The 21st president of the United States was honored Wednesday with a ceremonial wreath laying at Albany Rural Cemetery.
The New York Army National Guard honored Chester A. Arthur, laying a wreath on his grave to mark the 193rd anniversary of his birth. The presenting of a wreath was instituted in 1967 during the Johnson administration.
They began the ceremony by posting the colors, which includes two lines of members of the Guard saluting the flag while a third line walks between them in-step from down the path holding the American flag and the New York State flag before stopping before the monument.
The Arthur monument was designed by New York City sculptor Ephraim Keyser and erected in 1889. Albany Rural Cemetery trustee member Michael Barret says, at the time, the monument cost $10,000.
“Which calculates to close to $300,000 today. The sarcophagus is highly polished dark granite with a bronze angel of sorrow who is seen placing a palm branch on top of the sarcophagus. The branch, of course, signifying victorious triumph and peace and eternal life.”
Arthur was born in Fairfield, Franklin County, Vermont on October 5, 1829. Arthur graduated from Union College in Schenectady and taught at a school in Cohoes. He also lived in Hoosick. Barret spoke about Arthur’s career before he became vice president when he lived in New York City.
“He opened his own legal practice prior to the Civil War. A moderate abolitionist by political persuasion, he helped defend several runaway slaves and was instrumental in desegregating the horse-drawn trolley system in New York City. He was also a very early activist in the New York state Republican Party. During the Civil War, Arthur was appointed to be quartermaster general in charge of supplying the New York State volunteers with uniforms, equipment, weapons and ammunition,” Barrett said.
In 1880, Arthur was nominated to be President James Garfield’s vice president and served in the role until Garfield died after being shot by an assassin six months after assuming office. He became president September 19th, 1881.
Barrett added Arthur did not immediately move to the White House due to renovations he paid for himself, including what the White House Historical Association calls “perhaps the most legendary object of the White House past,” a Tiffany screen of colored glass that stood in the Entrance Hall in memory of Arthur’s late wife Nell from 1883 until 1902, when it was removed and destroyed.
During the ceremony, Major General Michel Natali said overall, his presidency is considered one of relative stability during a tumultuous time in history. He added at the time, the awarding of positions of influence within government in exchange for political support was fairly common. Arthur tried to change that.
“Arthur's administration reformed the civil service system and gave impetus to merit-based employment practices at the state and local levels. According to a biography from a book entitled “The presidents of the United States of America,” ‘Chester A. Arthur demonstrated that he was above the factions that existed within the Republican Party.’ And it was said by publisher Alexander McClure, that ‘No man had ever entered the presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted and no one ever retired more generally respected.’ He also initiated the modernization of the United States Navy, thereby enhancing America's strategic capabilities and global influence. (Note: I doublechecked spelling of publisher)
Members of the Guard then presented the wreath on the monument, followed by members of the local Sons of Civil War Veterans, who placed their own wreath. Afterwards, a Guardsman played “Taps” on a bugle.”
Natali explained to WAMC why it is important to remember presidents like Arthur, who may not be remembered in the same way presidents such as Abraham Lincoln or George Washington may be.
“They all had a contribution that they made. He was really put on the spot coming into the presidency after an assassination. And his contributions were pretty significant.”
