Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-07-24
A LITTLE ABOUT CHESTER AR
THUR.

The following is the letter of John
Sherman to Mr.. Hayes, dismissing
Arthur from the New York custom
house. Arthur had contended that
no act OF fraud had been proved
against him, and that therefore the
secretary ought not to discharge
him:
If, to secure the removal of an
officer, it is necessary to establish
the actual commission of a crime by
proofs demanded in Il court of lust
ice, then it Is clear that the case
against Collector Arthur is not made
out, especially if his answer is held
to be conclusive, without reference
! to the proofs on the public records
and rendered to the committee and
| the senate. But if it is to be held
| that, to procure the removal of Col
lectOr Arthur, it is sufficient to reas-
Onably establish that gross abuses of
administration hare continued and
increased during his incdnl6ency-
that many persons have been regu-
larly paid on his rolls who rendered
/ AANbAC Va AlO SCI ACC-titdt tAiS OK
penses of his office have increased,
while collections have been dimin-
ishing-that brides, or grdtltities IN
| the nature Of brides, have been re-
ceiVed by his subOrdinates i'm several
! branches of the custOm-hOuse-that
efforts to correct these abuses have
not met his support, and that he
has not given to the duties of the
Office the requisite diligence and
attention, then it is submitted that
the case is made out. This form of
proof the department Is prepared to
submit.
And what the secretary said, ev-
eryOne in New York knew to be
true; 50 that Mr.. Hayes, when he
signed his final discharge, said that
it was hopeless to attempt any
reformation in that thoroughly cor
rupt establishment while he and
Cornell remained at the head of it.
Nevertheless, Cornell is now gov
ernOr of New York, Hayes and
Sherman both having canvasSed
actively for his election to that Office,
and Arthur is now the republican
candidate for the presidency,
with the openly expressed favor
and appreciation of the same two
gentlemen. 1t is not worth while
to say anything now of the hypoc-
risy of Hayes, as he is so soon to be
consigned to Oblivion under the
united contempt Of both parties; but
Arthur himself has studied that
hypocrisy and seen that it pays, so
now he tries his own hand at it. In
his letter of acceptance he says:
The resolution referring TO the
public service seems to me to be de-
serving of approval. Surely no man
should be the incumbent of an office,
the duties of which for any cause he
is untitled to perfOrm-whO is lack
ing in the ability or integrity which
a proper administration of such |
office demands.
This sentiment would doubtless !
meet general arqui,~cmCe, but Opin- !
ion has hven widely divided upon
the wisdom and practicaLility of
the various reformatOry schemes
which have been suggested, and of |
certain proposed regulations govern
ing appointment to public office. /
The efficiency of such regulations |
has been diStruSted mainly because I
they have seemed to exalt mere ed
ucatioual and abstract tests above
general business capacity, and even
special iitueSs, for the particular
work in hand. 1t seems to me that
the rules which should be applied
to the management of the public
service may properly conform in the
main to slch as regulate the conduct
of successful private business. Orig
inal appointments should be based
upon aSceFtained fitness, The ten
ure of Office should be stable; posi-