Chester A. Arthur

President of the United States from 1881 to 1885

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Lived 1829–1886, aged 57United States

United States PoliticiansPolitician

Wikipedia
123 languages
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Era
1829–1886
Aged 57

Summary

Updated 2026-06-21

He became president because someone shot his boss. A machine politician from New York's spoils-era backrooms, Chester Arthur spent his career trading favors and handing out customs-house jobs — then surprised everyone by signing the law that dismantled the system that made him.

Biography

About

Arthur was born in Vermont in 1829 and practiced law in New York City, rising through Senator Roscoe Conkling's patronage machine after serving as quartermaster general during the Civil War. President Grant rewarded him with the Port of New York collectorship in 1871, but Hayes fired him seven years later in a bitter fight over patronage reform. Republicans picked him for vice president in 1880 to balance the ticket and appease Conkling's Stalwart faction after their man Grant lost the nomination to James Garfield. Four months after taking office in March 1881, Garfield was shot; he lingered 1…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Chester A. Arthur

Chester A. Arthur

said1882

The extravagant expenditure of public money is an evil not to be measured by the value of that money to the people who are taxed for it.

— Veto message of Rivers and Harbor Bill (1882).

Chester A. Arthur

said1882

Experience has shown that the trade of the East is the key to national wealth and influence.

— Veto message of Chinese Exclusion Act (1882).

Chester A. Arthur

said1881

There are very many characteristics which go into making a model civil servant.

— First annual message (1881).

Chester A. Arthur

said1880

Indiana was really, I suppose, a Democratic State.

— The remarks concerned the presidential election of 1880.

Chester A. Arthur

saidundated

What a pleasant lot of fellows they are. What a pity they have so little sense about politics. If they lived North the last one of them would be Republicans.

— As quoted in Recollections of Thirteen Presidents, John S. Wise (1906).

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

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