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President Ulysses S. Grant served two consecutives terms of office from March 4, 1869 to March 3, 1877. His cabinet fluxated between reformers who supported civil service reform and those who faced corruption charges in office. Grant himself established the first Civil Service Commission and ended the moiety system.

Elihu B. Washburne
Washburne's tenure as Secretary of State lasted for only eleven days. Grant had appointed Washburne for his sponsorship during the American Civil War. The idea was to give Washburne clout when he was to be appointed to minister to France. Grant's appointment came sooner then planned as Washburne became ill. Washburne served in France for eight years, where he became known for diplomatic integrity and his humanitarian support of Americans, other neutrals, and Germans in France during the Franco-Prussian War. For his efforts, he received formal praise from governments in both France and Germany. Washburne served under his successor Hamilton Fish.