The most useful single volume on financial history is D.R. Dewey, _Financial History of the United States_ (5th ed., 1915), which is concise, accurate and equipped with full bibliographies; A.B. Hepburn, _History of Currency in the United States_ (1915), is by an expert; A.D. Noyes, _Forty Years of American Finance_ (1909), continues the same author's _Thirty Years_ and is reliable; T.B. Burton, _John Sherman_ (1906), is useful here. The legal-tender decisions are in J.W. Wallace, _Cases argued and adjudged in the Supreme Court_, VIII, 603, and XII, 457. The standard work on the civil service is C.R. Fish, _The Civil Service and the Patronage_ (1905); the reports of the Civil Service Commission, especially the Fourth Report, are essential; the articles by D.B. Eaton in J.J. Lalor, _Cyclopaedia of Political Science_ (3 vols., 1893), are justly well-known; G.W. Curtis, _Orations and Addresses_ (2 vols., 1894), and Edward Cary, _George William Curtis_ (1894), are excellent. The politician's side may be found in A.R. Conkling, _Life and Letters of Roscoe Conkling_ (1889), and T.C. Platt, _Autobiography_ (1910). * * * * * [1] This is the amount still outstanding. CHAPTER VI THE ADMINISTRATION OF RUTHERFORD B. HAYES The conditions which confronted President Hayes when the final decision of the Electoral Commission placed him in the executive chair did not make it probable that he could carry out a program of positive achievement. The withdrawal of troops from the South had been almost completed, but the process of reconstruction had been so dominated by suspicion, ignorance and vindictiveness that sectional hostility was still acute. As has been seen, the economic problems which faced the country were for the most part unsolved; on the subjects of tariff, finance and the civil service, neither party was prepared to present a united front; and the lack of foresight and statesmanlike leadership in the parties had given selfish interests an opportunity to seize control. Nor did the circumstances surrounding the election of Hayes tend to simplify his task, for the disappointment of the Democrats was extreme, and they found a natural difficulty in adjusting themselves to the decision against Tilden. Democratic newspapers dubbed Hayes "His Fraudulency" and "The Boss Thief," printed his picture with "Fraud" printed across his brow and referred to his election as the "steal" and a "political crime." The man who was to essay leadership under such conditions had back of him a useful even if not brilliant career. He had been born in Ohio in 1822, had graduated from Kenyon College as valedictorian of his class, attended Harvard Law School and served on the Union side during the war, retiring with the rank of a brevet Major General. He had been twice elected to Congress, but had resigned after his second election to become governor of his native state, a position which he had filled for three terms.