The Duncan & Coe History Show: "Boss Walrus" – Detailed Summary

Release Date: December 5, 2024

In the "Boss Walrus" episode of The Duncan & Coe History Show, hosts Mike Duncan and Alexis Coe delve into the intriguing life and legacy of the 21st President of the United States, Chester A. Arthur. This bonus content episode provides listeners with a candid conversation about their mutual interest in Arthur, the challenges of historical research with limited primary sources, and the potential for collaborative work on Arthur’s biography.

1. Introduction to the Bonus Content

Mike Duncan opens the session by welcoming listeners to the bonus content show, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion beyond their regular episodes.

• Mike Duncan [00:00]: "Welcome to The Duncan & Company show bonus content. I'm Mike Duncan."
• Alexis Coe [00:04]: "I'm Alexis Ko. This is our bonus content show."

2. The Spark: Meeting with James Bradley and Chester A. Arthur

Alexis shares a recent interaction that reignited her passion for Chester A. Arthur, highlighting the scarcity of New York presidents and her contemplation of Arthur's legacy.

• Alexis Coe [00:46]: "Today I had coffee with James Bradley, who has a new biography of Martin Van Buren coming out... it made me sad because he burned most of his papers and his letters."
• Mike Duncan [01:18]: "I can understand that. It's... ambiguity lost records working from a very limited number of primary sources."

3. Challenges of Limited Primary Sources

The hosts discuss the difficulties historians face when primary sources are scarce or destroyed, emphasizing the uncertainty it brings to reconstructing historical narratives.

• Alexis Coe [00:55]: "Can I ever really tell his story?... I have to fill in so many blanks that maybe you're wrong."
• Mike Duncan [01:56]: "It's just, we're never going to know this or like one source says this, another source says that... we don't actually know."

4. Chester A. Arthur: A Complex Legacy

Mike and Alexis delve into Arthur's political career, his association with corruption, and his eventual rise to the presidency following James Garfield's assassination.

• Alexis Coe [03:16]: "He was a real dandy. He lived in the city. He was Urbain. He lived in Murray Hill."
• Mike Duncan [03:29]: "He was like, head of the Port Authority, which is just... that's where graft happens."

5. Civil Service Reform and Arthur’s Transformation

The conversation shifts to the era's endemic corruption and Arthur's role in civil service reform, highlighting his shift from a machine politician to a reformer.

• Mike Duncan [03:53]: "Civil service reform, which was so badly needed and was going to stop all of this."
• Alexis Coe [04:13]: "Corruption was endemic at that point in American history."

6. Personal Anecdotes and Lesser-Known Stories

Alexis brings up lesser-known anecdotes about Arthur, including his correspondence with Julia Sand and his early legal career defending Elizabeth Jennings, showcasing his complexities and moral decisions.

• Alexis Coe [05:09]: "The President of the United States sent to a 31 year old woman in I believe, Brooklyn who had some sort of physical limitation."
• Mike Duncan [07:24]: "Because she is trying to persuade him to... he then does."

7. Historiography and the Construction of Narratives

Both hosts reflect on how historical narratives are formed and the challenges of piecing together Arthur's story without extensive personal documents.

• Mike Duncan [05:40]: "I have a vision for it. And part of it is, you know, with our shared interest in historiography..."
• Alexis Coe [05:56]: "So that's a mystery, though."

8. Collaboration on an Arthur Biography

The discussion culminates in the exciting prospect of Duncan and Coe joining forces to write a comprehensive biography of Chester A. Arthur, leveraging their combined expertise to bring his story to a wider audience.

• Mike Duncan [08:25]: "So I don't see why our editors are going to be like, no, don't do this book about an incredibly obscure president..."
• Alexis Coe [08:38]: "Do you want to write competing Arthur books?"
• Mike Duncan [08:45]: "I think joining forces is the way to go. A Duncan & Co. Chester A. Arthur book is great."

9. Concluding Thoughts

As the conversation wraps up, Duncan and Coe express their enthusiasm for the potential project, acknowledging the challenges but confident in their ability to shed new light on an often-overlooked president.

• Alexis Coe [09:21]: "It's a real Life and Times with emphasis on times and Chester, if I may."
• Mike Duncan [09:38]: "I definitely call him Chet Arthur."

10. Final Remarks

The hosts conclude the bonus content by reiterating their commitment to exploring Arthur's legacy and hinting at future collaborative endeavors.

• Mike Duncan [09:56]: "That was The Duncan & Company show bonus content. I was Mike Duncan."
• Alexis Coe [10:02]: "I'm still Alexis Ko. This was our bonus content show."

Key Takeaways:

• Mutual Passion: Both hosts share a deep interest in Chester A. Arthur’s life and legacy.
• Research Challenges: Limited primary sources pose significant hurdles in reconstructing Arthur’s story.
• Arthur’s Complexity: From a machine politician embroiled in corruption to a president advocating civil service reform.
• Collaborative Potential: Duncan and Coe consider co-authoring a comprehensive biography to illuminate Arthur’s nuanced life.

Notable Quotes:

• Alexis Coe [00:55]: "Can I ever really tell his story?... I have to fill in so many blanks that maybe you're wrong."
• Mike Duncan [03:53]: "Civil service reform, which was so badly needed and was going to stop all of this."
• Mike Duncan [08:45]: "I think joining forces is the way to go. A Duncan & Co. Chester A. Arthur book is great."

This episode serves as a promising prelude to what could be a significant contribution to presidential historiography, blending Duncan and Coe’s expertise to offer fresh insights into Chester A. Arthur’s presidency.