Dear Mr. President: The Letters of Julia Sand

Incoming Editorial·Reviewed May 7, 2026

In 1881, America gasped at the assassination of President Garfield - cut down by the bullet of Charles Guiteau, an avid believer in the spoils system of corrupt appointments to government jobs. Garfield had opposed this system, but his death led to - very much intentionally by Guiteau - the rise of Vice President Chester Arthur. In contrast, Arthur had not only supported the spoils system, but owed his entire career in government to the corruption of the New York political machine. No one expected anything different from Arthur’s presidency - except for one person. Julia Sand, a 30-year-old New Yorker of no renown, believed Arthur could become someone better, and challenged him to smash the bureaucratic system that brought him to power.