A Short History of the United States by Channing

by Edward Channing

  [Illustration: THE HEART OF MODERN CHICAGO.]

  [Sidenote: Rebellion in Cuba, 1867.]

  [Sidenote: Spanish cruelty.]

  [Sidenote: The Virginius affair.]

  [Sidenote: Spanish promises end rebellion, 1877.]

  454. The Cuban Rebellion, 1867-77.--When the other Spanish-American colonies won their independence (p. 223), Cuba remained true to Spain.

  But by 1867 the Cubans could no longer bear the hardships of Spanish rule. They rebelled and for ten years fought for freedom. The Spaniards burned whole villages because they thought the inhabitants favored the rebels. They even threatened to kill all Cuban men found away from their homes. This cruelty aroused the sympathy of the Americans. Expeditions sailed from the United States to help the Cubans, although the government did everything it could to prevent their departure. One of these vessels carrying aid to the Cubans was named the Virginius. The Spaniards captured her, carried her to Santiago, and killed forty-six of her crew. There came near being a war with Spain over this affair. But the Spaniards apologized and saluted the American flag. In 1877 President Grant made up his mind that the war had lasted long enough. He adopted a severe tone toward Spain. The Spanish government made terms with the rebels, and the rebellion came to an end.

  [Sidenote: The Credit Mobilier.]

  [Sidenote: The Whiskey Ring.]

  455. Scandals in Political Life.--In 1872 the House of Representatives made a searching inquiry into the charges of bribery in connection with the building of the Pacific railroads. Oakes Ames of Massachusetts was the head of a company called the "Credit Mobilier." This company had been formed to build the Union Pacific Railway. Fearing that Congress would pass laws that might hurt the enterprise, Ames gave stock in the company to members of Congress. But nothing definite could be proved against any members, and the matter dropped. Soon after the beginning of Grant's second term, many evil things came to light. One of these was the Whiskey Ring, which defrauded the government of large sums of money with the aid of the government officials. Grant wished to have a thorough investigation, and said, "Let no guilty man escape." The worst case of all, perhaps, was that of W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War. But he escaped punishment by resigning.

  [Illustration: A MISSISSIPPI RIVER COTTON STEAMER.]

  [Sidenote: Failure of reconstruction. Source-Book, 349-351.]

  456. Anarchy in the South.--Meantime reconstruction was not working well in the South. This was especially true of Louisiana, Arkansas, and South Carolina. In Louisiana, and in Arkansas also, there were two sets of governors and legislatures, and civil war on a small scale was going on. In South Carolina the carpetbaggers and the negroes had gained control. They stole right and left. In other Southern states there were continued outrages on the negroes. President Grant was greatly troubled.

  "Let us have peace," was his heartfelt wish. But he felt it necessary to keep Federal soldiers in the South, although he knew that public opinion in the North was turning against their employment. It was under these circumstances that the election of 1876 was held.

  [Sidenote: Election of 1876. Higginson, 331-334.]

  [Sidenote: The electoral commission.]

  [Sidenote: Hayes inaugurated, 1877.]

  457. Election of 1876.--The Republican candidate was Rutherford B.

  Hayes of Ohio. He was a gallant soldier of the Civil War, and was a man of the highest personal character. His Democratic opponent was Samuel J.

  Tilden of New York--a shrewd lawyer who had won distinction as governor of the Empire State. When the electoral returns were brought in, there appeared two sets of returns from each of three Southern states, and the vote of Oregon was doubtful. The Senate was Republican, and the House was Democratic. As the two houses could not agree as to how these returns should be counted, they referred the whole matter to an electoral commission. This commission was made up of five Senators, five Representatives, and five justices of the Supreme Court. Eight of them were Republicans and seven were Democrats. They decided by eight seven that Hayes was elected, and he was inaugurated President on March 4, 1877.

  [Sidenote: Southern politics Higginson, 334-335.]

  [Sidenote: Troops withdrawn.]

