As biographer Allan Nevins wrote, "Probably no man in the country, on March 4, 1881, had less thought than this limited, simple, sturdy attorney of Buffalo that four years later he would be standing in Washington and taking the oath as President of the United States."
Som hans biograf Allan Nevins skrev: "der var sandsynligvis ingen i landet, der 4. marts 1881 havde mindre forventninger til end denne almindelige, men hårdføre advokat fra Buffalo, der fire år senere ville stå i Washington og blive taget i ed som de Forenede Staters præsident."