 When Hayes appeared to have lost the presidential election the following month to Democrat Samuel Tilden , the Republicans launched efforts to reverse the result in Southern states where they held the governorship : South Carolina , Louisiana , and Florida . If Hayes won all three states , he would take the election by a single electoral vote . Grant asked Garfield to serve as a " neutral observer " in the recount in Louisiana . The observers soon recommended to the state electoral commissions that Hayes be declared the winner — Garfield recommended that the entire vote of West Feliciana Parish , which had given Tilden a sizable majority , be thrown out . The Republican governors of the three states certified that Hayes had won their states , to the outrage of Democrats , who had the state legislatures submit rival returns , and threatened to prevent the counting of the electoral vote — under the Constitution , Congress is the final arbiter of the election . Congress then passed a bill establishing the Electoral Commission , to determine the winner . Although he opposed the Commission , feeling that Congress should count the vote and proclaim Hayes victorious , Garfield was appointed to it over the objections of Democrats that he was too partisan . Hayes emerged the victor by a Commission vote of 8 to 7 , with all eight votes being cast by Republican politicians or appointees of that party to the Supreme Court . As part of the deal whereby they recognized Hayes as president , Southern Democrats secured the removal of federal troops from the South , ending Reconstruction . 
