Grant's disdain for politics might be responsible for some of the corruption in his administration. Still, his inability to clean up his own administration was a blight on his presidential record. Despite the scandals that arose during his tenure, Grant was never personally involved with any of them, and his honesty and personal integrity were never questioned. The Grant administration was also routinely labeled one of the most corrupt in U.S. Ultimately much of the country abandoned African Americans to segregation and discrimination but Grant was not responsible for that failure.
He worked hard to ensure the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment and tried to make it possible for blacks to vote. He fought to protect the rights of African Americans more than any other nineteenth-century President. Only more recently have historians begun to appreciate Grant's commitment to African Americans. For many years, his presidency was viewed against the backdrop of Southern resentment toward Reconstruction. Nevertheless, Grant's motives and efforts as President were admirable and noteworthy. Congress, especially the Senate, had seized the reins of power, and the presidency would not regain its stature until the turn of the twentieth century. The Grant years finished what the Johnson years had begun: a significant weakening of the American presidency. At the same time, he did not really understand politics, which hindered his effectiveness as President, and he believed in the supremacy of the legislative branch. He came into office wanting to serve all the American people and was determined to avoid party politics. Grant left the White House in 1877, admitting in a remarkable farewell address to Congress that it had been his "misfortune to be called to the Office of Chief Executive without any political training" and apologizing for his "errors of judgment." Perhaps some of Grant's troubles as President are related to his disdain for politics.
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