The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-01
Sketch of His Career.

Rutherford Burchard Hayes was born In
Delaware, Ohio, on October 4, 1922. 1t was
said in the campaign biographies OF him
published before his election to the fres-
idency that his ancestors were wealthy
Scotch people. The founder Of the American
branch OF his family was George Hayes q
blacksmith and carpenter, who LETT Scotland
in 1850 and settled In Windsor, Conn.
Rutherford B. Hayes was born three
months after the death Of his father:
His uncle, Sardis Birchard. superintended
his education. He was sent TO henyon
College, and was graduated in 1S42. he
began the study Of law in the office OF
Thomas Sparrow, of Columbus, Ohio. He
afterward attended course OF law lectures
in Harvard College, and was ad:
mitted to the Bar at Mariette, Ohio, In 1915:
Shortly after he began tc practice his pro-;
fesson at Fremont Ohio having entered
into partnership with Mr.. Ralph P. Buck
land, OF that town. In 1s49 he removed to-
Cincinnati, where he in time acquired q
fair practice. he became q member OF the
Cincinnati Literary Club. composed chiefly
OF men of mark, or Of men who atterward
became famous.
In 1856 he was nominated for Judge OF
Common Pleas, but declined the nomination.
In 1855, the Office of City Solicitor becoming
vacant by the deaih Of Judge Hart he was
uue1oectedly elected by the City Council to
I'LL the vacancy, and IN 1859 was reelected
by the people for a full term, running SOD
votes ahead Of his ticket. He held this Office
until the spring Of 1861:
The attack on Fort Sumpter called Mr..
Hayes to arms. Judge Mathews and Mr:
Hayes raised regiment which was called
the Twenty-third Ohio Infantry. OF this
Mr.. Hayes became Major. Colonel w. 3.
n In
Colonel HAYES was promoted to brigadier
general s.for gallant and meritorious SER
Vice in the battles of Winchester, Fishers
Hill and Cedar Creek" to take rank from
October 10, 1854, and was brevstted major
general stfor gallant and distinguished ser
vices during the campaigns OF 1854 IN west
Virginia, and particularly in the battles OF
Fishers Hill and Cedar Greek"
When the Republicans OF the Second Con-
eress District Of Ohio were looking for
candidate for the election Of 1854. they
turned to General Hayes. and asked him to
consent to become candidate.
The Generals absence fromthe canvass did
not make any difference to the result He was
elected by majority Of 309S. His first term
in Congress was uneventful. He never made
a speech. The committees ne served upon
were unirnportant. In the Congressional
election of 1866 his majority was 1855. He
had made all arrangements for a further
stay o. two years in Washington, but the
State Republican Convention held at Col
umbus on June 10th, 1851, nominated him
as its candidate for Governor.
He accepted thc nomination, it is said,
with reluctance, but after accepting entered
upon the campaign with exceeding vigor
and was elected. His opponent was Allen
G. Thurman, whose personal influence was
large, and whose ability was equally great.
The campaign turned largely upon the anti
States rights position which he assumed.
He was nominated in 1859 against Senator
Pendleton, and defeated him. The war
issues aud the question of honest money
entered largely into this canvass.
Soon after the close OF his second guber-
material term he was again nominated for
Congress in Cincinnati and defeated by Gen.
eral Banning. In June. 1875, he was once
more nominated for Governor in the face Of
the most positive declaration on his part that
he would not be candidate. The action OF
the Convention and the persuasion Of friends
caused him to yield at the last moment
and accept. He was subsequently, cleo
ted after one of the most notable
hard money campaigns that the country
has witnessed AMI which turned considera-
bic attention toward Governor Hayes as an
available National candidate. William Al
State shouting fer soft money, but in Mr..
Hayes they found their match. His adroit
manner o. dealing with the financial quss-
ton snatched victory from the jaws of de-
feat. He received majority Of 5544 over
Mr.. Allen. ''.' 30.
The Republican State Convention of Ohio,
which met in March, 1876, recommended the
nomination of Governor Hayes for the Pres.
idency and urged the National Republican
Convention to select him. The Convention
met in Cincinnati on June Il. Governor
Hayes's name was presented for the first place
on the ticket by e1. Governor Noyes, Of Ohio.
Among the opposing candidates were James
G. Blaine and Roscoe Conkliug. Mr.. Hayes
was nominated on the sevenGn ballot, the
opposition to Blaine concentrating on him.
In his letter Of acceptance Mr.. Hayes ad-
voeated civil service reform, resumption
of specie pay yments and good government in
the South.
The election which followed the nomina-
tion was the occasion OF grave crisis in the
history Of the country. Two sets OF returns
on Presidential electors were received from
the State or Flor1da, three from Louls,aua,
two from Oregon and two from South Caro-
lima. On the face OF the original returns
candidates had received 2O3 OF the 3o9 eiec'
toral votes and Hayes 1865.
The election turned on the twentv-one
contested votes Of South Carolina, Louis
lana and Florida and one vote contested in
Oregon. ,.f-.. ,
The Constitution provides that the Vice.
President shall count the Electoral votes in
the presence Of the members of both Houses
of Congress. Ths acting Vice-Prssident
was Republican. The Senate was also Re
publican. The House was Democratic.
A law was enacted providing for the cre-
ation of IN Electoral Commission to ha com