Hayes, Rutherford Birchard

(October 4, 1822—January 17, 1893), nineteenth President of the United States, was born at Delaware, O., and graduated at Kenyon College in 1842. He practiced law in Fremont, O., and became city solicitor in Cincinnati. On the outbreak of the war he volunteered, and rose from major of Ohio infantry to brigadier-general and brevet major-general. He was wounded at the battle of South Mountain, and distinguished himself in the Shenandoah campaign of 1864 at Winchester, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek. He entered Congre in 1865, and, having been elected Governor of his State, he occupied that position from 1868 to 1872. He was defeated for Congre man in 1872, but elected Governor in 1875 on the “ honest money ’’ i ue, after a campaign which attracted national attention. It was this succe which caused Governor Hayes’ name to be presented to the Republican National Convention of 1876. The two leading candidates, Blaine and Bristow, were set aside, and Hayes was nominated on the seventh ballot. (For the doubtful result and final settlement of this extraordinary Hayes-Tilden campaign, see Electoral Commi ion.) Mr. Hayes was declared elected March 2, 1877, and inaugurated March 5. He selected Evarts for the State Department, Sherman for the Treasury, McCrary for War, R. W. Thompson for the Navy, Schurz for the Interior, Devens Attorney-General and D, M. Key Postmaster-General. During his administration occurred the great railroad strikes of 1877, and the resumption of specie payments in 1879. President Hayes favored civil service reform, a conciliatory policy in the South, vetoed the Blend bill and vetoed a Chinese restriction bill. After the close of his term, in 1881, he lived in retirement in Ohio. Died Jan. 17, 1893.