The Portland daily press., 1881-09-21
OUR NEW PRESIDENT.
Biographical Sketch of Gen. Ches.
ter A. Arthur.
HIS POLITICAL AND MILITARY CA
REER.


His Early Struggles and Later Triumphs
| EChester Allan Arthur, who is now, by the
tragic death of his predecessor, President of the
| United States, is a native Of Vermont. He
| was born in Franklin county, in that State,
| Oct. 8, 1880. He was the eldest son of Rev.
| DR.. William Arthur, Baptist clergyman, who
| came to the United States from the county of
| Antrim, Ireland, his native place, when only
/ Is years of age. Chester A. Arthur was a
strong, tall and broad-shouldered boy, fond of
| outdoor exercises and sports, and withal in
clined to be studious. Under the guidance of
his father, who, as graduate of Belfast Qre)
University, was an excel ent classical scholar,
he began his preparations for college in Green
! wich, Washington county, N. Y, and finished
| it at the grammar school in Schenectady. En-
tering Union College, young Arthur at once
showed the benefit of his early training by tax
ing and maintaining high rank in his class.
| But the family was poor, Rev. DIR. Arthur only
receiving a salary of $500 year, and when in
| the Sophomore class and only 10 years old. he
| was compelled to leave college and teach
| school to earn money to continue his educa-
| ton. He "boarded around" and taught the
village school at $15 a month in Schaghticoke,
| Rensselaer, county, n. Y. Again in the senior
year of his college course, he taught the village
| school at the same place. He was graduated
from Union College a the age of IS years. in
| 1S4S, receiving the high honor of being one of
| six out of a class of 100 who were elected men,
| bers of the Phi Beta Kappa Society," because
| they had the best standing in their studies
| After leaving Union College he began the
| study of law in the Balston law school; but
| his necessities
COMPELLED him TO EARN MONEY.
and while still pursuing his law studies, he
obtained the position Of principal of an acad-
| emy at North Pownal, VT, where for a year
| he prepared boys for college. 1t is not little
| singular that about year after his departure,
| young student named james A. Garfield,
| came to the same place and taught school.
/ How curiousy the lives of these two men
| seem to have crossed each other, and how sad
| the fate of the one which has elevated the 9TH
| er to the very highest office in the gift of the
| American peoplel In the year 1851, having
| by great economy saved $500, young Arthur
| went to New York city and entered the law
| office of E d. Culver as a student. Two years
| later he was admitted to the bar, and thence
| forward followed the legal profession with
marked success. Mr.. Culver, while a member
| of Congress from Washington county, had
made himself noted at Washington for his
| anti-slavery views, and these opinions he sed-
| thur, who was not slow in receiving them. tn
| the year 1852, the office of Z. ID, Culver had
| the management of q very difficult slave case.
| A Virginia Shareholder, named Jonathan
| Lammon, came to New York with eight slaves
| intending to ship them to Texas On the petit
| tion of a free colored man, Judge Elijah Paine
| of the superior court of New York city, gave
| the slaves their liberty. This act caused great
| indignation at the South, and Gov. Cobb of
| Georgia. declared it to be "just cause for war"
| The case was taken to the higher courts, and
| the Legislature of Virginia assigned eminent
| counsel to conduct the appeal. The Legisla.
ture of New York thereupon requested the
| Governor to appoint counsel to defend the IN
terest of the State. Mr.. Culver having acted
as counsel for the slaves before Judge Paine,
was appointed the States counsel. He subse
quently resigned in favor of Mr.. Arthur, who
sssociating with himself William nj. Evarts,
fought the case up to the court of appeals. In
| every court
THE DECISION WAS IN THEIR FAVOR,
| although Charles O'Connor was the opposing
| counsel From this time forward no slave
| holder dared to trust his negro property in the
| State of New York. In 1858 Mr.. Arthur
| formed law partnership with Henry ID. Gar
diner, and the firm Immediately acquired a
very large and lucrative practice 1t was not
long until Mr.. Arthur had another opportuni-
ty to again interpose in behalf of the oppressed
blacks Up to 1895 eolored people were not
allowed on the st5ssE f cfEsS a1 S per-
respectable colored woman, while returning |
home after performing her duties as superih- |
tendent of Sunday school, was forced oil a |
Fourth avenue car, after she had paid her fare.
by the conductor and several policemen. This
was done in consequence OF drunken white
mans saving: II have paid my fare and L
want decent ride, ahd you must put her off.
Mr. Arthur, on behalf OF the woman thus I'M
Justly treated, sued the railroad company for
$500 damage, and won his triumphantly.
This decision put a stop to the exclusion OF
colored people from the street cars, aud was
the occasion of much rejoicing among the COL
ored population of the city. He became
known as the champion of the colOred people
AID his docket was filed with cases at each
session of the court. He materially became
interested in the negro race, and determined
opponent of slavery. He was one of the origi-
ina advocates of the Republican party, and
attended its first meetings at Saratoga. From
an early age Mr. Arthur TOOK an active inter
est in politics. Henry Clay was the hero of
his youth and he cast his first ballot for Presi-
dent for Gen. Winfield Scott His name was
appended, with those of William NJ Evarts
and Moses M. Grinnell, to one of the earliest
calls that was issued in New York city for the
formation of Republican club, and he at
tended the first Repu lican State convention
held in New York, as delegate. He appears
never to have sought political promotion in
those days; but being genial, good-natureo
man, enjoying good fellowship and lively
company, he took pleasure in the companion
ship which
MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS
gave, aud contracted, through them, love for
| military maneuvres and parades. His interest
| in military matters, and his known abilities as
| a LAWYER secured for him the appointment in
| 1858 of Judge advocate of the I'd brigade of the
| New York militia. He contributed greatly to
| tha ra.alection of Goy Morgan in 1860, and on