Grant's Republican successor, President Rutherford B. Hayes, was conciliatory toward the South and favored "local control" of civil rights on the condition that Democrats make an honorary pledge to confirm the constitutional amendments that protected blacks.[381] During Republican negotiations with Democrats, that Grant took no direct part in, the Republicans received the White House for Hayes in return for ending enforcement of racial equality for blacks and removing federal troops from the last three states.[382] As promised, Hayes withdrew federal troops from South Carolina and Louisiana, which marked the end of Reconstruction.[383]

Financial affairs
Secretary of Treasury George S. Boutwell aided Grant to defeat the Gold Ring.
Soon after taking office, Grant took conservative steps to return the nation's currency to a more secure footing.[384] During the Civil War, Congress had authorized the Treasury to issue banknotes that, unlike the rest of the currency, were not backed by gold or silver. The "greenback" notes, as they were known, were necessary to pay the unprecedented war debts, but they also caused inflation and forced gold-backed money out of circulation; Grant was determined to return the national economy to pre-war monetary standards.