Evarts served as counsel for President-elect Rutherford B. Hayes before the Electoral Commission that resolved the disputed presidential election of 1876. During President Hayes's administration, he served as Secretary of State. Initially, Evarts did not act upon reports of corruption in the foreign service and supported actions against internal whistleblowers John Myers, Wiley Wells and later John Mosby. However, when President Grant continued to hear such complaints during his post-presidential around-the-world tour, and such were confirmed by internal troubleshooters DeB. Randolph Keim and former General turned consul to Japan Julius Stahel, Evarts began to clean house before the 1880 election. He ultimately secured the resignation of a favorite subordinate, Frederick W. Seward, for shielding rascals, and then several consuls in the Far East, including George Seward, David Bailey and David Sickels. In 1881, Evarts was a delegate to the International Monetary Conference at Paris.