What if Garfield would have lived?

What was the balance in Congress.

I have heard the claim that Garfield supported Civil Rights for former slaves.

Could he have done anything about it? If so how violent would be the resistence, especially in Mississipi and South Carolina where free elections would clearly have defeated the old white power structure
 
Probably not much changed from OTL.

The Presidency in those days was far less "imperial" than even a generation later, with Congress being the dominant branch of government. And during this period, Congress was usually divided, with the same party only rarely controling both houses. In the first half of Garfield's term, his party (Republican) controlled the HoR but not the Senate, while in the second half they gained the Senate but lost the HoR. Not until 1889 would they control both houses at once, and then narrowly and only for two years. So don't expect a huge amount to happen.
 
LylyCSM2 made a very good about the topic in this thread.

So, we've got to figure out Garfield's position on things first off, then figure out what was actually possible for him to do at the time. Going off the shortlist you've provided:

- Economics
Garfield supported the Silver Standard and wanted a fixed silver standard system worldwide. He also wished for a reduction in interest on debt.
Called for more investment in agriculture, as well as in developing industries.
Supported the construction of a canal in Central America to be controlled by the United States.

- Reform and Regulation
In addition to ending the practice of patronage, Garfield also wanted term limits on minor Executive Department posts (exactly what 'minor' means in this case is not clear to me, that is the wording he uses).

- Military
There is little information on Garfield's political military stances, and the same goes for his Secretary of War, Robert Todd Lincoln.

- Domestic Policies
Garfield was critical of Mormons and hoped to enforce the abolition of polygamy in Utah.
Advocated literacy programs, especially in the South, and called on Congress to implement universal education (whether this means higher education, or simply primary and secondary education is debatable).

- Civil Rights
Garfield was strongly opposed to the Jim Crow laws of the South.

- International Affairs
Garfield was very interested in increasing relations with Latin America and the developing Republics. (Remember this was before the Spanish-American War, so Spain still had some influence in the Caribbean)

- Supreme Court
Garfield appointed only one Justice to the Supreme Court in his term, Stanley Matthews, a lawyer and politician who served on the Supreme Court only seven years.
Nevertheless, Matthews was influential on at least one potentially relevant case: Yick Wo v. Hopkins, a case in which Matthews, writing in the opinion of the Court, established that laws which are administered discriminatively based on race were unconstitutional, no matter the intent of the law.

- Future Elections
Within the nine months of his term, Garfield effectively united the disparate Republican factions under him, culminated by the resignation of Conkling, his largest Congressional opposition. He was adept at choosing political appointments in a manner that balanced political interest or at least tended to satisfy everyone enough that he remained popular.
My bet would be on him winning by a much greater margin in the 1884 election, based solely on what he was trying to do at the time of his assassination, not even considering what he was capable of doing.

FYI, most of the information provided here was based on his intentions as expressed in his inaugural address.
 
LylyCSM2 made a very good about the topic in this thread.
- Economics
Garfield supported the Silver Standard and wanted a fixed silver standard system worldwide. He also wished for a reduction in interest on debt.
Called for more investment in agriculture, as well as in developing industries.
Supported the construction of a canal in Central America to be controlled by the United States.

- Reform and Regulation
In addition to ending the practice of patronage, Garfield also wanted term limits on minor Executive Department posts (exactly what 'minor' means in this case is not clear to me, that is the wording he uses).

- Military
There is little information on Garfield's political military stances, and the same goes for his Secretary of War, Robert Todd Lincoln.

- Domestic Policies
Garfield was critical of Mormons and hoped to enforce the abolition of polygamy in Utah.
Advocated literacy programs, especially in the South, and called on Congress to implement universal education (whether this means higher education, or simply primary and secondary education is debatable).

- Civil Rights
Garfield was strongly opposed to the Jim Crow laws of the South.

- International Affairs
Garfield was very interested in increasing relations with Latin America and the developing Republics. (Remember this was before the Spanish-American War, so Spain still had some influence in the Caribbean)

- Supreme Court
Garfield appointed only one Justice to the Supreme Court in his term, Stanley Matthews, a lawyer and politician who served on the Supreme Court only seven years.
Nevertheless, Matthews was influential on at least one potentially relevant case: Yick Wo v. Hopkins, a case in which Matthews, writing in the opinion of the Court, established that laws which are administered discriminatively based on race were unconstitutional, no matter the intent of the law.

- Future Elections
Within the nine months of his term, Garfield effectively united the disparate Republican factions under him, culminated by the resignation of Conkling, his largest Congressional opposition. He was adept at choosing political appointments in a manner that balanced political interest or at least tended to satisfy everyone enough that he remained popular.
My bet would be on him winning by a much greater margin in the 1884 election, based solely on what he was trying to do at the time of his assassination, not even considering what he was capable of doing.

FYI, most of the information provided here was based on his intentions as expressed in his inaugural address.

From that list it looks like he had the potential of making a very good president.
 
I got the information about Congress from Wiki. ON the face of it Republicans had a majority in the House and with the Readjter Senator from Virginia and the VP the same applied to the Senate.

Waht would ahve happened if he had seriously tried to apply the United States Constitution to South Carolina and Mississippi??
 
I got the information about Congress from Wiki. ON the face of it Republicans had a majority in the House and with the Readjter Senator from Virginia and the VP the same applied to the Senate.

Waht would ahve happened if he had seriously tried to apply the United States Constitution to South Carolina and Mississippi??


Well. if his control of the Senate depends on the support of a Virginian, he can't get too drastic.

In any case, how exactly would he apply it? The US Army is down to about 27000 men, the vast majority of whom are needed out West. Afaics he's in essentially the same position as Hayes in 1877, or indeed of Grant the year before. Mississippi Republicans asked Grant to send troops in 1876, but on close questioning admitted that it probably wouln't save them. This would be equally true (indeed more so) five years later.
 
I understand that the re-adjuster party depended on both white and black votes so might have been more sympathetic to progressive moves than one might guess
 
I understand that the re-adjuster party depended on both white and black votes so might have been more sympathetic to progressive moves than one might guess

Up to a point, maybe. But anything heavy handed (eg involving Federal troops even if these could be found) would be off the agenda. Going along with that would destroy the Readjusters.
 
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