Institutional racism reforms of the spoils system in place since the 1830s, and abuses of the post-war Grant-Jacksonian era; when Congress authorized the president to appoint a Civil Service Commission and prescribe regulations for admission to public service. A dis-satisfied office-seeker assassinated President Garfield in 1881 and Congress was motivated to pass the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883 which firmly established civil service. During reconstruction, this enabled the federal government to provide jobs for newly freed blacks in the south (primarily the Postal Service) where no other employment opportunities existed for them. Since the inception of the merit system in
English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1881–82 English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1881–82 The 1881–82 Australia v England Test series was part of a first-class cricket tour of Australia, New Zealand and the United States by an England team led by Alfred Shaw. The four matches between Australia and the England team were later classified as Test matches, but are included in The Ashes which began later in 1882. The English tourists also played three other first-class matches in Australia. The team travelled across the Atlantic first and played five matches in the USA during October. Their first match in Australia began on