Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-11-26
THE DEATH OF EX-PRESLDENT
ARTHUR.

ARTHUR.
One by one in quick procession the men |
whose names have been most familiar in the
political history Of the republic are passing
away, and the people witness the appear
ance upon the stage of conspicuous political
activity Of new and untried men. To the
generation which must itself soon disappear
the loss is regarded as greater than to the
younger citizens, who may be supposed TO
have a keener interest in the fortunes of the
men Of the future
OF the ex.Prcsidents of the United States
Mr.. Hayes alone survives. One OF his sue
cessors, gentleman who, all the circum-
stances of his character considered, filled
the Office with extraordinary credit and to
the great satisfaction of the people, has
passed away. Under the interested prompt
ings of Mr.. Sherman, then Secretary of the
Treasury, with an ambition to succeed his
chief in the Presidency, Mr.. Hayes removed
Chester A. Arthur from the Collectorship Of
of the Port of New York. The reason as
signed was harsh He was removed in or
der, as the official phrase was, that the Office
might be decently and honestly admins
tered. If the office were being indecently
and dishonesty administered in the interest
ofMr. Sherman's candidacy for the Presiden-
tial nomination in 1880 Mr. Arthur might
have served out his term, but, as a Stalwart
with vast opportunities to assist his imme-
diate patron, Senator Conklin, in the cam.
paign of Grants denomination, an admins.
tration with peculiar notions of civil service
reform determined upon his decapitation.
Mr.. Arthur formed one of the now scat
tered 1906" who voted steadily for the man
from Appomattox. He heard Garfield nomi-
nate Sherman, and whilst rejoicing in the
defeat of his dearest foe, saw with dismay
the prize given TO the other Ohioan. But
an afternoon session contained for him a
greater surprise Eagerness for success, to
which the electoral vote of New York was
essential, led the politicians who had routed
the third term column with the name of
Garfield to seek Cancellation of the Stall warts
by the nomination Of Arthur Tor the Vice
Presidency.
The cruel assassination of Garfield placed
the Vice. President and the exColector Of
Customs for the Port u New York, and
who had been dismissed in the latter posi-
ton, in the very chair his defamer had &C.
cupied Andrew johnson, elevated under
similar circumstances, escaped some Of the
difficulties which beset Arthur, for johnson,
at Lincoln's death, had the support of his
party, which, however, he speedily lost
Arthurs party was sullen and dissatisfied.
The contingencies for which he was elected
had occurred, but the party was dissatisfied,
and it was limited that Arthur had helped
to create It, He was sneered at as "acting"
President, that the policy had been outlined
by Garfield and that he, Arthur, should
merely administer the ascertained purpose
of predecessor. He must retain the Gar
field cabinet and perpetuate Garield's ideas
of administration.
Mr.. Arthur made his own cabinet and
reversing vicious tendencies in the Blaine
administration, pursued his own and the
ideas OF capable advisers to the end. He
iorgave his political enemies, and addressed
himself calmly and with dignity to the dis
charge of the responsible duties of his Office.
His appointments were uniformly good.
Though cherishing a not unnatural desire
for nomination and an election as Pres-
dent, he had the courage to use the veto
power wisely and in the face of the clamor Of
interested Industries TO recommend such re-
vision of the tariff as would reduce taxation,
whereby the Treasury surplus was accumu.
lating far beyond the needs of government
even lavishly administered. Of unruffied
temper and kindly disposition he knew the
value of repose and never practiced the
cruelty of deception. He was, all in all, a
disappointment, but most agreeably dis
appointment
Reviewing Arthur's administration of the
government, the interested will be content
if the republic always has at its head an
Executive as sincere and successful under
the discouraging circumstances that sur
rounded him from the elevation to the close
of his office.