Rutherford B. Hayes became President at a time when Americans were losing faith in the Government after years of political scandals and economic problems. He gave hope back to the Americans. Rutherford B. Hayes was born in 1822 in Delaware, Ohio. An avid reader, he graduated at the top of his class at Kenyon School, then attended Harvard Law School. In 1845, he returned to his home state to practice law. When the Civil War began, Hayes volunteered and helped to organize a military company which fought in several violent battles. While still at war, he was elected to the Ohio State Congress but did not take his seat until peace was declared. In 1867 he was elected governor of Ohio and served three terms. In 1876, Hayes won the Republican party's nomination for the presidency. The election was so close that an electoral commission met to decide the outcome (185 to 184 ) electoral votes for Hayes. As president, Hayes was determined to end weak Reconstruction policies that caused problems in the South. He removed federal troops and called for wise, honest and local self-government and outlawed carpet bagging in which Northerners went to the South to exploit the financial misfortunes. In 1879, Congress agreed to let people redeem the paper money that had been assured during the Civil War for gold. Hayes also proposed legislation that laid the groundwork for future Civil Service Reforms. Although he was only fifty-nine in 1881, Hayes chose not to seek a second term. He retired to spend his last year in supporting government reforms education, and religious charities. Hayes died in 1893 in Fremont, Ohio.