What results came from the compromise of 1877?
If you understand what really happened (according to the experts on THIS subject, not popular legend), the “Compromise” did lead to Hayes’s being awarded disputed electoral votes and so being elected President. But that’s all we can say for sure. It was NOT what brought Reconstruction to an end — that was basically happening in any event. (The conspiracy folks, oddly, have missed the fact that HAYES sought assurances that black rights would be respected. But if TILDEN had won, his platform showed NO such concern –it was simply for complete withdrawal from the South.) We need to be clear on what Compromise did and did not take place that year. In fact, the only clear “Compromise of 1877” was not some underhanded deal to hand Hayes the Presidency — which is what people USUALLY mean by this term– was the agreement of members of Congress to organize an electoral commission to help them resolve their dispute over who the electoral votes of a few key states belonged to. This involved NO