  458. Withdrawal of the Soldiers from the South.--The People of the North were weary of the ceaseless political agitation in the South. The old Southern leaders had regained control of nearly all the Southern states. They could not be turned out except by a new civil war, and the Northern people were not willing to go to war again. The only other thing that could be done was to withdraw the Federal soldiers and let the Southern people work out their own salvation as well as they could.

  President Hayes recalled the troops, and all the Southern states at once passed into the control of the Democrats.

  [Illustration: THE RUINS AFTER THE PITTSBURGH RIOTS.]

  [Sidenote: Panic and hard times.]

  [Sidenote: The Pittsburgh riots, 1877.]

  459. Strikes and Riots, 1877.--The extravagance and speculation of the Civil War, and the years following its close, ended in a great panic in 1873. After the panic came the "hard times." Production fell off. The demand for labor diminished. Wages were everywhere reduced. Strikes became frequent, and riots followed the strikes. At Pittsburg, in western Pennsylvania, the rioters seized the railroad. They burned hundreds of railroad cars and locomotives. They destroyed the railroad buildings. At last the riot came to an end, but not until millions of dollars' worth of property had been destroyed.

  [Sidenote: The Stalwart Republicans.]

  [Sidenote: Garfield elected President, 1880.]

  460. Election of 1880.--At the beginning of his administration Hayes had declared that he would not be a candidate for reëlection. Who should be the Republican standard bearer? Grant's friends proposed to nominate him for a third term. The politicians who advocated a third term for Grant were opposed to the candidacy of James G. Blaine. They were called the Stalwart Republicans. In the convention they voted steadily and solidly for Grant. Finally their opponents, with the cry of "Anything to beat Grant," suddenly turned to an entirely new man, whose name had been little mentioned. This was James A. Garfield of Ohio. He had won distinction in the Civil War and had served with credit in Congress. For Vice-President the Republicans nominated Chester A.

  Arthur, a New York banker. The Democrats, on their part, nominated one of the most brilliant and popular soldiers of the Army of the Potomac, General Winfield Scott Hancock. The campaign was very hotly contested.

  In the end Garfield won.

  [Sidenote: Garfield murdered, 1881.]

  [Sidenote: President Arthur.]

  [Sidenote: Civil Service Reform. Source-Book, 363-365.]

  461. Garfield murdered; Civil Service Reform.--President Garfield took the oath of office on March 4, 1881. On July 2 he was shot in the back by a disappointed office-seeker. Week after week he endured terrible agony. At length, on September 19, the martyred President died.

  Now at last the evils of the "Spoils System" were brought to the attention of the American people. Vice-President Arthur became President and entered heartily into projects of reform. A beginning was soon made.

  But it was found to be a very difficult thing to bring about any lasting reform. The Constitution gives the President the appointment of officers, subject to the confirmation of the Senate. No act of Congress can diminish the constitutional powers of the President except so far as he consents, and one President cannot bind succeeding Presidents. Any scheme of reform also costs money, which must be voted annually by Congress. It follows, therefore, that the consent of every President and of both Houses of every Congress is necessary to make the reform of the civil service permanent. Nevertheless the reform has made steady progress until now by far the greater part of the civil service is organized on the merit system.

  [Sidenote: J.G. Blaine]

  [Sidenote: The Mugwumps.]

  [Sidenote: Grover Cleveland.]

  [Sidenote: Cleveland elected President,
1884.]

  [Sidenote: Tariff reform.]

  462. Election of 1884.--In 1884 the Republicans nominated James G.

  Blaine of Maine for President. He was a man of magnetic address and had made many friends, but he also had made many enemies. Especially many Republican voters distrusted him. They felt that he had used his position for private gain, although nothing was proved against him.

  These Republicans were called "Mugwumps." They "bolted" the nomination and supported the Democratic candidate, Grover Cleveland. As mayor of Buffalo, Cleveland had done very well. He had then been elected governor of New York by a very large majority. The campaign of 1884 was conducted on lines of personal abuse that recall the campaigns of 1800 and of 1828. Cleveland carried four large Northern states and the "solid South" and was elected.

