Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-10-06

| Governor. In tne same year lie was on uuLy
on the staff of Major General Hunt, in the
Army of the Potomac, as Inspector of New
York troops in the field At the expiration
of Governor Morgau's term he returned to
his law practice, and business of the most lu'
crative character poured in. Much of this
work consisted in the collection of war claims
and the drafting of important bills for speedy
his time was spent at Albany and Washington,
where his uniform success won him national
reputation. For short time he held the po.
stion of counsel TO the Board of Tax Com.
missioners at salary of $4,000 per annum.
In 1871, he formed partnership with Mr..
Ransom, and later with Mr.. Phelps, the pres
ent Distri> Attorney Of New York City, and
he is now the senior member of the firm of
Arthur, Phelps, Kuevals & Ransom.
THE MAN.
Personally General Arthur is man of
great culture, wide experience and remarkable
geniality. He is over six feet high, of full
habit and fair complexion. His face is clean
shaven except for thin gray side whiskers
There is nothing about him of the politician,
as so many have been led to suppose He
does not talk in offensive accents his voice is
low and gentlemanly. He dresses in perfect
good tas.e-at present entirely in black. Of
his home in New York it is written:
There is little in Lexington Avenue to dis.
tinguish one block from another. No. 1923 is
just one of the dozen in its own particular
block near Sixteenth street. Here Chester
A. Arthur lives. Inside the house is exactly
what was to be expected. 1t is a house in
which gold and white were selected for the
drawing room. At present all the beauties of
furnishing are beneath the homely ban of fur
niture covers. The gilt gasoliers are swathed
in mosquto-net ; so are the pictures. Enough
of these can, however, be seen to testify that
the dweller here is man Of correct taste.
The cattle pieces are all better than Verbock.
hoven ever drew; the quaint bit of still life
beside the mantle, looks to be, from where you
sit, genuine Teneirs. It's companion is, per-
haps, an Ostade. Upon the low bookcases,
that contain some handsome volumes, are
some excellent bronzes-one spirited group
just over your hosts shoulder, looks to be
Russian handiwork 1t certainly is Co.'S
sack horse. General Arthur has undoubted-
ly been traveller in his fancies, and yet he
is a man who cares for cushions and comfort.
His parlor has no stiff furniture. The tete a.
tete is very easy one, the armchairs are
generous in proportion and generous in stuff:
ing. Near the fireplace handsome silk
screen shows monogram in rainbow. colored
silk, the work Of deft fingers. But it is i'm
possible to take mental inventory and par
ticipate in your hosts conversation. Turn
your attention to him rather than bis.
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
General Arthur's political career began
early-at IA years of age-as champion Of
the Whig party. He was delegate to the
Saratoga Convention that founded the Re.
publican party in New York Stale, and was
henceforward actice in local and State poll.
tics 1t was not long before he was leading
spirit in the party and when Hon. Thomas
Murphy resigned the Collectorship of the
Port of New York, in 1871, President Grant
nominated him 10 the vacancy. The nomi.
nation surprised no one so much as its recip-
lent. 1t had been previously offered to John
A. Griswold and William Orton, both Of
whom declined and recommended Gen. Ar.
thur. He was appointed November 20.
Upon the expiration of his four years term
he had so acceptably filled the post that be
was reappointed and unanimously confirmed
by the Senate without the usual reference to
committee, compliment usually reserved
for ex.Senators He was removed by Presi-
dent Hayes on July IL, 1878, despite the fact
that two special committees made searching
investigation into his administration, and
both reported themselves unable to find any
thing upon which to base charge against
him. In announcing the change both Presi.
dent Hayes and Secretary Sherman bore off.
cial witness to the purity of bis acts while ID
Office A petition for his retention was sign.
ed by every Judge of every Court in the
city, by all the prominent members of the bar,
and by nearly every important merchant in
the collection district, but this General Ar
thur himself suppressed.
In letter to Secretary Sherman, reviewing
the work of one of the investigating commit
tees, General Arthur produced statistics to
show that during his term of over six years in
office the percentage of removals was only
two and three.quarters, against an annual av.
erage of about twenty.eight per cent under
his three immediate predecessors, and an an.
nual average of about twenty-four per cent.
since 1857. Of the nine hundred and twen-
ty-three persons in Office prior to his appoint
ment, FIVE hundred and thirty one were still
retained on May l, 1877. All appointments
except two to the one hundred positions COM
manding salaries of $4,000 per year were
made on the plan of advancing men from the
lower to the higher grades on the recommen-
dation of heads Of bureaus. The reforms
which General Arthur instituted in the meth.
DDS of doing business in the Custom House
were as numerous as they were grateful to the
mercantile community. After his removal he
was engaged in the practice of the law, and
in the direction of Republican politics in the
State, being Chairman of the Republican
State Committee, and contributed greatly, by
successful management, to the success of the
Republican ticket.
NOMINATED FOR THE VICE PRESIDENCY.
General Arthur was nominated at Chicago
for Vice President, at the evening session Of
the Convention, on Tuesday, June 10. The
Convention met without plar in regard to
completing the ticket. Nobody cared for de-
lay, and the roll was promptly called for
nominations for Vice-President. California
presented E. B. Washburne; Connecticut
brought out ex xGovernor Jewell Florida
handed in the name of Judge Settle Tennes'
see urged Horace Maynard. But these at
tracted little attention. Then ex.Lieutenant
Governor Woodford rose in the New York
delegation, and standing upon his seat, and
after brief reference TO the loyal support
which New York had given to General Grant, |