Ulysses S. Grant Was Our First Civil Rights President    

• March 4, 1869, first inauguration. Grant entreated the country to meet post-war questions without prejudice; he advocated resumption of specie, payment of the debt, economy in government, respect for all nations while demanding equal respect for our own, reform of Indian policy, and ratification of the 15th Amendment.

• March 18, 1869 signed the Public Credit Act for the payment of government debt in gold rather than greenbacks.

• Sept. 24, 1869, Black Friday. Grant discovered that Fisk and Gould were trying to corner the gold market. He promptly ordered the Secy. of the Treasury to sell gold, thereby deflating the speculators and avoiding a crisis.

• March 30, 1870   ratification of the 15th Amendment. Grant said  it was  "a   measure  of grander  importance  than any other  one act  of the kind   from the foundation  of our free government  to the present day."   

• May 31, 1870  signed the first Enforcement Act, giving the president power to protect blacks' voting rights.

• June 13, 1870  proclaimed neutrality in the Cuban rebellion, resisting pressure to declare war on Spain.

• June 22, 1870  signed the bill creating the Dept. of Justice, consolidating government power to enforce civil rights.

• March 3, 1871  signed the act establishing the first Civil Service Commission, an important reform.

• March 3, 1871  signed the Indian Appropriation  Act as  part of his Indian Peace Policy,  to  insure the  welfare of the Indians. Their housing, agriculture, and education improved dramatically.

• March 24, 1871  issued a proclamation against outlaw bands in South Carolina. This targeted the Ku Klux Klan.

• April 20, 1871  signed another Enforcement Act enabling the president to suspend the writ of habeas corpus to enforce the 14th and 15th Amendments, to be used if necessary against armed, disguised men, such as the KKK, who used whipping and murder to break up the Republican Party and prevent blacks from voting.

• May 8, 1871,   ratification  of  the Treaty of Washington  settling  the Alabama Claims  with Great  Britain  over  her  aid to the South. Britain had built or outfitted several Confederate warships, including the Alabama. Some Americans advocated war against Britain, but Grant patiently brought Britain to a peaceful settlement. This treaty has been called the most important American treaty up to that time  since gaining our independence. Grant used international arbitration,  setting an important precedent for international  efforts to  avoid or  mitigate warfare.  It settled all outstanding disputes with Britain and paid $15,500,000 in damages for losses to U.S. shippers.

• Oct. 12, 1871, Grant demanded the KKK in South Carolina to disperse and hand over their rifles to state authorities. They refused, so five days later he suspended habeas corpus in 9 counties and sent in federal troops. Hundreds of Klansmen were prosecuted, many fled,  and the KKK was seriously weakened by the end of 1872.

• March 1, 1872  signed the act establishing Yellowstone as the first national park, which today has  a Grant Village.

• May 22, 1872  signed the Amnesty Act restoring civil rights to all southerners except a few Confederate leaders.

• Nov. 5, 1872,  re-election.  The Credit Mobilier scandal was uncovered, involving the bribing of congressmen in 1867-68. Democrats and a clique of Republicans campaigned against federal military intervention in the South. Together they ran N.Y.Tribune  editor Horace Greeley against Grant–-and lost.

• Feb. 12, 1873   signed the Coinage Act making gold the sole monetary standard.

• March 4, 1873,  second inauguration. In his address Grant advocated protection of civil rights, restoration of good feeling between sections of the country, resumption of specie, continued reform of Indian policy, the elevation of labor, and improved commerce and industrial development.

• Sept. 18, 1873  the Panic of 1873 started when a prominent banking firm, Jay Cooke & Co., failed.

• Nov. 28, 1873,  won an indemnity and apology from Spain. The Virginius, a ship flying the U.S.  flag on the way to Cuba, was captured by a Spanish gunboat. Spain accused the American captain of going to the  aid of Cuban  rebels in violation of American neutrality, and executed him along with  52  crew and passengers. Grant used  arbitration and kept the peace,  resisting  pressure to declare war on Spain. (Later it was found the flag was illegal.)

• April 22, 1874  vetoed the Inflation Bill which would have made resumption of specie impossible in the future.

• Dec. 7, 1874.  Grant's Sixth Annual Message. In part: "While I remain Executive all the laws of Congress and the provisions of the Constitution...will be enforced with rigor.... Treat the negro as a citizen and a voter, as he is and must remain. Resisting pressure, Grant repeatedly intervened in the South when law and order was threatened.

• Jan. 14, 1875  signed the Specie Resumption Act  to stabilize the currency by reducing greenbacks  to resume specie payments Jan.1, 1879. The economy recovered from the Panic of 1873 when it went into effect in 1879.

• March 1, 1875  signed the Civil Rights Act prohibiting  racial segregation in public accommodations, transportation,  and juries. It would be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1883.          N. Winkler  9/07

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