The second term (1873-77) added no strength to Grant or to his party. Throughout its course, administrative scandals continued to come to light, striking at times dangerously near the President, but failing to injure him other than in his repute for judgment. The period was one of financial depression and discouragement. The best intellect of the United States was directed into business, the professions, and educational administration. Politics was generally left to the men who had already controlled it, and these were the men who had risen into prominence in the period of the Civil War. THE POLITICAL SITUATION AT WASHINGTON, 1869-1917 Showing the party in control of the national government in each Congress President +------+ +-------+ +--------+ +------------+ +-------------+ +-----------+ |GRANT | | GRANT | | HAYES | | GARFIELD- | | CLEVELAND | | HARRISON | | | | | | | | ARTHUR | | | | | | R | | R | | R | | R | | D | | R | +------+ +-------+ +--------+ +------------+ +-------------+ +-----------+ Senate 1869 1873 1877 1881 1885 1889 1893 +------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+-----+-----+-----+----+---+ | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | +------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+-----+-----+-----+----+---+ House 1871 1875 1879 1883 1887 1891 +---+ +----+ +---+ +-----+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +----+ +---+ |41 | |42 | |43 | |44 | |45 | |46 | |47 | |48 | |49 | |50 | |51 | |52 | | B | | B | | B | | R | | R | | R | | K | | C | | C | | C | | R | | C | | l | | l | | l | | a | | a | | a | | e | | a | | a | | a | | e | | r | | a | | a | | a | | n K | | n | | n | | i | | r | | r | | r | | e | | i | | i | | i | | i | | d e | | d | | d | | f | | l | | l | | l | | d | | s | | n | | n | | n | | a r | | a | | a | | e | | i | | i | | i | | | | p | | e | | e | | e | | l r | | l | | l | | r | | s | | s | | s | | | | | | | | | | | | l | | l | | l | | | | l | | l | | l | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | e | | e | | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | R | | R | | R | | D | | D | | D | | R | | D | | D | | D | | R | | D | +---+ +----+ +---+ +-----+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +----+ +---+