death of his wife Lucy in 1889. In 1890, he chaired the Lake Mohonk Conference on "the Negro Question", a gathering of reformers that discussed racial issues.
Hayes died of complications of a heart attack at his home on January 17, 1893. His last words were said to be "I know that I'm going where Lucy is." President-elect Grover Cleveland and Ohio Governor William McKinley led the funeral procession that followed Hayes's body until he was interred in Oakwood Cemetery. Following the gift of his home to the state of Ohio for the Spiegel Grove State Park, he was re-interred there in 1915. The following year the Hayes Commemorative Library and Museum, the first presidential library in the United States, was opened on the site, funded by contributions from the state of Ohio and Hayes's family.
Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio on October 4, 1822. His father died 10 weeks before Hayes was born. Hayes practiced law and was city solicitor of Cincinnati from 1858 to 1861. He fought in the Civil War and was wounded five times, most seriously at the Battle of South Mountain. Hayes had a reputation for bravery in combat and was promoted to the rank of major general. After the war, he served in the U.S. Congress from 1865 to 1867 as a Republican. Hayes left Congress to run for Governor of Ohio and was elected to two terms, serving from 1867 to 1871. After his second term had ended, he returned to practicing law for a time, but returned to serve a third term as governor in 1875.
As President, Hayes was a reformer who implemented civil service reform. His biggest failure was in not protecting African Americans from retaliation in the south like his predecessor Ulysses S. Grant had. He ordered federal troops out of southern capitols, leading to retaliation from angry whites against African-Americans and ultimately to the Jim Crow laws that persisted for decades. Some historians believe that this was part of the bargain that led to Compromise of 1877. Hayes kept his pledge not to run for re-election.
After the inauguration of his successor, Hayes and his family returned to their home in Spiegel Grove, Ohio. Hayes became an active advocate for educational charities, arguing for federal education subsidies for all children. He believed that education was the best way to heal the rifts in American society and allow individuals to improve themselves. He unsuccessfully urged Congress to pass a bill that would have allowed federal aid for education for the first time. He encouraged African-American students to apply for scholarships from the Slater Fund, one of the charities with which he was affiliated. Hayes also advocated for better prison conditions. Another cause that troubled him in retirement was the disparity between the rich and the poor. In an 1886 speech he said that "free government cannot long endure if property is largely in a few hands and large masses of people are unable to earn homes, education, and a support in old age."
Hayes was greatly saddened by the death of his wife Lucy in 1889. In 1890, he chaired the Lake Mohonk Conference on "the Negro Question", a gathering of reformers that discussed racial issues.
Hayes died of complications of a heart attack at his home on January 17, 1893. His last words were said to be "I know that I'm going where Lucy is." President-elect Grover Cleveland and Ohio Governor William McKinley led the funeral procession that followed Hayes's body until he was interred in Oakwood Cemetery. Following the gift of his home to the state of Ohio for the Spiegel Grove State Park, he was re-interred there in 1915. The following year the Hayes Commemorative Library and Museum, the first presidential library in the United States, was opened on the site, funded by contributions from the state of Ohio and Hayes's family.