Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-19
DEATH OF Ex-PREsIDENT ARTHUR.


DEATH OF EX-PREsIDENT ARTHUR.
The death of ex-President Arthur was
not unexpected. Since his retiracy from
the Chief Magistracy, he has been con-
firmed invalid and has remained in the
privacy of his home, very sensitive to all
comments upon his condition and ex-
tremely averse to any publicity concerning
himself The highest tribute that may be
paid to the dead President is, that in all
his long official and varied public service.
his character was proof against all assaults
bringing into question his honesty or
purity of purpose. He was placed where
the weak man would have fallen. Mill
ions of money were handled by him in
equipping New Yorks' great army for the
defense of the Union, but not penny was
missing, nor cent of private profit charged
against him. So absolutely correct were
his accounts, and so clear and iustifable
all his expenditures, and so wise and
economic the contracts he let, that the
Departments at Washington could find no
ground for the deduction of so much as a
farthing. In his early championship of
the cause of the slave he became a promi-
nent figure, and as the advocate of the
civil rights of the newly-enfranchised col
ored citizens, he was eminently successful
and achieved 4 wide and enviable reputa-
ton. He was first Wing, and then
Republican, and in both parties was
strong partisan. So loyal was he to party,
that he preferred to submit to removal
from the Collectorship of New York rather
than bow to President Hayes famous order
prohibiting Federal officials from actively
engaging in party work. 1t stands loftily
to his credit, that when there was sent to.
him a petition urging his reinstation in
office, signed by all the Judges, and all the
leading lawyers, and most of the great
merchants and shippers and commercial
men of New York city, he suppressed the
document, and declined TO permit it to be
forwarded to the President. President
Hayes, who removed him, and the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, took occasion to say
that the purity of his official administra-
tion was beyond all question. He prac-
ticed while in office the principles of civil
service reform. While he was Collector,
the removals from subordinate offices
amounted to but q per cent. of the whole
number, against an average of 2S per cent.
under the three Collectors who preceded
him, while all but two of his appoint
ments in one hundred to positions COM
handing salary of $1,000 and more, were
made by promotions from the lower grades
Of the service as recommended by the
heads of bureaus. His administration as
President was not brilliant one, but it
was eminently pure and high-minded. No
national trial called for any manifestation
Of the sturdy courage of the man. He pre-
sided in time comparatively placid
Under him the nation was prosperous, and
our relations with other nations were
maintained in peace and honor. He was
diligent in duty-doing, and neglected no
charge, He was social in his habit, and
enjoyed extremely the companionship of
his own sex, so much so that those dis
posed to be captions termed him I" a club
man." But his associations were never
unbecoming or his practices unmanly. His
life was that of an upright, self-respecting,
hberty-loving, tolerant citizen. 1t is one
Of the loftiest records to be penned of him
that he so loved and hOnored the wife of
his choice that he never recovered wholly
his mental poise, disturbed by her death
He mourned the pure woman every
day and hour thereafter, and none
of the allurements of society, or beauty
and wit of women, ever shook his con-
stancy to her. He was deeply attached to
his children, and they absorbed largely
his care and thought. We estimate the
character of ex-President Arthur to have
been one of great selfpossession, proud
spirited, high-minded, rigidly and scrupu-
lousy honest and loftily patriotic. He
was splendidly representative of the posi-
bilities of this land for the earnest, stu
dious and determined man. Born in low
financial estate and possessed of thirst for
knowledge, he applied himself to labor to
acquire the means to finish his education,
alternating labor and his studies to that
end He came into prominence By force
of his own energy and ability, unaided by
artificial assistance or the influence of
powerful friends. He was essentially
self-made man, the product of the Amer
can system and an example to ambitious
and aspiring youth. His memory viii
live IN the history of the nation as that of
an honest citizen, who rose by his own
ere-tions from the common walks to the
highest seat 10 the republic