  [Illustration: GROVER CLEVELAND.]

  463. Cleveland's Administration, 1885-89.--The great contest of Cleveland's first term was a fierce struggle over the tariff. The government's need of money during the Civil War had compelled Congress to raise large sums by means of internal revenue taxes. These taxes in turn had brought about a great increase in the tariff rates on goods imported from foreign countries. The internal revenue taxes had been almost entirely removed, but the war tariff substantially remained in force. In 1887 Cleveland laid the whole question before Congress. For a time it seemed probable that something would be done. But the opposition in Congress was very active and very strong. It fell out, therefore, that nothing important was done. The real significance of Cleveland's first administration lay in the fact that the Southerners were once again admitted to a share in the government of the nation. It marked, therefore, the reunion of the American people.

  QUESTIONS AND TOPICS

  CHAPTER 42

  §§437, 438.--a. Explain carefully Lincoln's plan for reconstruction.

  How was it affected by his death?

  b. What was Johnson's attitude toward reconstruction? Precisely what is meant by "reconstruction"?

  §§439-441.--a. What was the force of the Emancipation Proclamation? How was the institution of slavery abolished?

  b. Explain the reasons for the establishment of the freedmen's bureau.

  What do you think of the provision relating to the use of the army?

  c. How was Congress able to pass a bill over the President's veto?

  d. Explain carefully the Fourteenth Amendment. What do you think of the provision as to debts?

  §§442, 443.--a. Why were the elections of 1866 important?

  b. What was the force of the Tenure of Office Act, and why was it passed?

  c. Describe the actual process of reconstruction.

  d. Why was Johnson impeached? Why did the impeachment fail?

  §§444, 445.--a. How did this act of Napoleon's set the Monroe Doctrine at defiance?

  b. What action did the government take? With what result?

  c. What advantage has Alaska been to the United States?

  §446.--a. What were the issues in the campaign of 1868?

  b. What had Blair done for the Union?

  c. What did the election of Grant show?

  CHAPTER 43

  §§447-449.--a. What were the provisions of the Fifteenth Amendment?

  b. Under what conditions were the remaining seceded states readmitted?

  c. What was the Force Act? Why was it passed?

  §450.--a. How was the injury to our shipping during the Civil War connected with Great Britain?

  b. What is meant by "arbitration"? Is it better to settle disputes by arbitration or by war?

  §§451-452.--a. Describe the Chicago fire and its results.

  b. Why was there so much bribery and corruption at this time?

  c. Should city governments be conducted as business enterprises?

  §453.--a. Why was there so much opposition to Grant's reëlection?

  b. Why did the Democrats nominate Greeley? What was the result of the election?

  §454.--a. What trouble broke out in Cuba? Why?

  b. Describe the Virginius affair. How did the Cuban rebellion come to an end?

  §§455, 456.--a. What scandal arose in connection with the Union Pacific Railway?

  b. What was the "Whiskey Ring"? What was Grant's wish?

  c. What troubles arose in the South? Could they have been avoided?

  §§457, 458.--a. Why was there a dispute about the election of 1876? How was it settled?

  b. Was it wise to let the Southerners work out their questions for themselves or not? Why?

  §§459, 460.--a. Compare the panic of 1873 with that of 1877 explaining the likenesses and differences.

  b. Why was opposition to the nomination of Grant so strong?

  c. Who were nominated? Who was elected?

  §§461.--a. What was the cause of Garfield's murder?

  b. Why is Civil Service Reform so difficult?

  c. What is meant by the "Merit System"? Do you consider such a system better or worse than the Spoils System? Why?

  §§462, 463.--a. Why was Blaine so strongly opposed? Who were the "Mugwumps"? How did their action influence the election?

  b. What is the difference between internal revenue taxes and customs duties?

  c. What was the real significance of Cleveland's first election?

