General Correspondence, Vols. 29-40, 1873-1875

The Credit Mobilier railroad bribery scandal carried over into 1873, tarnishing James A. Garfield’s public reputation. The “Salary Grab” scandal of 1873 also garnered negative public attention for Garfield, despite his opposition to a retroactive payment increase for federal employees. These storms passed, only for another to arise in the form of the Panic of 1873 that led to a severe reversal in the nation’s finances. As chair of the House Appropriations Committee until Republicans lost their majority in the House in 1874, Garfield felt the economic effects of the panic in guiding reductions in government spending.