Democratic messenger., 1881-09-24
which Mr. Arthur was one OF the lead

ers.
1t was during Mr.. Artbnr's term of
Office that the Infamous moiety laws
reached their climax in the case against
Phelps, Dodge & Co. The informer.
Jayne, who, fc= bis share in the proceed
ings, was made forever odious. by tamp-
eriBg with a confidential clerk secured
what he considered grounds for a claim
against the respectable firm for 81. $780,
900. Although the actual uDdervalua-
ton of goods imported was only little
over six thousand dollars aud the loss of
duty to the government only S1,664.
and although it was shown that, so far
from there being an intention to defraud
the Treasury, the firm had in the course
of its existence paid $50 000, 900 OF du-
ties, and had frequently overvslued
goods, the customs officers pursued them
vigorously and compelled them to pay
S27 900. The testimony showed that
this money was actually wrung by threats
from the merchants, and that Arthur,
Cornell and Conklipg persistently ad-
vised their pursuit. Half of the sum
wac divided under the law between the
Collector. District Attorney, the iuiormer
and Lafiu. the Surveyor. The expo
sure OF this proceeding led to the repeal
OF the moiety law and to the investiea-
tiOn OF the Custom House by the Jay
Commission.
Soon after Mr.. Hayes entered upon
his Office he issued his "Civil Service
Order No. l." In that order it was re.
qulred that mo officer shall be required
or permitted to take part in the manage
meut Of political organizations, caucuses.
conventions of elections campaigns. .
At that time Collector Arthur was chair
man of the State Republican executive
committee aud Naval Officer Cornell
was chairman of the regular State com
mittee. 1t was insisted on that they
should resign those positions. but they
refused, and in the tall of 1877, after
the report OF the Jay Commission, Mr..
Arthur was requested to resign and
Theodore Roosevelt was appointed Col
lector in his place. Mr.. Couklng sue
seeded in defeating this nomin alton, and
in July, 1878, Mr.. Arthur was suspend
ed aHd Mr.. L. A Merritt was appointed
to succeed him,
Tbon began a struggle between Mr..
Coukling aud the administration, which
was represented principally by Secretary
Sherman, which has rarely been equ aled
in bitterness in annals of political war
fare. 1t was Mr.. Sherman who, after
an adverse report on the nomination by
Mr. Conkliug's commerce committee 10
1879 put on record the opinion of the
administration on Mr.. Artbur's perform
aDce of the duties of the Collectorship.
The letter was addressed to Vice Presi.
dent Wheeler aud was based on the re-
port Of the Jay Commission. Il showed
that the receipts from customs bad grad
ually diminished from 1872 to 1877
from $l48 3S1 AS to S91, ,056,96S
that the employees were brlbe-takers and
guilty of gross Irregularities, aud that
persons we're borne on the pay-rolls as
laborers as a reward for political servi-
ces who performed no service except to
sign their names to the rolls and receive
their pay. X These evils were
known to Collector Arthur. yet he made
no attempt during his term of Office TO
remedy them" He stated also that al
though Arthur's compensation mounted
to Sl55, SEQ he did not attend to the du-
ties of his office that 10 short. his Of
fee was sinecure and that the public
interest," demanded bis and Cornell's re-
moval. In another letter addressed to
the Senate Mr.. Hayes said: Il regard
it as my plain duty to suspend the officers
in question (Arthur and Cornell) and TO
make the CominatioDs now before the
Senate. in order that this important
Office may be honestly and efficiently ad-
miuistered. Mr. Sherman, in another
letter, this time TO the President, said
that gross abuses of administration con-
tiuued aud increased during Arthur's
administration.
The result of the struggle was the
confirmation of Merritt and Burt, aud
Conkling. Arthur and Cornell went out
of power and began to light the Hayes
administration. Ia this game Of party
politics the champions of the spoils sys-
TEN won. Cornell was made Governor
of New York and Arthur Vice Presi-
dent Of tho United States. The stall
warts retained their power over the ma
chine Notwithstanding the loss OF patron
age. When the new administration
came into power it was an.ounced that
its second officer, who had been put
upon the ticket as concession to the
Grant element, aud in obedience to the
wishes of Roscoe Coukling, would not
be the 6gure-bead that bis predecessors
had been. He proposed, it was said, to
have something to say in the manage
ment of government affairs. Il soon
turned out that this something was only
10 connection with the appointment of
officers. 1t was the machine idea of the
functions of government. He still re-
msined the friend and follower OF SeDa-
tor CODkling, and lent his aid in endeav-
oriug to secure again the patronage that