The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-06-25

ever seen were at his disposal. He had
to provide for the clothing, arming, and
transportation of hundreds of thousands
OF men. Speaking of him at this prod,
Il friend says: $50 jealous was he of
his integrity that have known instances
where he could have made thousands of
dollars legitimately, and yet refused to
do il on the ground that he was pub
lie officer and meant to be like Caesars
wife, above suspicion His own words
to me in regard to the matter amply
illustrated his character. If had mis-
appropriated five cents and on walking
down town saw two men talking ON the
corner together, l would imagine they
were talking of my dishonesty, and the
very thought would drive me mad"
At the expiration of GOV. Morgan's
term Gen. Arthur returned to his law
practice. Business of the most lucra-
tive character poured in upon him, and
the firm of Arthur Il Gardner prosper
ed exceedingly. Much of their work
consisted in the collection of war claims
and the drafting of important bills for
speedy Legislation, and a great deal of
Gen. Arthur's time was spent in Albany
and Washington, where his uniform
success won for him IL national reputa
ton. For short time he held the posi-
ton of cOuscl to the Board of Tax Com
missioners Of this city, ut $780, 900 per an
mum, Gradually he was drawn into
the arena of politics. He nominated
and by his efforts elected, the Hon.
Thomas Murphy State Senator.
When the later resigned the Collector
ship of the port on November go, 1871.
President Grant nominated Gen. Arthur
to the position, and four years later,
when histerm expired, renominated him,
an honor that had never been shown to
any previous Collector in the history of
the port. He was removed by President
Hayes on July ~, 1878, despite the
fact that two special committees made
searching investigation into his admin
stratiGn, and both reported themselves
unable to find anything upon which to
base charge against him. In their
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS announcing the
change, both President Hayes and Sec
Rotary Sherman bore official witness to
the purity of his acts while in office.
A petition for his retention was signed
by every Judge of every court in the
city, by all the prominent members of
the Bar, and by nearly every importing
merchant in the collecting district, but
this Gen. Arthur suppressed.
In Il letter to Secretary Sherman, re-
viewing the work of one of the investi-
eating committees, Gen. Arthur pro-
duced statistics to show that during his
term OF. over six years in office the per
centage Of removals was only "a,
against an annual average OF about %
per cent under his three immediate pre-
deccssors, and an annual average OF
about "a per cent. since 1857. or the
923 persons in Office prior to his appoint
ment, 53l were still retained on May /,
1877. All appointments except two to
the 100 positions commanding salaries
of $4,000 per year were made on the
plan of advancing men from the lower
to the higher grades ON the recommcn-
dation of heads of bureaus. The re-
forms which Gen. Arthur instituted in
the methods OF doing business in the
custom house were Us numerous as they
were grateful to the merchantile COM
munity. Since his removal he has been
engaged in the practice of law, and In
the direction of Republican politics in
the State, being chairman of the Re
publican State committee. In person
he is over six feet in height, broad
shouldered, Athletic, and handsome
Like his predecessor, William A.
Wheeler, he is an ardent disciple OF
Walton. He is a man of great culture
and wide experience, an able lawyer
with refined tastes, and manners Of the
utmost geniality.