Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-19

months, in order 20 find a desirable place in
which TO begin the practice of his legal pro.
fession in partnership with him. Finding M
place to their liking, the younp men re-.
turned to New York and opened an Office in
/ that city, where they were successful almost
/ from the beginning. As soon as was desira.
| Bile, the question of his financies being duly
considered, Mr.. Arthur took a wife. a daugh-
ter of Lieutenant Herndon. This estimsble
lady died before her husband became Presi-
dent.
Early in his professional career Mr.. Arthur
performed such services for the colored peo.
pie as gained for him their affectiopate admir-
alton, and gave him great prominence as a
lawyer. In the year 1852. a Virginisn slave
holder and his wife, Jonathan and ,Juliet
Lennon, took eight slaves with them from
their State to New York city. from which thsv
intended to take ship for Texas. where they
were about to begin a new establishment.
Upon application, Judge Paine granted a
writ of habeas corpus in behalf of the slaves
and the legal question involved in the subse-
quent proceedings, was whether the nrovis-
ions of the Fugitive Slave law were in force
in New York State Judge Paine decided
against this claim and the captiyes were lih-
Grated. Therespon the legislature of Vjr-
ginia authorized the attorney-general of the
State to assist in taking an appeal against
Judge Paine's decision. William M. Eyarts
and Chester A. Arthur were employed in the
interest of the citizens of their State against
that of the slave holders, and won the case
and when subsequently, it was brought under
the consideration of the supreme court of the
United States, were again successful A few
years afterwards, in 1885, Mr.. Arthur took
up the case of poor colored oman who had
haan lnd frn
New York city, after paving her fare. He
brought an action against the COMPANY and
recovered $500 damages for his client The
day after this victory over prejudice was
gained, the company which had been defeat.
ed in the action, issued a formal order giving
colored people permission to ride in its ears
and in a short time this thing became general
throughout the city.
Mr.. Arthur was one of the delegate to the
convention at Saratoga W hich founded the re-
publican party. He had been awhig. and on
the day after he had been nominated for the
vice presidency by the Chicago convention,
the late Thurlow Tweed said of him: 81 have
known him for twenty-five wears as whiy and
republican and a more loval partv man and
truer republican cannot be found anywhere"
Before the civil war Mr., Arthur was iudpe
advocate of the % brigade of the New York
State militia. Upon going into office Cover
nor Z. d. Morgan made him engineer in
chief of his staff. and in 1861 inspector gen
eral. This was succeeded by his accession
under Governor Morgan's appointment. to the
responsible position of quartermaster general
in which he continued until the close of the
war His discharge of these important duties
was most creditable. In the space of four
months, at the outset, he equipped and sent
tn the front es reoimapts of ;nfa,,ry IN
batteries. The vast expenditures for eouip-
ment and transportation were checked by an
admirable system of accounts. and the work
was economically as well as enerpeticallv
pushed forward.
When Gov. Morgap's term of office expired
Mr.. Arthur returned to the practice of his
profession. He was appointed counsel for
the board of tax commissioners. with a salary
of $40 900 year and began at the same time
to take an active interest in city politics. He