  GENERAL QUESTIONS

  a. Give all the treaties with Great Britain, with dates, reason for the treaty, and results.

  b. Why were there no executions for treason at the close of the Civil War?

  c. What two methods does the Constitution provide for its amendment? Which method has always been followed?

  d. What were the chief difficulties in the way of reconstruction?

  e. What are the important duties of citizens? Why do you select these?

  TOPICS FOR SPECIAL WORK

  a. Impeachment of Johnson.

  b. The Chicago fire.

  c. Civil Service Reform.

  d. Industrial activity in the South.

  SUGGESTIONS

  The importance of the topics treated in Part XIV can hardly be overestimated. The opportunities to impress the pupils with their public duties are many and important. Reconstruction should be broadly treated and not discussed in a partisan spirit. It is better to dwell on our duties to the negroes than to seek out Northern blunders and Southern mistakes. In connection with the amendments the whole question of the suffrage can be discussed in the responsibility devolving upon the voter fully set forth. Questions of municipal organizations also arise and can be illustrated by local experience.

  XV

  NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,

  1889-1900

  Books for Study and Reading

  References.--Scribner's Popular History, V, 579-659; McMaster's School History, chs. xxxiv, xxxv.

  Home Readings.--Any short, attractive account of the Spanish War.

  CHAPTER 44

  CONFUSION IN POLITICS

  [Sidenote: Benjamin Harrison elected President, 1888.]

  464. Benjamin Harrison elected President, 1888.--In 1888 the Democrats put forward Cleveland as their candidate for President. The Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison of Indiana. Like Hayes and Garfield, he had won renown in the Civil War and was a man of the highest honor and of proved ability. The prominence of the old Southern leaders in the Democratic administration, and the neglect of the business interests of the North, compelled many Northern Republicans who had voted for Cleveland to return to the Republican party. The result was the election of Harrison and of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

  [Sidenote: The McKinley tariff, 1890.]

  [Sidenote: Reciprocity.]

  465. The McKinley Tariff, 1890.--One of the questions most discussed in the campaign of 1888 was the reform of the tariff. There seem to have been two sets of tariff reformers. One set of reformers proposed to reform the tariff by doing away with as much of it as possible. The other set of reformers proposed to readjust the tariff duties so as to make
the protective system more consistent and more perfect. Led by William McKinley, the Republicans set to work to reform the tariff in this latter sense. This they did by generally raising the duties on protected goods. The McKinley Tariff Act also offered reciprocity to countries which would favor American goods. This offer was in effect to lower certain duties on goods imported from Argentina, for instance, if the Argentine government would admit certain American goods to Argentina on better terms than similar goods imported from other countries.

  [Illustration: THE CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON.]

  [Sidenote: Gold and Silver]

  [Sidenote: Sherman Silver Law.]

  466. The Sherman Silver Law, 1890.--In the Civil War gold and silver had disappeared from circulation. But after the close of the war a gradual return was made to specie payments. In the colonial days the demand for silver, as compared with the demand for gold, outran the supply. The consequence was that silver was constantly becoming worth more in comparison with gold. In the nineteenth century the supply of silver has greatly outstripped the demand, with the result that silver has greatly declined in value as compared with gold. In 1871 the government decided to use silver for small coins only, and not to allow silver to be offered in payment of a larger sum than five dollars. This was called the "demonetization of silver." In 1878 a small but earnest band of advocates of the free coinage of silver secured the passage of an act of Congress for the coinage of two million silver dollars each month. The silver in each one of these dollars was only worth in gold from ninety to sixty cents. In 1890, Senator John Sherman of Ohio brought in a bill to increase the coinage of these silver dollars which, in 1894, were worth only forty nine cents on the dollar in gold.

  [Sidenote: Business depression.]

  [Sidenote: Cleveland elected President, 1892.]

  467. Election of 1892.--One result of this great increase in the silver coinage was to alarm business men throughout the country.