Political appointments in the United States federal government until 1883. In 1820 Congress limited federal administrators to four-year terms, which led to constant turnover; by the 1860s and the Civil War, patronage had led to widespread inefficiency and political corruption. Although it used to be confined to cabinet positions, department heads, and foreign ambassadorships, by the 1860s patronage had spread to low-level government positions. This meant that when the incumbent political party lost a presidential election, the federal government underwent wholesale turnover. On July 2, 1881, Charles J. Guiteau, a disaffected and mentally unstable political office seeker, assassinated President James Garfield. This highlighted how much the
1881 United States Senate special elections in New York and Lapham was elected to succeed Conkling. Lapham and Miller took their seats on October 11, 1881, and served single terms. Lapham remained in office until March 3, 1885; Miller until March 3, 1887. Conkling's political career effectively ended after this episode, the second longest deadlock in New York State legislative history. Platt returned to the U.S. Senate in 1897, and served two terms until 1909. 1881 United States Senate special elections in New York The 1881 United States Senate special election in New York was held from May 31 to July 22, 1881, by the New York State Legislature