Natasha+S.+-+UG+-+SP10

​ __**Ulysses S. Grant **__ //Born: April 27, 1822 Died: July 23, 1885 Political Party: Republican Terms of Office: 1869-1877 Vice Presidents: Schuyler Colfax (1st term) Henry Wilson (2nd term)//

General Ulysses S. Grant was nominated and later elected as President of The United States because of his efforts in the war that named him a “Northern Hero.” Despite his great accomplishments as a soldier/general it didn’t change the fact that he didn’t have any prior political experience. Based off of his administration and their foreign policy, domestic policy, and scandals after the war he deserves a “**C**” average for both of his presidential terms.

Being the first president of the Gilded Age he followed Andrew Johnson in the role of Chief Executive who had soured the American people on any type of “professional” politician. Despite his lack of experience in politics he still had many goals that he wanted to achieve as evidenced by the following quote, //“I have taken this oath without mental reservation and with the determination to do to the best of my ability all that is required of me.”// One of his many goals was working for the common good. He believe that after a massive rebellion what was best for the country was to do what would benefit the most amount of people setting prejudice, hate, and or sectional pride aside. This was only partially achieved because there was still a sense of sectional pride (North vs. South). President Grant also worked towards the betterment of black rights. As stated in his second inaugural address //“…The effects of the late civil war strife have been to free the slave and make him a citizen. Yet he is not possessed of the civil rights which citizenship should carry…should be corrected… I stand committed.”// Overall he was very successful in this aspect of his presidency by way of the fifteenth amendment being ratified.

President Grant’s relationship with congress was mediocre. During the Gilded Age Congress was a balanced “political seesaw.” Often times both parties saw eye-to-eye on many bills or reforms such as the protective tariff and civil service reform. One of the biggest issues was “hard-money” vs. greenbacks. In 1873 congress decided to stop the coinage of silver, but in 1874 “hard-money” advocates persuaded Grant to veto the bill about printing more paper money. In the Resumption Act of 1875 the government pledged the further withdrawal of greenbacks out of circulation and for all paper money to be redeemed in gold at face value. During Ulysses S. Grant’s Presidency he vetoed 93 bills and only four were ever overridden.

The overall best decision made by Grant’s administration had to have been the Treaty of Washington in 1871. After the U.S. and Britain decided to //“submit to international arbitration of the Alabama claims”// it allowed the suit that America made against Britain for damaging Union vessels during the Civil War. Even though they were Confederate warships they were constructed in British ports so they were considered responsible for disrupting shipping, prolonging the war, and for ultimately violating their neutrality. At a meeting in Geneva the arbitration panel awarded the United States $15.5 million. Not only did it provide much needed compensation, but it also improved Anglo-American relations while making international arbitrations more widely accepted.

The worst decision made by Grant had to have been the people that he chose for his administration because it showed his poor judge of character and later forced him to vindicate them of their corruption. One major scandal was the Credit Mobilier. The officers of the company skimmed off the huge profits in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. They then began to sell shares of stock at discounted prices to Congressmen. Of those accused of accepting the stocks was the House Speaker and later Vice President Schuyler Colfax. One of the men involved in the scandal was said to have more than $400,000in back taxes, half of which he kept. Another major scandal was the Whiskey Ring which consisted of hundreds of distillers and federal officials taking millions of dollars in liquor taxes for themselves. Grant stated that no guilty man can escape their punishment until his very own secretary Orville E. Babcock was accused. Along with his secretary being touched by scandal the War Secretary W.W. Belknap was found guilty of taking annual kickbacks from traders at Indian posts. He was acquitted of impeachment charges because he resigned before the trail got underway. Even though he didn’t benefit from any of the scandals, the corruption did hurt the image of his presidency while showing his bad judge of character and loyalty to the wrong people.

Grants greatest impact on future administrations goes back to his goals of working towards equality. He was said to have fought for the protection of blacks rights more than any other ninetieth-century president. He stressed the passing of the fifteenth amendment which stated that the right to vote cannot be denied on an account of race, color, or previous servitude. He also worked towards social equality by establishing the peace policy. The peace policy moved Native Americans closer to “white civilization” by way of housing them on reservations and by helping them farm. He also made a Board of Indian Commissioners. Although the decisions didn’t drastically change anything it was a step in the right direction for improvement in U.S. Indian policy.

“It was my fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training” stated Grant himself. One could say that he didn’t necessarily know any better, but it is fact that just because you are a war hero doesn’t mean that you can run a nation. Overall Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency didn’t better or hinder the nation. His over fight for social equality was a very positive decision, but his administration was the first to ever be touched by a multitude of scandals. For these reasons Grant deserves a “**C**” average for both of his presidential terms.

 "American President: Ulysses Simpson Grant." __Miller Center of Public Affairs__. 08 Apr. 2010 .
 * __Works Cited __**

DeGregorio, William A. //The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents//. 7th ed. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade, 2009. Print.

Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey. __The American Pageant__. 12th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.

Sollenberger, Mitchel A. "CRS-3: Table 1. Vetoes Overridden, 1789-Present." __CRS Report for Congress__ (2004). __CRS Web__. 8 Apr. 2010 .