Post-Compromise
A political cartoon depicting Hayes' position on the spoils system. (linkrandom.blogspot.com)
Within 100 days of his term, Hayes had withdrawn most of the Federal troops from the South and had set up Democratic legislatures for the states of Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana. The process of Reconstruction, at that point, was over. The South had gained control of the South. The ending of Reconstruction set the stage for a new chapter in American history, defined by big businesses, expansionism, and progressive reform. He is most known for his opposition to the spoils system, a system where political candidates bribed the public for votes in their favor during an election. He pushed Congress to reform several aspects of it, and even tried some politicians who were guilty of using it. He is also known well for his firm establishment of the gold-backed paper currency system in the United States. The Compromise helped America move past the civil war.
A New York Times article on the spoils system: