A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Volume 7, part 2: Rutherford B. Hayes

Born in a modest Ohio household, he rose through a rigorous education in classics, philosophy, and mathematics before turning to law at Harvard and establishing a practice in Cincinnati. Early political activity saw him move from Whig loyalties to the newly formed Republican Party, driven by a lifelong antislavery conviction. His formative years are reflected in the personal letters and speeches that reveal a thoughtful, determined young leader.

When the Civil War erupted, he answered the call, climbing the ranks from major to colonel and earning a reputation for daring assaults on fortified positions. The collection gathers his wartime dispatches alongside the inaugural messages of his 1877 presidency, where he pursued national reconciliation and civil‑service reform. Listeners will hear his own words as he navigated a nation still healing from conflict, offering a clear window into the mindset of a president shaped by both battlefield experience and legal training.