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
HMS Canada (1881) HMS Canada (1881) HMS "Canada" was a screw corvette of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1881 and sold for scrap in 1897. Her bow badge was removed prior to being sold for scrap and is currently displayed in the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. "Canada" was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1879, one of nine ships of the "Comus" class. She was launched on 26 August 1881 and completed later that year. Planning for six metal-hulled corvettes began in 1876; these became the "Comus"-class corvettes and were designed for long voyages away from coaling stations. Given a