, 1881-03-06


IE:. SUNDAY, MARCH II,
the business of the Warehouse department
OF the Custom-House. Upon the inaugura-
tfon OF CivilService reform hs, was made
President Of the Board of Examiners for the
| Cnston-House. In 1878 Mr. Cornell, Surveyor
Of the Port, resigned. and the friends Of
| Mr. James urged President Grant to ap-.
| point him to the vacant place. At about the
same time. however, Gen. T. Fl. Jones, Post
! master OF this city, resigned, and Gen. Grant
/ designated Mr. James as his successor. This
was OIL March II, 1878, and since that time
| Mr.. James Inns been the Postmaster Of New
York City. What lie has done during these
eight years to add to the efficiency of the
postal-seryice the merchants and business
men Of this city know well. No comment is
| needed upon the reforms which, he has
made. He will bring to bear upon the Post
master-General's Department practical
acknowledgement Of details which has never
before been possessed by the head Of this De-
partment.
THE DISPATCH ANNOUNCING THE NoNfNA-
of Mr.. James by President Garfield was re-
celved in this city few minutes after. the
delivery Of the message to the Senate. While
it was confidently expected by all in the Post
Office in this city that Postmaster James
| would succeed to this position, it was
only when the conGrnatory news was
received that the Post-Oftice employees
gave vent to their enthusiasm. Before the
fact was generally known through the
building, the flag was loisted from the
dome, and, within few minutes, tile new
Postmaster-General was surrounded by the
Superlntendents of the various depart
1nents. which, as Postmaster Of New York.
have been under his control. Late in the
afternoon Postmaster james went upon the
gallery floor In the Post-Ohice, IN trout of
which the entire force OF. employees was as
selnbleu. In addressing them Mr.. James
| said:
! am very much Obliged to you nil for your
hearty congratulations. In return, beg to
| congratulate you, and all the attaches of the
Post-Onicc, for the compliment paid to you by
the Government in selecting your chief for the
honorable position to which he has been.
| elevated, for he !, certainly never
would have been as *succcssful as he
has been without tho hearty cooperation which
| hns distinguished every man In this building In
performing bis duties. hope that you will be
us faithful under my successor as you all have
! Ucctl Will AlG olu you RooA~o5c-
| Three cbecrs and the s'grand salnte,' pc
| culiar to tie Post-Onice, were given to Post
master James as he retired.
CONGRATULATIONS.
NEW YoRK, March 5-When the news Of
the appointment Of Postmaster James by
| President Garfield as Postlnaster-Gener
reached the New York Post-Oiiice it Was
the occasion Of general rejoicing, and hearty
congratulations were showered upon him.
Many citizens called to congratulate the
new Postmaster-Ganeral during tile after
| noon-
ELI PERKINS ON THE NEW POSTMASTER
GENERAL.
Thomas L. James, the new Postmaster
General, beng q New York City man, is not
very well known in the West. In search Of
information about him, Melville D. Landon
(Eli Perkins,, now stopping at the Palmer
House, was approached.
"Thoulas L. James, said Mr.. Landon, II
have known intimately. for twenty-four
years. When I say intimately, I mean VIC
were boys together. When went to college
at Madison University, Hamilton, Madison
County, n. T., Alr. James was printer in
that town.. lie printed the first article
ever wrote for the press. lie was 4 fair-faced,
jovial, rosy-cheeked young man. His COM
plexion was as fair as a lily, and is so still.
His cheeks to-day have the soft pink Of the
| peael Any young lady in Chicago would
I be proud if she had a complexion rs fair
and peachy as Mr.. James. Mr.. James, say,
was and is now practical printer. lie can set
type rs fast and correctly rs the best type
setter in THE TRIBUNE office. His news
paper was the Democratic Republican,
George R, Waldrou was his partner"
"uow were Mr. James politics ~
| ssuE WAS ALWAYS \ sTASCH REPUBLICAN,
| Hewas as strong an anti-Slayeryite as his
old friend, Garret Smith, who lived only
eighteen miles from him. He was the friend
OF all the young Republicans in the county.
He never wavered in the Republican faith.
Ills pen was for free speech, free press, and
free land always. lie was beloved by every
body III Hamilton. In fact, Tom James never
had an enemy in his life. I remember once
in !. college Grafton very foollshly attacked
the Democratic party, or rather Stephen a.
Douglas. OF course all the college Douglas
ties hlsscd me. When Tom James came to
write about the incident in the Iaep,1bltcdn
the next week he eyerlasttngly scored the
Democrats in the audience who made the
disturbance. have that article now writ
ten by Mr.. James twenty-four years ago."
"Where did Mr.. James go to from Hamil-
ton?"
"He sold out his newspaper and went to
New York. where
THROUGH Combines INFLUENCE,
he became an Inspector in the Custom. House
under Thomas Murphy. and remained there
during that gentlenan's entire Collector
ship. While all Inspector IN the Custom,
House.. Mr. James was a }ardworklng local
politician. With such men as Arthur, John
Y. Gridley, Tom Murphy, Thurlow Weed.
and Sheridan Shook, Mr. James kept up the
fteble Republican organization In Ne"
York;
lis James a Conkling man ?"
"Must emuhatically he is. lie was ap-
pointed Postmaster Of New York by Gen.
Grant at h1r. Conklng's request, Conkllng
has made James and james has done good gi
deal towards making Conkling. James and
Murphy and Arthur, in fact, made GonE!tng
Senator. The four men-James, Conklng,
Murphy, and Arthur-canle to Chicago
together to work for Grant. Is James 'So6'
man? Of course he is. He's Il Grant man
out-and-out. lie wears '3o6' badge under
his coat-collar.''
t'Ilow came President Hayes to retain Ar.
James Postmaster Of New York after dis
missing Arthur, Cornell, and Platt?'
sWeli, AIr. James was such a good Post
master, and the b,lsiness-nlen in New YORK