Maligned Presidents ― The Late 19th Century

Certain 19th Century presidencies contrast common perceptions of the office's authority and strength. These presidents were a strong group and were anything but insignificant. They fought substantial battles with Congress and often won. This book seeks to provide more substantive analysis of maligned presidencies and the legacies left behind. Much of the disdain directed toward their efforts reflects implicit—if not explicit—racism: black civil rights not only were unimportant, but advocating them tends often to be treated as rabble-rousing. The effects of the long popularity of the theories of the late Richard Neustadt—that presidents occupy a weak office, but make it strong through coalition-building and personal strength—may also have affected attitudes toward these presidents, who tended to make full use of the inherent powers of the office to counterbalance Congress. A full understanding of the presidency is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve if one has a warped perception of this rather important period in its development

Max J. Skidmore is Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, USA.