1883 - Political Events

Political Events

The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act passed by Congress January 16 provides for competitive examinations for positions in the federal government and establishes a Civil Service Commission to end the abuses that culminated in the assassination of President Garfield 2 years ago. Named for Sen. George H. Pendleton (D. Ohio), the act sharply reduces the number of federal appointees who get their jobs from elected officials under the "spoils system," it establishes a merit system for appointment and promotion based on competitive examinations, and Congress will expand the number of "classified" civil service workers employed on the basis of merit, with such workers protected from loss of job through change in political administration (see Tillman Act, 1907).

Former Confederate vice president Alexander H. Stephens takes office as governor of Georgia but dies at Atlanta March 4 at age 71, having worked since 1865 to promote the myth that the Civil War was fought not to protect slavery but rather to defend states' rights; former Maine governor and Republic Party cofounder Israel Washburn travels to Philadelphia for medical attention and dies there May 12 at age 69.

Russian statesman Aleksandr Prince Gorchakov dies at Baden-Baden March 11 at age 84, having retired only last year from his posts as foreign minister and chancellor.

Former Greek prime minister Aléxandros Koumondhouros dies at Athens in February at age 68, having pursued strongly anti-Turkish policies in his nine ministries; former Ottoman grand vizier Midhat dies at At-Taif, Arabia, May 8 at age 60, probably having been murdered; former grand vizier Mahmud Nedim dies at Constantinople May 14 at age 64 (approximate); Algeria's founder Abdul-Qadir (Abdulkader) dies at Damascus May 26 at age 74.

The convention of Marsa signed June 8 with the bey of Tunis assures French control of Tunisia.

Britain's new consul general at Cairo Sir Evelyn Baring, now 42, receives his appointment with plenipotentiary diplomatic rank to advise the khedive (see 1882). Given a mandate to carry out sweeping reforms in the now-bankrupt country with a view to evacuating British troops, Baring will effectively rule Egypt as viceroy until his retirement in 1907, encouraging public irrigation works, generally improving agriculture, and making the country financially solvent by 1887 under a form of government that will come to be called "the Veiled Protectorate" (see 1892).

The Mahdi (Muhammad Ahmad ibn as-Sayyid Abdullah), 39, challenges Egyptian control of the Sudan. The son of a Nubian shipbuilder in the Dongola district, he proclaimed his divine mission 2 years ago to cleanse Islam and the governments that defile it. Having set out from Aba Island with a few followers armed only with sticks and spears, he has captured booty that includes Krupp artillery and Remington rifles along with money, bullion, jewels, and military supplies. His forces ambush British general William Hicks, 53, and kill him November 4 along with almost every member of the 8,000-man British camel train. They wipe out the Egyptians November 5 at the Battle of El Obeid. The self-styled prophet gains control over Kordofan, the governors of Darfur and Bahr-el-Ghazal are obliged to surrender, and the Mahdi's lieutenants attack the Red Sea forts (see 1884).

Japanese statesman Tomomi Iwakura dies at Tokyo July 20 at age 57, having paved the way for a constitution that safeguarded the emperor's prerogative and resisted the idea of democratic rights.

Vietnam's fourth Nguyen dynasty emperor Tu Duc dies at his native Hue July 9 at age 53 after a troubled 35-year reign in which he has persecuted Christian missionaries and been forced to cede his three southern provinces to France. Tu Doc is succeeded by a son who will reign until 1889. A treaty signed at Hue August 25 recognizes Tonkin (north Vietnam), Annam (central Vietnam), and all of what the French call Cochinchina as French protectorates (see 1882), but China regards the territory as a vassal state, rejects the treaty, and continues to resist French control. Chinese Black Flag irregulars, Vietnamese, and French forces battle outside Hanoi September 3 in a bloody confrontation (see 1884).

The Treaty of Ancon October 20 ends the war between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia over the nitrate-rich Atacama Desert. Chile gains territory at Peru's expense (see 1879; 1884).