How a British Subject Became President of the United States

How a British Subject Became President of the United States, by Arthur P. Hinman, delivers a sensational 1880s allegation that threatened to upend a presidential administration and expose the raw mechanics of partisan politics. Rooted in an 1880 New York Times account from St. Albans, Vermont, Hinman — an attorney and Democratic operative — claimed he had been tasked with uncovering evidence that Vice‑President‑elect Chester A. Arthur was ineligible for office because he was born in Canada. Published in 1884, the book is a product of its moment: the fallout of President Garfield’s assassination, the sudden elevation of Arthur to the presidency, and the era’s fevered press culture and political skulduggery. Part political polemic, part investigative pamphlet, Hinman’s work illuminates themes of eligibility and citizenship, Gilded Age factionalism, and how conspiracy and rumor circulated through 19th‑century American newspapers. As political non‑fiction, it reads as both a historical artifact and a case study in how allegations can be weaponized in electoral fights. Ideal for listeners intrigued by American political history, constitutional controversies, and true political intrigue, this audiobook sheds light on a forgotten controversy that reveals much about power, persuasion, and partisan warfare.