American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-07-17
General Arthur, the Victim Of Mr..
Hayes Civil.Service Reform.

The Republican nominee for the vice-Presi-
dency is one of the best salnon-fishers in the
country. He may be said to incarnate the
great idea of Flanagan that the object of poli-
ties is to get the Offices. for he is the most
Hayes doctrine of Civil-service reform. He
first became conspicuous in New York City
Edwin ID. Morgan Mr.. Arthur was then about
thirty years of age and a member of the law
firm of Arthur Gardiner and had been
known along with George Bliss, Jr., Elliott F.
Sheppard and other young lawyers as active
n mont eampaign. GoVernor Morgan first ap-
pointed him January l, 1851, as Engineer in
Chief, and April IA, 1862, as Inspector-General
on his staff. In the following July he ex-
changed places with Cuyler Van Vechten.
another member of the staff, who was then
General, General Arthur made his mark in
this city during the early period of the civil
war when regiments were raised. equipped
and sent to the field by the State. When Gov
ernor Fenton was elected General Arthnr's old
place was taken by General Merritt, who sue,
ceeded him Collector also when several
years afterward President Hayes cut off his
official head. During the years when General
was busily employed in local politics and in
his profession paving special attention d to
business connected with Albany and
Washington legislation; In November
Mr. Mr. Thomas ' Murphy, having been badly
smirched by the Tammany, Ring revelations
of that period, was compelled to resign his
post as collector of the Port of New York.
The post was offered to ex-COngressman John
A. Griswold, of Troy, and on his declining it to
the late William Orton who also declined it.
They both united in recommending General
Grant to name General Arthur; Chester a.
1871. The World of the following morning
published the following under the heading
Long Live the King;
1.-The reporter visited the newly appointed
Collector, General Chester A. Arthur, at his
residence, No. LIB Lexington avenue, last
evening. and in answer to inquiries made the
new Collector said in substance as follows: Il
was born in Vermont and studied at Union
College; was graduated when l was eighteen
years of age in the class of AS, and am about
forty years old: immediately after graduating
] came to this city and studied law; am law
yer and have resided in this city ever since
came here; am an American, of course; dur
ing inc a!e war lnea tne pos,,lo par on 2aar
political office of any consequence, for, al
though have been actively engaged in polt-
ical matters have never sought, but rather
avoided, holding any political office. did not
expect this appoint ment AT this time, and in
fact knew nothing about it until some friends
called upon me and informed me that it was
published in the evening papers,.
"In reply to u remark made by the reporter
that the appointment wouldn't cause him any
discomfort though coming unexpectedly, Mr.
Arthur said:
~ don't know about that; the duties of the
Office are rather hard to perform in satisfac-
tory manner, but of course it is an office which
no man need be ashamed to aspire to. 1t is
well known that hold the Office of Chairman
of the State Central Executive Committee. l
don't know when shall assume the duties of
the office As told you, did not know of my
appointment until after reaching home this
evening"
1.-THE new Collector is very pleasant, agree
able gentleman to meet, and appeared the
picture of contentment last evening. The
Committee of Seventy forced the President to
agree several weeks ago that he would remove
Murphy. He said he would do il after election.
Meantime he compromised with Murphy to APP
point his best friend Chester A. Arthur, who
is rs thoroughly hater of Horace Greeley
and Senator Fenton and as completely under
the control of Conklng Murphy was. The
peculiar aspect presented by this change is the
fact that Grant rcsists all of the appeals that
have been made to him to appoint man out
side of the present CuStom-HOuSe Ring, who
possesses capacity, honesty and commercial
experience. to the end that harmony might
come to the party in this State. The announce
ment that the appointment is satisfactory TO
Senator Fcnton and his friends Is Scarceiy pos
sible, that gentcman's friends denonnce 1t
in unqualified terms. The appointment of Ar
President Grant when he was last here, at the
residence of Mr.. John Hoey. Tom Murphy and
General Arthur were present An Anti-tir;nt
man described the change from Murphy
Arthur equivalent to substituting
Tweed for Connolly vice versa. 1t
was Murphy and Arthur in the lobby
at Albany and Arthur and Murphy in the
division of the offices and sinecures with Tam
many for service rendered at the former place.
The SiamcSe twins were never more closely
allied in transaction of every kind than Muir
ply and Arthur have been. Tom Murphy
and the Conkling ring still control the Gus
tonl-Housc. They were mt the Fifth Avenue
Hotel last night, some Of them in consultation
with the Senator aud the leaders were crow
ing over their triumph. The distinguished
Bliss, IT., remarked n friend that II