Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-09-16
GENL ARTHUR.
Why He Was Removed
From Office.

We have received within the last few
weeks several requests to publish the
specific charges preferred against Gen.
Arthur at the time of his removal from
the New York Collectorship. Many
Democratic papers are publishing what
they represent to be extracts from the
letters of President Hayes, accusing
Gen. Arthur of dereliction of duty,
and our correspondents ask US to give
particulars of Arthur's removal, with
statement of charges made against
him.
In answer to all these we. say, en-
phatically, that no charges were made
against Collector Arthur, and ne letter
of the President or the Secretary of
of the Treasury conveyed such an i'm
preston. The first excitement as to
the New York Custom House cases
was caused by New York politicians,
who sought, by indirect methods, to
convince Prest. Hayes that change
would be desirable. An investigation
was ordered, and the committee report
ed that the Collectors office was
admirably managed, and that General
Arthur was a model officer, possessing
the confidence of the business men of
New York. At conference early in
1877, the President intimated to Gen.
Arthur that he wished him to remain
in Office, and that he should not dis
place the appointees of General Grant
except for good reasons, or in cases
where the good of the service demand
ed a change.
At a later date the order as to Office
holders not taking part in campaign
work was issued Mr.. Cornell, Naval
Officer at New York, was at that time
Chairman of the New York Republi-
can Committee, and, accepting Post
master General Keys Interpretation of
the order he preferred to not resign
his place as Chairman or give up his
legitimate political work. Mr.. Nc
Cormick, and others holding positions
on National or State committees did
resign, however, and the action of Mr.
Cornell was made to appear as defiance
of the Presidents order.
The President, placed in an embar-
RAISING position, decided to remove
Cornell, but Secretary Evarts objected
to this on the ground that Mr.. Cor
nells prominence as a politician would
cause the move to be misunderstood.
He suggested that all the principal
officers of the Custom House be mott
fed that their designations were de-
sired. This, he argued, would relieve
the President from embarrassment,
would destroy craftsmanship in New
York politics, and would enable the
President to fill the places with men
in sympathy with his own ideas of
civil-service reform. Cornell and Ar
thur declined to tender their resigna-
tlons, and they were suspended or re-
moved Nov. l, 1877. Successors were
appointed few days later, and these
were not confirmed by the Senate.
Mr. Conkling took the position that
the Presidents own civil-service rules
declared in effect that no officers should
be removed without cause. On his
motion letter was addressed to Sec
rotary Sherman asking the President
to give his reasons for removing Naval
Off Ger Cornell and Collector Arthur,
of New York, and Collector Jones, of
Chicago. In replying, Secretary Sher-
man denied the right of the Senate to
question the President as to his reasons
holding that their expression of disap-
prevail limited to the rejection of
appointments. Thereupon the appoint
ments were rejected, and Cornell and
Arthur remained in office.
On the 9th of December the Repub-
lican delegation in Congress from New
York sent letter to the President
asking that Cornell and Arthur be re-
tanned. The President stated that a
change had been decided upon, and
two hours later sent in again the names
of Roosevelt and Prince as their sue
cessors. An exciting debate followed,
Senator Conkling leading the party
opposed to the confirmation of the
nominations. It was stated during
this debate that Secretary Sherman
was opposed to sending in the names
after they had been once rejected, but