The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-24

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In 1877. Mi. Hayes issued exscntive
order No. 1. which be repeated 70 the
postmaster general rs follows:
'ExEcUTTvE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, June %, 1871
L SIR desire to call your attention to
the following paragraph, addressed by me
to the secretary of the treasury. on the
conduct to be observed by officers OF the
general government in relation to the
elections:
No officer should be required or per-
mitted to take part in the management of
political organisations. caueuses. conveu-
tions or election campaigns. Their right
to vote and to express their views on
public questions, either orally or through
the press. is not denied. provided it docs
not interfere with the discharge of thsir
official duties No assessment for political
purposes, on officers or subordinates.
should be allowed .-.-... ..-..-.
This rule is applicable to every depart
ment of the civil service.
IA should be understood by every off
Ger OF the general government that he Is
expected to conform his conduct to its
requirements.
Very respectfully r.. B. HAYES
'To the Postmaster General" -.
On the 2lst of July, 1877, COMMITTEES
Of the Pennsylvania Republican associa
ton addressed the president letter Get
ting forth the history and objects of that
association, the object being to promote
the best interests of the Republican party,
with which its members are identified.
The committee requested the president.
in view of the history and objects of the
association. to inform them whether
mem bership therein on the part of officers
or employees of the government met with
his approval. and also what portion or
portions of the work heretofore performed
by il is in your opinion Objectionable and
should be discontinued so far as such Off
GERS and employees are concerned"
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. Washington,
August l, 1877.
"GENTLEMEN:-The president has re
ferred to me your communication of 21st
ultimo. 10 which you give history of
your association, state its objects. and ask
whether the presidents order of June %.
applies to the members of said association
who hold official positions under the gov
ernment. think that your association is
clearly political organization. whose pur
pose is to advance the interest of party,
and that the members of it who are in the
employment of the government are en-
braced in the presidents order.
VERY respectfully,
CHARLES DEvENs. Atty Gen.
"Messrs. H. 4. MYERS, PAUL HIRsH,
and others.
/ Committee Pennsylvania Republican
Association. Washington.
On receipt of this the association and
all others ike it in the city disbanded.
LETTER TO BROOKLYN OFFICIALS.
EXECUTIVE MANSION. Washington.
August 9, 1877.
DEAR SIR:-I am directed by the
president to acknowledge the receipt of
your communication of the 3lst uftimo,
requesting TO be informed whether the
late order of the president concerned
membership in the Twentieth Ward Re-
publican association and like organiza-
TONS" and to say, in reply. that such
organizations are clearly within its scope.
Your comments have been carefully noted;
and it may be that the order referred to
will, in some cases. work temporary in
convenience, yet it is fully expected and
believed that the benefits to accrue from
its operation win more than counterbal
ance them.
Very truly yours,
WILLIAM x. ROGERS. Secretary
WILLIAM w. GOODRICH. Chairman, etc
In 1879. CHESTER A. ARTHUR, being
collector of New York, was suspended aud
and finally removed from that office.
The President and Secretary Of the
Treasury wrote as follows:
with deep sense of my obligations
under the Constitution, | regard it as my
plain duty to suspend you in order that
the Office may be honestly administered. !"
r. B. Hayes to Collector Arthur. Janu
airy 81. 1879,
"Gross abusess of administration have
continued and increased during your
incumbency. Sherman to Collector Ar
thur. January 81. 1879.
Persons have been regularly paid by
you who have rendered little or no service /;
the expenses of your office have incl eased.
while it's receipts have dimin-
ished. Brides, or gratuities in the shape
of brides, have been received by your
subordiDates in several branches of the
Custom. House, and you have 10 no case sup
ported thes effort to correct the abuses"
Secretary Sherman to Collector Arthur,
January 81. 1879.
And upon a call for information. Secre-
tary Sherman wrote as follows, January
%, 1879.
IF to secure the removal of an officer,
it is necessary TO establish the actual
commission of crime by proofs dem and
ed in a court of justice, then it is clear
that the case against Mr.Arthur is not made
out. especially if his answer is held to be
conclusive without reference to the proofs
on the public records and teadered
to the committee and Senate But If it is
to be held that, TO procure the removal Of
Mr.. Arthur, il is sufficient to reasonably
establish that gross abuses of administra-
ton have continued and increased during
his incumbney; that many persons have
been regularly paid on bis rolls who rem
dered little or no services: that the expen-
ses of his Office have increased while collec-
sions have been diminishing; that bribes.or
gratuities In the nature of brides, have
been received by bis snbordinates 10
several branches of the Custom House:
that efforts to correct these abuses have
not met his support and that be has not
given to the duties of the Office the requisite
diligence and attention, then it is submit
ted that the case is made out. This form
of proof the department is prepared to
submit"
In 1872, Mr. Garfield said on the floor
Of the House,
/ ask gentlemen what they think of
the collector OF great port or chief Of
any great branch of the service issuing a
circular calling for /, 2 or per cent, OF
the salaries of all the employees under his