Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes

By Cindy Ngo

Bibliography

• "Rutherford B. Hayes". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 04 Oct. 2015 <http://www.britannica.com/biography/Rutherford-B-Hayes>.
• "American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
• "Miller Center." Rutherford B. Hayes: Domestic Affairs-. Ed. Ari Hoogenboom. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
• "Miller Center." Rutherford B. Hayes: Foreign Affairs-. Ed. Ari Hoogenboom. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

American Ideals

Claim 1: Hayes led fairly when assisting both blacks and whites in the South.

Evidence: Fifteenth Amendment removing race as a voting qualification.

Explanation: With 9 out of ten blacks supporting Republicans, Hayes fought to ratify the Fifteenth Amendment (as a governor). Soon, the Democratic party began using violence to gain control state by state. Since the Democratic despised the military control established during Reconstruction, Hayes kept to his promise on removing the troops if Democrats "pledged to uphold the civil and voting rights of black and white Republicans."

Foreign Policy

Overall Evaluation

American Ideals (Continued)

Claim 2: Hayes supported many social causes even well after his presidency.

Evidence: Education reforms, prison reforms, problematic differences in social classes

Explanation: Hayes had already believed that education could open opportunities to improve society and the economy. Funding schools to improve the education of southern blacks and whites. Hayes was gracious with pardons and opposed the death penalty, believing that prisoners needed proper education.

Claim 1: Hayes main focus was pinpointed on immigrants flooding in from the expansion in the West.

Evidence: Burlingame Treaty with China, which allowed unrestricted Chinese immigration.

Explanation: With a steady flow of Chinese immigrants taking over jobs for lower wages, white laborers formed anti-Chinese riots. The California Constitutional Convention attempted to secure articles which restricted Chinese immigrants rights, which so happened to violate the federal Constitution. Congress then attempted to pass a bill restricting to no more than 15 Chinese passengers which violated the Burlingame Treaty. Hayes vetoed the bill and negotiated with China to improve the Burlingame Treaty. The new treaty would allow regulations of immigration without prohibition.

Evaluation

Great

Hayes had many positive ideals on reforms even beyond his presidency. Despite those who thought he had betrayed southern blacks, Hayes aided them with suffrage and civil rights. However, Hayes believed that education is key to everything, that "crime was a product of poverty and desperation." Giving pardons out generously wehn both President and governor.

Near Great

President Hayes believed that when he retired, he had "left it united, harmonious, and prosperous." Having solved the economic crisis, ended Reconstruction and reunited the nation, solved the question of Immigration, and continued reforming the nation into a better one. However, he seemed to prideful and generous, saying "[he] would be difficult to defeat." Many could argue that he found alternatives rather than solutions, but they have not considered the limited amount of choices he had.

Domestic Affair

Foreign Policy (Continued)

Claim 2: Hayes was skeptical of foreign projects, mainly the transoceanic route, a French project.

Evidence: Opposition to the French project. "The true policy of the United States as to a canal across any part of the Isthmus is either a canal under American control, or no canal."

Explanation: With a project to create a transoceanic route, Ferdinand de Lesseps assured American crowds that his project would no way violate the Monroe Doctrine. In response Hayes, proprosition which would later be proclaimed by Theodore Roosevelt would "warn European investors not to look for their governments for protection."

Evaluation

Above Average

With Foreign Policies, I believe that Hayes had done an Above Average. He has tried his best to solve relations, especially with the Chinese immigrants. However, compared with the transoceanic route, his efforts were regarded as the French continued their project which failed.

Claim 1: Hayes favored the South during Reconstruction, who helped him win the election.

Evidence: Ended Reconstruction by removing troops in the South and restoring local control.

Explanation: With the Reconstruction Era coming to a close, Hayes withdrew troops from military occupying states. He appointed federal positions to Southerners and passed policies to improve the economy. His choices to reconcile divisions between the South and North by appointing David M. Key, a Democrat, pleased the South, however enraged Republican

Domestic Affairs (Continued)

Claim 2: Hayes, a "gold bug," insisted on the gold standard would bring prosperity to the nation.

Evidence: The Bland Allison Act which required the government to buy $2 to $4 million worth of silver each month.

Explanation: With the Panic of 1873 and the effects of printing "greenback" which was not backed by either gold or silver, Hayes attempted to back money solely on gold, believing that gold would lead to prosperity. Which did indeed became true as economic stability returned and businessmen were able "to calculate the costs of their future moves."

Evaluation

Great

As the economic crisis was a big problem to deal with, Hayes had a prediction that aided the economy as businessman planned their moves. With luck, his predictions "with a great degree of accuracy, [contributed] to the economic recovery. " With good motives, Hayes also aided in ending Reconstruction by reconciling divisions between the North and South.

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