Rutherford B. Hayes
The 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes was a republican that was in office from 1877 until 1881. After months of dispute, he won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote, similar to the 2000 elections, resulting in the same outcome of him becoming president. Hayes even had the support of famous author Mark Twain. Acting as governor of Ohio for three terms, before his presidency, Hayes began his political career as a part of the now non-existent Whig party. Hayes was a supporter of expanding the black community’s civil rights, although the Democratic majority of Congress ended up getting in the way of his efforts. A famous advocate for civil service exams, Hayes wanted to ensure that people in the government earned their jobs rather than just getting in through political ties they had. This advocacy eventually became the Pendleton Act. The first college-educated first lady, Hayes’ wife vouched for the first alcohol-free White House.
Rutherford B. Hayes
Franklin Pierce
As the 14th president of The United States, Franklin Pierce was quite a controversial figure. He was a democrat who strongly opposed the abolitionist movement, calling it “a fundamental threat to the unity of the nation”. It’s hard to believe that he signed the Kansas-Nebraska act. It was this act which enabled residents of new territories to decided whether slavery would be illegal or not. To add to his list of not-so-savory characteristics, he was an alcoholic – a trait he inherited from his mother.
Franklin Pierce
