War with the Sioux (1877)
[Footnote: The Black Hills which are in Dakota and Wyoming belonged to the Sioux Reservation But gold having been found there bands of miners began to prospect on the Indian domain, a bill was introduced into Congress to extinguish the Indian title to a portion of the Black Hill region and finally a new treaty as negotiated But the unwillingness of the Indians to leave the encroachments of the whites and the advent of surveyors and troops all combined to provoke hostilities]
The Sioux Indians having refused to go upon the reservation assigned them by treaty and committed many atrocities, a force of regular troops was sent against them. General Custer led the advance with the Seventh Cavalry, while General Terry moved up the Big Horn to attack them in the rear. On the 25th of June, General Custer suddenly came upon the enemy. Without waiting for support, he detached Colonel Reno with four companies to fall upon the back of the Indian village, while he immediately charged the savages in front with the remainder of his command. A desperate conflict ensued. General Custer, his two brothers, his nephew, and every one of his men were killed. Colonel Keno was surrounded, but held his ground on the bluffs until reinforcements arrived. The Indians were soon beaten on every hand, and by the following spring were so scattered as to be comparatively harmless.
[Illustration: GROUP OF SIOUX INDIANS.]
POLITICAL PARTIES.—The republican party nominated General Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, for President, and Wm. A. Wheeler, of New York, for Vice-President. The democratic party chose Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana. The independent greenback party selected Peter Cooper, of New York, and Samuel F. Cary, of Ohio. This presidential campaign was so hotly contested between the republicans and the democrats, and such irregularities were charged against the elections in Oregon, South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana, that both these parties claimed the victory. In order to settle the dispute, Congress agreed to refer the contested election returns to a Joint Electoral Commission, composed of five senators, five representatives, and five judges of the Supreme Court.
[Illustration: RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.]
[Footnote: The Senators chosen were Messrs. Bayard, Edmunds,
Frelinghuysen, Morton, and Thurman. The Representatives were
Messrs. Abbott, Garfield, Hoar, Hunton, and Payne. The Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court selected were Messrs. Bradley,
Clifford, Field, Miller, and Strong.]
This body decided that 185 electoral votes had been cast for Hayes and Wheeler, and 184 for Tilden and Hendricks. The republican candidates were therefore declared to be elected.
[Footnote: The principal political questions which agitated the country during this campaign were, (1) the Southern policy of the government, and (2) the civil service reform. It was held on one side that negroes and republicans at the South were intimidated by force and prevented from voting, and that the presence of the United States troops was necessary to the preservation of the rights of the citizens, free discussion, a free ballot, and an enforcement of the laws. It was asserted, on the other side, that the use of the troops for such purposes was unconstitutional; that the intimidation was only imaginary, or could be readily controlled by the local authorities; and that the presence of the military provoked violence and was a constant insult and menace to the States. President Jackson, as we have seen (p. 175), introduced into our politics the principle of "rotation in office." This policy steadily gained favor until Marcy's maxim, "To the victors belong the spoils," became the commonly-accepted view; and after every important election, the successful party was accustomed to fill even the menial offices of government with its favorites. Under such a system, the qualification of the applicant was of much less importance than the service he had done the party. Hayes promised to make "no dismissal except for cause, and no promotion except for merit.">[