Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-10-06
THE NEW PRESIDENT.
Features Of the Life of Chester Allan Arthur


THE NEW PRESIDENT.
Features Of the Life of Chester Allan Arthur
Chester A. Arthur is the son of clergy
man. His father, William Arthur, was s
Protestant Irishman, native Of Ballymena
County Antrim, Ireland, who came to thi'
country fresh from graduation at Belfast Col
lege and entered the ministry Of the Baptist
denomination. As preacher he was success
full, and in authorship he made some mark
He died at Newtonville, near Albany, N. Y.
October 81, 1875. From 1855 to 1863 he
was pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in
New York City, and at other times filled pul:
pits at Bennington, Hinesburg, Fairfield and
Wiliston, in Vermont, and York, Perry
Greenwich, Schenectady, Lansingburg, Hoo
sic, West Troy, and NewtonviIle, in New
York. His wife, Malvina Stone, bore him
two sons and five daughters, and the eldest Of
these children, Chester Allan Arthur, now
becomes President Of the United States. The
date of his birth was October 5, 1880, and
the place of his nativity was Fairfield, Frank
lin county, Vermont.
Young Arthurs first tutor was his father,
but in the public schools Of Schenectady he
was prepared for entering Union College,
where he was matriculated at the age of ID.
In college he was an industrious student, took
high rank in his classes, and was an active
member of the Psi Upsilon Society. Mean
while he eked out his funds by teaching a
country school and boarding around. In
l84S he was graduated with high rank, and
forthwith began the study of law at Ballston
Springs. After two years at the law school,
he resumed teaching by way of getting lit
tie money ahead, and accepted the place Of
Principal of the North Powpal Academy in
Bennington county, Vermont. This was in
1851. By rigid economy and hard work he
had managed to save FIVE hundred dollars,
and with this in his pocket he went to New
York, and entered the law office Of Erastus
D. Culver, afterward Minister to one of the
South American States, and a Judge of the
Civil Court of Brooklyn. Soon after entering
Judge Culver's office he was, in 1852, admit
ted to the bar, and entered the firm of Culver,
Partsen & Arthur, which was dissolved in
1857. Later he formed partnership with
an old friend, Henry D. Gardner, with an in
tention of practicing in the West, and for
through the Western States in search of a
place to locate. In the end, not satisfied, they
returned to New York and began practice,
successful almost from the start, and which
lasted ten years, till 1865, when Mr.. Arthur
continued alone. Mr.. Arthur, soon after
being called to the bar, married a daughter
of Lieutenant Herndon, of Central American
fame, who died in January, 1879, leaving two
children, son of IA and daughter Of 8.
ANADvocATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
The law career of Mr.. Arthur includes
some notable cases. One of his first cases was
the celebrated Lennon suit. In 1852 Jona-
than and Juliet Lennon, Virginia slavehold.
ers, intending to emigrate to Texas, went to
New York to await the sailing of steamer,
bringing eight slaves with them. A writ of
habeas corpus was obtained from Judge Paine
to test the question whether the provisions Of
the Fugitive Slave Law were in force in that
State. Judge Paine rendered decision,
holding that they were not, and ordering the
Lennon slaves to be liberated. Henry L..
Clinton was one of the counsel for the slave
holders. A howl of rage went up from the
South, and the Virginia Legislature author.
lied the Attorney General of that State to
assist in taking All appeal. William M. Ev.
arts and Chester A. Arthur were employed to
represent the people, and they won their case,
which then went to the Supreme Court of The
United States Charles O'Connor here es.
poused the cause of the shareholders, but he,
too, was beaten by Messrs. Evarts and Arthur,
and long step was thus taken toward the
emancipation of the black race.
Even as late as 1856 colored people were
not permitted to ride on the Fourth.avenue
street cars. Lizzie Jennings, colored wo-
man of excellent character, superintendent of
Sunday school, was roughly expelled from
Fourth.avenue car because she was black
She brought suit against the railroad COM
pany, and applied to Mr.. Arthur for advice
He accepted charge of the case, and managed
it before Judge Rockwell, in Brooklyn
court The jury gave verdict of 5000
damages in favor of the colored woman. The
$500 was paid by the railroad company, and
the next day the company issued an order to
permit co.ored persons to ride on their cars,
and the other car companies quickly followed
their example. Before that the Sxthavenue
Company ran few special cars for colored
persons, and the other lines refused to let them
ride at all.
HIS WAR SERVICES.
At the outbreak of the war, Z. D. Morgan
was elected Governor of New York, and in
making up his staff, he appointed Mr.. Arthur
Engineer.in chief He had just before this
held the position of Judge Advocate Of the
End Brigade, State Militia. He was, little
later appointed Inspector and soon
after-January 81, 1862-was advanced to
the very important post of Quartermaster.
General, which he held until the expiration
of Mr.. Morgans term Of Office. In these Of
fees he did yeoman's service for the govern
ment in the equipment of volunteers. Of his
services then friend wrote:
mo higher encomium can be passed upon
him than the mention Of the fact that, al.
though the war account Of the State Of New
York was at least ten times larger than that
of any other State, yet it was the first audit
ed and allowed in Washington, and without
the deduction of single dollar, while the
quartermasters' accounts from other States
were reduced from one to ten millions Of dol
lars. During his incumbency, every present
sent to him was Immediately returned Among
others, prominent clothing house offered him
a magnificent uniform and printing house
profered costly saddle and trappings. Both
gifts were Indignantly rejected When he be-
came quartermaster he was poor When his
term expired he was poorer still. He had op.
portunities to make millions unquestioned.
Contracts larger than the world had ever seen