Inauguration of Chester A. Arthur

Presidential inauguration of
Chester A. Arthur

Arthur being administered the oath of office
Date	September 20, 1881; 142 years ago (1881-09-20) September 22, 1881 (1881-09-22)
Location	123 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York (September 20) United States Capitol, Washington, D.C. (September 22)
Participants	Chester A. Arthur 21st president of the United States — Assuming office John R. Brady Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York — Administering oath (September 20) Morrison Waite Chief Justice of the United States — Administering oath (September 22)
← 1881 1885 →

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At 2:15 a.m. Eastern Time on September 20, 1881, Chester A. Arthur was inaugurated the 21st president of the United States. The inauguration marked the commencement of Chester A. Arthur's only term (a partial term of 3 years, 165 days) as president. The presidential oath of office was administered by New York Supreme Court Justice John R. Brady at Arthur's private residence in New York City. Two days later, Arthur took part in a second inauguration in Washington, D.C., with the oath administered by Morrison Waite, the Chief Justice of the United States. Arthur became president following the death of his predecessor James A. Garfield, who had been assassinated by a troubled office seeker, Charles J. Guiteau.

Arthur was the fourth vice president to ascend to the presidency after his president's death, but he was the first to do so after a long period of presidential incapacitation. Garfield's long recovery period created an "80-day crisis" during which his cabinet was unsure of how to delegate the responsibilities of the presidency. With Congress in recess and Arthur generally disliked by the public, the cabinet decided not to disperse Garfield's responsibilities. When Garfield succumbed to his wound in September, Arthur assumed his office under the precedent established by John Tyler in 1841. The question of presidential incapacitation remained into the 20th century, particularly after Woodrow Wilson suffered a non-fatal stroke, until the Twenty-fifth Amendment was ratified in 1967.