A fancy dresser, an expert on fine food and wine, and a cheery conversationalist, Chester A. Arthur was nicknamed "the Elegant Arthur" and "the Gentleman Boss." A boss, in political terms, refers to a powerful person able to organize support and deliver votes for a political candidate. Arthur was a boss in the New York political machine called the Stalwarts (a word meaning "loyal supporters"). During the post-Civil War era from 1865 to 1880, the Stalwarts controlled the state Republican Party and had influence nationally.

Arthur, in fact, was nominated as a vice presidential candidate in an effort to please the Stalwarts. Their candidate for the 1880 presidential election, former president Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885; see entry in volume 3), was passed over at the Republican convention in favor of James A. Garfield (1831-1881; see entry in volume 3), who represented other groups in the party. Arthur was chosen...