Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-22
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
A Brief biography of the New Presi-
dent.


daughters His father was the Rev. Dr.
WIN. Arthur, a Baptist clergyman, who
emfgrated to this country from the county
Antrim. Ireland, in his eighteepth year, ana
died October 9th, 1870, in NeWtonville'
near Albany. DR.. Arthur was in many re-
spects remarkable man. He acquired ex-
tended fame, not only in his calling, Dut
also in the domains of authorship. his
work on Family Names" is regarded the
world over as one of the curioslles OF
English erudte literature. From 1900 10
1868 he was pastor of the Calvary Bapust
Church of New York city. He also hiled
the pulpits of Baptist churches at Bennlng-
ton, Hinesburg, Fairfield and Willingston,
in Vermont, aud York, Perry, Greenwlcn,
Schenectady, Lansingburg, Hooslc, west
Troy and Newtonvile, in New York state
His other son made gallant record IN the
war Of the rebellion, and is now pay.
master Of the regular army, Win the ranA ol
Major.
College and was graduated in the class OF
1S49. After leaving college ne taught
country school during two years IN YER
mont, and then, having managed oy riga
economy to save about 500, ne started Ior
New York CITY and entered the law Office OF
ex Judge E. d. Culver as student; AFTER
being admitted to the bar he formed part
nership with his intimate friend aud room
mate, Henry d. Gardiner, with the inten-
ton of praeticing in the West, and for three
months they roamed about in the Western
States in search Of an eligible site, but In
the end returned to New York, where they
hung out their joint shingle and entered
upon a successful career almost from the
start. General Arthur soon afterward mar
ried the daughter of Capt. Herndon, United
States navy, who was lost at sea, and VINO
calmly went down to death smoking cigar.
Congress voted a gold medal to his widow
In recognition OF the conspicuous bravery he
displayed on that occasion. Mrs. Arthur
died several months ago.
In 1852, Jonathan and Juliet Lennon,
Virginian Shareholders, intending to emf
CRATE to Texas, came to New York city to
await the sailing of q 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 10 that
State. Judge Paine rendered decision
holding that they were not, and ordered the
Lennon slaves to be liberated. Henry L.
Clinton was one of the counsel for the
shareholders. The Virginia Legislature au-
thorized the Attorney General Of that
State to assist In taking an appeal
VIM. NJ. Evarts and Chester A. Arthur
were employed to represent the people
aud they won their case, which
then went to the Supreme Court Of the Uni
ted States, where the decision OF the lower
court was affirmed. In 1856, Lizzie Jen-
nings, colored woman, was put of a
Fourth avenue car in New York with VIC
lenee after she had paid her fare. General
Arthur sued on her behalf, and secured
verdict OF $500 damages. The next day the
company issued an order to permit colored
persons to ride on their cars, and the other
car companies quickly followed their exam
pie. Before that the Sixth Avenue Compa-
ny ran a few special cars for colored per-
sons, and the other lines refused to let them
ride at all.
Gen. Arthur was delegate to the conven-
| ton at Saratoga that founded the Republic
| can party. Previous to the outbreak Of the
war he was Judge Advocate Of the Second
Brigade of the New York State militia, and
| Gov. Edwin D. Morgan, soon after his in
auguration, selected him TO fill the position
Of engineer in chief of his staff. In 1861 he
held the post of Inspector General, and
of Quartermaster General, which be
| held until the expiration Of Morgan's
term of office. During his term OF
Office every present sent to him was
| Immediately returned. Among Others,
prominent clothing house offered him a
| magnificent uniform, and a printing house
sent him a costly saddle and trsppings.
| Both gifts were rejected. When M. Ar
| thur became Quartermaster General he was
| poor. When his term expired be was poorer
still. He had opportunities to make mil
/ Mons unques;ioped. Contracts larger than
| the world had ever seen we're at his disposal.
He had to provide for the clothing, srming
and transpo ration of hundreds of thou
sands of men. Speaking OF him at this
period, friend says: $50 jealous was he
Of his integrity that l have known in
stances where he could have made thOus-
ands of dollars legitimately, and yet refused
| to do 1t on the ground that he was public
/ officer and meant to be like Caesars wife,
| above suspicion His own words to me in
| regard to this matter amply illustrate his
| character: If had Incorporated hve
| cents, and on walking down town saw two
| men talking on the corner together, l would
| imagine they were talking OF my dishonesty,
and the very thought would drive me mad"
At the expiration of Governor Morgan's
term General Arthur returned 10 his law
| practice. Business OF the most lucrative
| character poured in upon him, and the firm
of Arthur * Gardiner prospered exceed
| ingy. Much of their work consisted in the
| collection of war claims and the drafting of
| important bills for speedy legislation, and
| great deal of General Arthur's time was
| spent in Albany and Washington. For q
short time he held the position Of counsel
| to the Board OF Tax Commissioners OF New
| York city at so, 900 per annum. Gradually
| he was drawn into the arena OF politics.
| He nominated, and by his efforts elected,
| the Hon. Thomas Murphy State Senator.
| When the latter resigned the Collectorship
of the port OF New York, on November 20,
| 1871, President Grant nominated General
| Arthur to the vacant position, and four
| years later, when his term expired, renomi-
| mated him. He was removed by President
/ HAYES on July -, 1878, despite the fact that
two special committees made searching in
| vestigation into his administration, and both
reported themselves unable to find anything
/ = II 81 tn,
1 In their pronunciamentos announcing the
change, both President Hayes and Secretary
| Sherman bore official witness to the purity
al his acts while in office. a petition for
his retention was signed by every Judge Of
| every court in New York city, by all the
prominent members Of the bar, and by near
ly every importing merchant in the collec-
ton district, but this General Arthur himself
suppressed.
In letter to Secretary Sherm an, review
| ing the work Of one of the investigating
committees, General Arthur produced sta
tistics to show that during his term Of over
! six years in Office the percentage Of remov-
ais was only 2s<, against an annual average
of about % per cent. under his three imme-
diste predecessors, and an annual average
of about "a per cent since 1857. or
the 923 persons In Office prior to his ap-
| Dointment 531 were still retained on
May LIST, 1877. All appointments ex-
cept two to the one hundred posi-
sitions commanding salaries OF 1900 per
year were made on the plan Of advancing
men from the lower to the higher grades
on the recommendations of heads Of
| bureaus. The reforms which General
Arthur instituted in the methods Of doing
business ia the custom house were as nu-
merous as they were grateful to the mer-
camille community. After his removal he
resumed the practice Of law, aud took an
active part In politics, being the Chairman
Of the New York Republican State Com
/ mittee.
General Arthur kas been lifelong Re
| publican, participating as delegate to the
Saratoga Convention which founded the
party. He was a delegate to the National
Convention at Chicago last year, and was
one OF the BOG that voted thirty and six
times for General Grants nomination, and
was accorded the second place on the ma
tionsl ticket by unanimous consent, and adj
mitted 10 order to crafty the great stall
wart body Of the party, of whom he is, both
i