历届美国总统简介：拉瑟福德·伯查德·海斯（在线收听）

拉瑟福德·伯查德·海斯（RutherfordBirchardHayes，1822年10月4日——1893年1月17日）是美国第 19任总统，生于俄亥俄州。南北战争时期，因军功屡次晋升，直至志愿军少将。战后开始政治生涯。两度当选国会议员，三度出任俄亥俄州州长，以“为人正直和办事有效率”著称。1876年大选中，因发生了美国历史上最大一次选票计算纠纷，海斯直至总统就职日前两天才被宣布为合法总统。任内努力改善内战后国内状况，取得了一些成就。他是第一个接见中国常驻使节的总统。

Rutherford Birchard Hayes was born in Ohio in 1822. He was the 19th President of the United States. He studied at Harvard Law School and then worked as a lawyer for five years. In 1850, he moved to Cincinnati, where he flourished as a young Whig lawyer. He gained a healthy political reputation for defending fugitive slaves and was nominated for several senior legal positions.

He fought in the Civil War, was wounded in action five times. He earned a reputation for bravery and rose to the rank of major general. While still in the Army, Cincinnati Republicans ran him for the House of Representatives. He accepted the nomination and was elected by a heavy majority. Hayes entered Congress in December 1865. Between 1867 and 1876 he served three terms as Governor of Ohio.

In 1876, Hayes ran against Samuel J. Tilden in the closest election race in U.S. history. Disputes over the vote counting meant that if all the disputed votes went to Hayes, he would win; a single one would elect Tilden. Hayes was elected days before inauguration day after a compromise with the Democrats that he would remove all federal troops from the South. The final electoral vote was 185 to 184.

Hayes pledged protection of the rights of black slaves in the South. He hoped the withdrawal of troops there would lead to reconciliation. Many Southern leaders approved of Hayes’ economic policies and financial conservatism. He reformed the civil service and saw the beginning of an era of greater prosperity. He left office in 1881 and died of a heart attack at his home in January 1893, aged 70.