The Cecil Whig., 1886-03-06
TIE NEW COLLECTOR.
Ex-senator j. Il. Groomc Takes
Charge of the Custom House

gencI4liy very imposing or interesting
ceren nny, particularly to the retiring
CHIEF. there was unusual interest mani
| Tested at the Baltimore Custom House
On Monday morning last, it having been
generally understood that ex Senator
Groomc twho enjoys the honor OF beng
the first Democratic collector in period
of twenty five years. would then assume
the duties of his office. Never forgettul
of the c0urtcsies of official or social lie,
| Colonel Webster, the refining collector,
had written the following letter to Gov
erno. GroCme:
CUSTOM HoTSF,
| BALTIMORE, Fehru lry %, 1856
W., N,,, G"rcraor: Accept my congrat-
ulatiouS upon your appointment to tins
office e. pecially in view of the unsolicited
manner in which ii came to you. | have
| found il in many respects pie lslnt place;
but pleasant As it is, am ready to hand Ii
over, with the utmost good feeling, when
| ever it may suit your convenience to take
| possession Some little preparation in mat
| tiers of accounts, &c., will be necessary L"
make the transfer, and if you will be good
enough to indicate to me the probable date
of your induction, will have everything
I in readiness therefor.
Yours, very truly,
EDWIN H. WEBS TER,
| Collector.
| Hon. James B. Groome Elktou.
This letter having been sent with a
number of other. letters to Barnum's ;
! Hotel. Baltimore, did not reach the Gov
ernor until Sunday evening, February
2Sth, he in the meantime having ad-
dressed Colonel Webster a similar letter
of courtesy, as follows:
ELKroN, February -, 1856.
To tie Ion. Ed,rin II. HcL>trr, HolIector "f
customs for tie D,4trirt cf iotim"r,:
My DEAR SIR Having been nominated
by tho President and confirmed by the
Senate as your successor, ! have been in
formed by a prominent Treasury official
that il will relieve the employees of the Bal
timore Custom House charged with the
duty of making out the pay-rolls from tn"
labor of preparing two pay-rollS FOX one
month if | will take charge of the Custom
House on the lSt proXimo | accordingly
write to say that will heprepared on Mon
day morning next, At . o'clock, 10 enter
upon the discharge of my duties as youl
| successor, if that will suit your convent
ence. | am further informed that yon vii!
then find at the Custom House the iustruc-
tions necessary 10 Justify you i'll surrender
ing to me the Collectorship and public prop
erty in your possession. | shall feel a JUS
titiable pride if, when my turns comes To
yield up the CollectOrship to another,
realize that | have administered the office
with as much satisfaction to my official
superiorS and to the General public as you
have. With sentiments Of the highest re
gard am very truly yours,
JAMES l.. GEooME.
This letter having been received by
Colonel Webster on Saturday morning,
both gentlemen being in Baltimore on
Sunday evening they made an appoint
ment for Monday morning, and about 10
o'clock a. N. reached the Custom House
in company. The officers of the house
were individually presented by Colonel
| Webster to the new Collector, the utmost
goodfeeing being everywhere apparent,
| whatever anxieties may have been con-
cealed in the breasts of minor officials.
| The first tficial act of the new Collector
was the designation of his two deputies,
one berg William NJ. Knight, Esq, Of
| Cecil county, his brother law, and the
other Mr.. Henry r. Torbert, of Elkton,
the latter being temporary and comph-
mentary designation, it being understood
that Mr.. Herbert Shriver, present State
! Senator from Carroll county, will, upon
the adjournment of the Legislature, sue
ceed Mr.. Torbert, whose experience as a
customs officer will upon change of ad-
ministration be of service to the new
| officials.
Very little business was transacted by
the Collector on Monday, his time being
taken up by the formality of introduc
tions and the calls of personal friends
To number of applicants for positions
lie was as cordial and urbane as to his
particular intimates although not excit-
ing any pleasure perceptible in the faces
of office seekers by the assurance that
he would make no appointments imme-
diately, and not until he had familiarized
| himself ha lnt Of h;S
| The impression made upon those who
called upon the new Collector on Monday
was exceedingly favorable, the Gov
ernor 5 coIdiality of manner serving him
in good stead, and making strangers of
both high and low degree feel at home
in his presence.
After the close of the Custom House
the customs officers held meeting for
the purpose of formally taking leave of
Colonel Webster, whom every one of his
employees have learned to regard as his
personal friend. Nh. Torbert presided,
and Colonel Bennett presented the fol
lowing address, which was unanimously
adopted, as expressive of the sentiment
Of the I'D officials towards the retiring
Collector:
BALTIMORE, March /, 1886.
Tp roionc Ei,riH H. Webster,
Late CoHector Qi customs
SIR-Our official relations having termi-
mated by reason of the expiration of your
| commits rs Collector of Customs for the
District of Baltimore, We desire to convey
to you, in some suitable form, our personal
appreciation of the uniform courtesy and
consideration shown rs during your term
of office
We make this expression, not conven.
tionally or formally, but as a sincere iudi.
cation of our real feelings towards vou.
Our regard for you is hearty, ami not
tinged by any trace of servility. Your at
titude towards us has been such as to assure
us a lust measure of self-reSpect in lnde
pendence of expression and action.
Our official service under your admins,
tration has been made pleasant by your fan
and kind treatment
And now that you no longer sustain utti
cial relations with uS, permit IL to tender
you the assurance Of our respect aud esteem
and to express the belief that these shal
endure while We live.
Aud finally, we unite in the earnest wisl
that your future may be prosperous, happy
and distinguished, to the end Of long life
! Cor. ID. T. BES SNETr,