The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-07-14
MtsceIIa IIanco1ts.
A SKETCH OF ARTHUR.

| "A 6hhl III Df AN Ii IT,
Chester A. Arthur is the seventh Vice
President elected from the State of Nev
York. His predecessors were Aarol
Burr, George Clinton, Daniels D. Tom
kins, Martin Van Buren, Milard Filmor
and William A. Wheeler. Mr.. Arthu
was born in Franklin county, W., OCt.,
1880. His father, the Rev. DR.. William
Arthur, Baptist clergyman, emigrate,
to this country from the County Antrim
Ireland, in his 18th year, and died Oct
q, 1875, in Newtonville, near Albany
DR.. Arthur from 1866 to 1858 was paste
of the Calvary Baptist Church of thi
city. He also filed the pulpits of Bap
tisI churches at Bennington, Hinesburg
Fairfield and Winston, in Vermont, ant
York, Perry, Greenwich, Schenectady
Lansiugburg, HoosiC, West Troy ant
Newtonville, in New York State. Hi
family consisted of two sons, of whom
Chester was the older, and five daugh
ters.
Vive President Arthur was educated
at Union College, Schenectady, gradual
ing in l84S. After leaving college hi
studied law and YVES admitted to the ba
in 1850 He came to this city after haV
ing taught school for two years in Yer
mont and entered the law Office of Erss
tus D. Culver. When the latter wal
made Judge Of the Civil Court Of Brook
lyn, Mr. Arthur formed partnership
with his kiend and room mate Henry D
Gardiner. Upon the death of the latter
10 1865 the business was conducted by
Mr.. Arther alone until 1871, when the
firm of Arthur, Phelps, Knevals & Ran
som was formed. After his admission ia
the bar Mr.. Arthur married Ella Lewis
Herndon, a daughter of Lieutenant
Herndon, of the United States Navy.
Lieutenant Herndon was drowned in
1857 while commanding, by permission,
the steamer Central America, Of the Law
Roberts line of California steamers be.
tween New York and Shsgrep, He sunk
with his vessel. Mrs. Arthur died in this
city on January 12, 1880, of pneumoni'.
i Mr.. Arthur first gained prominence by
appearing as attorney in The famous suit
of Jonathan Lemmons, Of Virginis, to
recover possession of eight slaves who
had been declared free by Judge Paine,
of the Superior Court of this city. Lem.
mons was passing through the city with
his slaves, intending to ship them to
Texas, when they were discovered and
freed by order of Judge Paine, who de.
Cided that they could not be held III der
the Fugitive Slave law. The Attorney.
General of Virginia appealed from the
decision, By vote of the Legislature
of the State the Governor sppoiated
MeRsrs. E. D. Culver and Joseph Blunt
as counsel to defend the suit, but they
withdrew and Mr.. Arthur was appointed
in their stead. HE associate was ex. Sec
retary of State VIM. M. Evarts, The
Supreme Court and the Court Of Appeals
sustained Judge Paine's decision.
Mr.. Arthur was delegate to the con-
vention at Saratoga that founded the Re.
publican party. Previous to the out
bre k OF the war he was Judge Advocate
OF the Second Brigade of the State mill
tia, and Governor Edwin D. Morgan
soon after his inauguration, on January l
1851, appointed him Engineer.in-C Chief Of
his staff. In the same year he held the
post of Inspector General and soon after
was advanced to Quartermsster. General
which position he held unit the expi.
ration of Gov. Morgan's term of Office
He then resumed the practice of law, and
not long afterwards was appointed Coun.
sci to the Tax Commissioners of this city
at alary of $4,000 per annum. Drift.
ing then into politics he contributed
largely by his efforts to the success of Mr.
Thomas Murphy in convafs t State
Senaiorship. When Mr., Murphy resign
ed the ColleCtorship of the Port on Nov.
20, 1871, President Grant appointed Gem
Arthur to the vacant position, and four
years later, when his term expired, re.
him. During President
Hayes's Administrator two special com
mittees were appointed to make investi.
CATION into Collector Arthur's method of
transaCting business, and the result was
that Mr.. Arthur Wae removed on July IL
1873. He was succeeded by Cole tor
Merritt. Pending Collector Arthur's re-
moVal there was a Voluminous cores
pondenCe between himself and Pr 81.
lent Hayes and Secretary Sherman. The
following are extracts from this CORES.
pondenCe,
You have made the Custom House a
centre of partisan political manage.
ment."-R B. Hayes to Collector Arthur,
january 81, 1879.
"With d }ep sen Ie of my obligations
1nder the Constitution, regard it as my
plain duty to suspend you in order that
the Office may be honestly admin stered,'
= R. B. Hayes to Collector Arthur, Jan.
lary 81, 1879,
"3ross abuses of administration have
continued and increased during your in.
JuLlUbuCyt bOIA JhNl man w SbllOOu~
or Arthur, January 81, 1879
"Persons have been regularly paid by
you who have rendered little or no SER
vice; the expenses of your Office hava
increased, while its receipts have dimin.
shed. Brides, or gratuities in the shape
Of bribes, have been received by your
in several branches of the
Custom House and you have in no case
tAe effort 10 orreCt these
abuses. Secretary Sherman to Collect.
Or Arthur, January 81, 1879
In a speech at Cincinnati on August
30, 1880, Secretary Sherman In speaking
Of General Arthur's removal said: II
have never said one word impugning
Gen. Arthur's honor or integrity as a
man and a gentleman, but he was not in
almony with the views of the Admin.
in the management Of the Gus.
tom House While would not perhaps
have recommended his nomination, yet
would vote for him for Vice. President
4 million times before l would vote for
W. H. English" After his retirement
from Office and previous to his nomina-