In 1871, before the passing of the Pendleton act, then president Ulysses S. Grant along with congress created the first United States Civil Service Commission. The commission lasted for two years, until it was disbanded in 1874 due to lack of funding. President Grant was succeeded by President Rutherford B. Hayes, whose attempts at trying to renew funding for the commission failed. However, President Hayes successor, President Garfield was a huge civil service reform advocate. President Garfield’s non tolerance for the spoils system, also known as patronage, in turn became his demise.
President James A. Garfield was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau, who had been rejected by President Garfield after seeking a job in office by means of patronage, on September 19, 1881. After President Garfield’s assassination, the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act took almost two years to reach congress by the means of his successor President Chester A. Arthur and Senator George H. Pendleton, who was also a long time reformer. The Pendleton act was signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur, who had also become a vehement reformer after President Garfield’s death. The act was then finally passed by congress on January 16th, 1883. The Pendleton Act made …show more content…
When the act was first established it only covered 10% of civilian us government employees. However, after provisions whereby presidents could create their own appointees by converting their job titles to civil services, most federal jobs became civil services. The results of which, was an unintended reliance from the Republican Party in the funding that came from businesses, because the party had lost the support of patronage hopefuls. The republicans’ reliance in funding from businesses was caused mostly because the act prohibits soliciting campaign donations on federal government