President Chester A. Arthur Orders a Pardon

Arthur is perhaps the most underrated president in American history. In the 1870’s he was Collector of the Port of New York, the nation’s premium patronage job, and a firm believer in, and practitioner of, the spoils system. Under that system, party machines controlled patronage and jobs, and corruption was rife. Arthur was also a darling of the stalwart, anti-reform segment of the Republican Party, and was nominated for vice president in 1880 as a reward to them to gain their support for presidential nominee James A. Garfield.

Arthur unexpectedly became President when Garfield was assassinated, and once in office confounded all expectations. He saw his duty as no longer limited to party or supporters, but expanded to encompass what he sincerely thought was best for the country. He shocked everyone by becoming a firm champion of civil service reform. In 1883, he saw through Congress the Pendleton Act, which established that government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit instead of political affiliation. It established a bipartisan Civil Service Commission, forbade levying political assessments against officeholders, and provided for a classified system that made certain government positions obtainable only through competitive written examinations. The system also protected employees against removal for political reasons. Arthur’s achievement was extraordinary, as this was the greatest measure of governmental self-regulation passed up to that date. Publisher Alexander K. McClure recalled, “No man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted, and no one ever retired…more generally respected.”

Document signed, Washington, March 2, 1885, ordering the “Secretary of State to cause the seal of United States to be affixed to a warrant for the pardon of William B. Moran…” It is boldly signed by Arthur.