The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-01-18

Rutherford Birchard Hayes, nineteenth
president of the United States, was born
at Delaware, O., Oct. IA, 1922, and gradu-
ated at Kenyon college in 1912. He was
admitted to the bar at Marietta, O., in
1915, and entered upon practice first at
Fremont and subsequently at Cincinnati.
The civil war having broken out, he was
in June, 1851, made major of a regiment
of Ohio volunteers.
His regiment was ordered to service in
western Virginia, was subsequently
Joined to the army of the Potomac under
General Mcclellan, and took part in the
operations pertaining TO the confederate
invasion Of Maryland in September, 1852.
At the engagement of South Mountain,
Just before the battle of Antistam, Major
Hayes was Eseverely wounded. Having
recovered from his wound, he was in No
vember, 1852, made colonel of his regi-
ment, which was subsequently on duty
in Ohio and elsewhere. He was later
made brigadier- general and afterward
major general OF volunteers.
In June, 1885, he resigned his commits
sion, having been elected a representative
in Congress from Ohio, taking his seat in
December, 1865. He was reelected for
the following term, but resigned IN 1867,
having been elected governor of Ohio, to
which Office he was reelected in 1869
Gnd again in 1875. His repeated success
convention in 1876 to nominate him for
the presidency as a compromise candidate
between Mr.. Blaine on the one hand and
Mr. Conkling on the ether. When the
election took place, it seemed certain that
of the 1863 electoral votes, 1S4 had been
cast for Mr.. Tilden, the Democratic can
didate, being one short Of majority; 172
were equally sure for Mr.. Hayes, but
there were thirteen electors in respect to
whose election there were grave ques-
in dispute.
OF these, eight were from Louisiana,
four from Florida and one from Oregon,
from which states there were two sets of
electors, each claiming to have been duly
chosen. If only one Of these votes should
be counted for Mr.. Tilden he would have
a majority and would consequently be-
come president. In order TO secure the
election Of Mr.. Hayes, all these
thirteen votes must be counted
for him Singularly enough, neither
the constitution nor any existing
law provided for such an emergency, and
as the Republicans had majority in the
Senate and the Democrats In the House,
it was certain that the two branches of
Congress would not agree upon any bill
which would give the counting OF the dis
puted votes to their opponents.
In this emergency, a bill was passed
creating a special electoral commission of
fifteen for counting the votes. It was to
consist of five Senators, five representa-
tives and five justices OF the Supreme
Court. This commission by a majority
of one decided that the disputed votes
should all be counted for Mr.. Hayes, Civ
ing him a majority of one vote and he
was declared duly elected.
Mr.. Hayes administration was con-
servative one, and more noted for its ex-
ceptional putty than for any especial
policy. By the withdrawal of all
national troops from the southern states,
he restored to them the rights of To-
cal self government and thus
removed the 'ssouthern question: from
politics. he erdeavored to prevent the
decentralization of silver, but his veto was
overridden by the constitutional two
thirds majority IN both houses of Con-
rress. The Republican Senators, led by
Mr.. Conkling, vigorously opposed his eff
forts to reform the civil service, so that he
was able to secure but little legislation on
the subject, the bill prohibiting political
assessments on office holders being the
only measure in that direction that was
passed. he was able, however, to set an