It is difficult to imagine Chester Arthur serving as vice president. It is likely that we have never seen a vice president assume office, even just in theory, with such a lack of readiness for national leadership. The most prominent role he had previously held was as Collector of Customs of the Port of New York. He had never been elected to a position of great importance. His entire history was quite unremarkable, indeed. Arthur’s career trajectory was not particularly impressive prior to his role as vice president. He had faced termination from his previous position as Collector of Customs due to a corruption probe. However, he did benefit from a strong ally in Senator Roscoe Conkling.¹ 

Conkling, a key figure in New York politics and a close associate of Ulysses S. Grant, wielded significant influence within the New York Republican party. As the one who determined political candidates, job placements, and financial obligations, Conkling was displeased that Garfield, an outsider from Ohio with no ties to him, emerged as the Republican Candidate. In order to appease the Conkling wing of the party, known as the Stalwarts, who were loyal to President Grant, Garfield had to make efforts to win over New York and secure its electoral votes. New York was a crucial swing state at the time. Garfield’s team approached New York and assured them that regardless of their choice for vice president, Ohio would fully support it. This strategy proved successful, leading to the selection of Arthur as Garfield’s running mate. 

Arthur, when approached about the vice presidency, gladly accepted the offer, never anticipating the immense honor that awaited him. Arthur was chosen as the vice presidential candidate, serving as a unifying figure between the two opposing factions within the party. Following the convention, he and Garfield pursued separate paths. Garfield returned to his farm in Ohio, while Arthur returned to New York City to fundraise and mobilize support for the Garfield campaign, fulfilling his duties as a loyal vice president. It is probable that without Arthur’s contributions, Garfield would not have been elected president. The election marked the closest popular vote in U.S. history, with a slim margin of just a few thousand votes out of more than 9 million cast. 

Arthur’s loyalty to Roscoe Conkling was unquestionable, despite his instrumental role in helping Garfield secure the presidency. Prior to his inauguration, Arthur resided in Conkling’s residence. Additionally, Conkling tasked Arthur with persuading Republicans who had been selected to serve in Garfield’s cabinet to decline the offer. Conkling’s persistence often led to these individuals eventually agreeing to send a letter of polite refusal to Garfield. Shortly after assuming the role of Vice President, Arthur began pressuring Garfield to allocate patronage jobs and government positions to Conkling and other Stalwarts, even as the president was actively working to reform the Civil Service and diminish the influence of the patronage system. 

Newspaper articles popped up about how worrying it was that Arthur was only a heartbeat away from the presidency. But though the thought of him becoming president was terrible, it wasn’t really going to happen. The president was a hale and hearty war hero in his late forties, the type of guy who did backflips and wrestled with his teenage sons. And although Lincoln’s assassination was just sixteen years before, it was seen as a tragedy that could have only happened in wartime.²

^{Work Cited:  https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/89626/transcripts/202802.}