movingstarvoices.org – Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, is best remembered for overseeing the end of the Reconstruction Era, a period of immense transformation and turmoil in American history following the Civil War. Hayes’ presidency (1877–1881) marked a turning point for the nation as it grappled with the complex issues of racial equality, Southern reintegration into the Union, and political reform. Though Hayes’ election was marred by controversy and his decision to withdraw federal troops from the South remains debated, his tenure was characterized by efforts to reunify the nation, address corruption, and pave the way for a more modern federal government. This article explores Rutherford B. Hayes’ role as the president who guided the United States through the final phase of Reconstruction and shaped its aftermath.
The Context of Reconstruction
The Legacy of the Civil War
By the time Rutherford B. Hayes took office in 1877, the United States was still reeling from the effects of the Civil War, which had ended only 12 years earlier. The conflict had torn the nation apart, pitting the Northern states against the Southern Confederacy in a bitter struggle over slavery, states’ rights, and national unity. When the Union emerged victorious, the country faced the monumental task of rebuilding the South, reintegrating the former Confederate states into the Union, and determining the status of millions of formerly enslaved African Americans.
The Reconstruction Era, which began in 1865 under President Andrew Johnson and continued through Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency, was designed to address these challenges. It involved a series of federal policies aimed at reconstructing the Southern economy, society, and political institutions. Reconstruction also sought to protect the rights of African Americans through the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, guaranteed citizenship, and extended voting rights to Black men.
Challenges and Backlash
Despite these efforts, Reconstruction was fraught with challenges. Many white Southerners resented the federal government’s intervention and resisted efforts to enfranchise African Americans. This resistance manifested in violent acts of racial terror by groups like the Ku Klux Klan, as well as the enactment of discriminatory “Black Codes” and later “Jim Crow” laws. The South remained a hotbed of racial and political tension, and efforts to create a truly equal society were stymied by deep-seated racism and political opposition.
By the time Hayes assumed the presidency, the nation was weary of the prolonged Reconstruction policies, and calls for a return to “normalcy” and self-governance in the South had grown louder. The political will to continue Reconstruction was fading, setting the stage for Hayes to make a critical decision about the future of federal intervention in Southern affairs.
The Election of 1876: A Contested Victory
A Disputed Election
Rutherford B. Hayes’ path to the presidency was anything but smooth. The election of 1876, in which Hayes was the Republican candidate, remains one of the most disputed and controversial elections in American history. Hayes ran against Samuel J. Tilden, the Democratic governor of New York, in a fiercely competitive race. Tilden won the popular vote by a substantial margin, and early returns suggested that he had secured the electoral vote as well. However, 20 electoral votes from four Southern states—Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon—were contested due to allegations of voter fraud and intimidation.
As tensions mounted, both parties accused each other of foul play, and the nation was plunged into uncertainty. The election threatened to push the country into a constitutional crisis, with neither candidate securing the necessary 185 electoral votes to win outright. To resolve the dispute, Congress established a bipartisan Electoral Commission, which ultimately awarded all 20 contested electoral votes to Hayes, giving him the victory by a single electoral vote (185–184).
The Compromise of 1877
Hayes’ victory, however, came at a significant cost. In what became known as the “Compromise of 1877,” Democrats agreed to accept Hayes as president on the condition that he would withdraw federal troops from the Southern states. These troops had been stationed in the South since the end of the Civil War to enforce Reconstruction laws and protect the rights of African Americans. In exchange for Democratic acquiescence, Hayes promised to end federal intervention in Southern affairs and allow the region to govern itself.
The compromise effectively marked the end of Reconstruction, as Hayes upheld his promise and removed the remaining federal troops from the South shortly after taking office. While the compromise allowed Hayes to assume the presidency and avoid further political turmoil, it also had far-reaching consequences for the South and the nation as a whole.
The End of Reconstruction
Withdrawal of Federal Troops
One of Hayes’ first acts as president was to order the withdrawal of federal troops from Louisiana and South Carolina, the last two states where Reconstruction governments remained in power. Without the protection of federal troops, the Republican-led Reconstruction governments in these states quickly collapsed, and white Democratic “Redeemers” regained control of Southern politics. These Redeemers sought to reverse many of the gains made by African Americans during Reconstruction, and they implemented policies that disenfranchised Black voters and reinforced white supremacy.
The withdrawal of federal troops marked the end of the federal government’s direct involvement in Southern Reconstruction, leaving African Americans in the region vulnerable to widespread discrimination, violence, and the institutionalization of segregation through Jim Crow laws. Hayes’ decision to end Reconstruction was a pragmatic political move, aimed at restoring national unity and calming tensions, but it also allowed the Southern states to regress into a system of racial hierarchy that persisted for nearly a century.
Hayes’ Vision of National Reconciliation
Despite the negative consequences of the end of Reconstruction, Hayes believed that national reconciliation was necessary to heal the wounds of the Civil War. He sought to foster a spirit of unity between the North and South and believed that withdrawing federal troops would help reduce sectional animosity. Hayes hoped that the South would rebuild itself peacefully and that African Americans would be protected by local governments rather than federal intervention.
In his inaugural address, Hayes stated, “He serves his party best who serves the country best,” reflecting his desire to rise above partisan politics and prioritize the nation’s welfare. He appointed several Southern Democrats to key positions in his administration in an attempt to build bridges between the North and South and to encourage the South to adopt more moderate policies. Hayes’ approach was based on his belief that the nation needed to move beyond the bitterness of the Civil War and work toward a future of mutual cooperation.
Hayes’ Legacy
Civil Rights and the African American Experience
Although Hayes had hoped for racial harmony and peaceful reconciliation in the South, the end of Reconstruction marked a dark chapter for African Americans. Without federal oversight, Southern states systematically rolled back the rights of Black citizens through discriminatory laws, disenfranchisement, and acts of violence. The promise of equality that had been glimpsed during Reconstruction was largely unfulfilled, and African Americans in the South would face decades of segregation, economic inequality, and political exclusion.
Hayes’ legacy in relation to civil rights is complex. While he ended Reconstruction, he also spoke out against the mistreatment of African Americans and advocated for education and economic opportunities for freedmen. However, his inability to enforce these ideals in the South without federal intervention limited his effectiveness in advancing civil rights.
Political Reform and National Unity
Beyond Reconstruction, Hayes’ presidency was marked by efforts to reform the federal government and reduce corruption. He was a strong advocate for civil service reform, working to curtail the spoils system and ensure that government positions were awarded based on merit rather than political loyalty. His administration laid the groundwork for future reforms, including the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, which would fundamentally change the way the federal government operated.
Hayes also sought to restore faith in the presidency after the tumultuous election of 1876, and his integrity and honesty helped rebuild trust in the office. He refused to seek a second term, fulfilling a campaign promise, and left office in 1881 with a reputation for fairness and dedication to the national interest.
Conclusion
Rutherford B. Hayes’ presidency stands as a pivotal moment in American history, marking the end of the Reconstruction Era and the beginning of a new phase of national development. While his decision to withdraw federal troops from the South effectively ended Reconstruction and had long-lasting consequences for African Americans, Hayes’ broader goal was to promote national unity and restore trust in the federal government.
His legacy is one of both accomplishment and controversy. On one hand, Hayes helped to steer the country away from sectional conflict and laid the foundation for civil service reform; on the other, his actions enabled the rise of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in the South. Despite the complexities of his presidency, Hayes remains a significant figure in American history—a president who sought to bring a divided nation together, even as the challenges of Reconstruction continued to shape the country for decades to come.