Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/150

ARTHUR.ARTHUR. the next day proclaimed an extraordinary session of the senate, October 10, to elect a President pro tempore. He requested the members of the cabinet of Mr. Garfield to retain their respective portfolios until the regular session of Congress in December. This request was complied with, except in the case of the secretary of the treasury, who desired that his resignation be accepted, in order that he might become a candidate for the office of senator from his state. President Arthur offered the portfolio to Edwin D. Morgan, the war governor of New York, whose appointment was confirmed by the senate. He declined to serve, and the choice then fell to Charles J. Folger of New York, who was confirmed Oct. 27, 1881. After the meeting of Congress, President Arthur announced further members in his cabinet in the following order: Frederick T. Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, secretary of state, from Dec. 12, 1881; Robert T. Lincoln of Illinois, secretary of war, from March 5, 1881 (re-appointed from President Garfield's cabinet); Benjamin H. Brewster of Pennsylvania, attorney-general, Dec. 19, 1881; Timothy O. Howe of Wisconsin, postmaster-general, Dec. 20, 1881, who died in office, March 25, 1883, and was succeeded by Walter Q. Gresham; Frank Hatton of Iowa, postmaster-general, Oct. 14, 1884, to succeed Walter Q. Gresham, who resigned to become secretary of the treasury; William E. Chandler of New Hampshire, secretary of the navy, April 12, 1882; Henry M. Teller of Colorado, secretary of the interior, April 17, 1882; Walter Q. Gresham of Indiana, secretary of the treasury, to succeed Secretary Folger, who died in office, Sept. 4, 1884; Hugh McCulloch of Maryland, Oct. 28, 1884, to succeed Secretary Gresham, who resigned to become United States circuit judge. His administration was marked by no startling conditions calling for extraordinary action. He officially presided at the dedication of the Yorktown, Va., monument, erected to commemorate the surrender of Cornwallis, in which dedication America's French allies and German participants were represented. The President, at the close of the celebration, ordered a salute to be fired in honor of the British flag, "in recognition of the friendly relations so long and so happily subsisting between Great Britain and the United States, in the trust and confidence of peace and good-will between the two countries for all the centuries to come, and especially as a mark of the profound respect entertained by the American people for the illustrious sovereign and gracious lady who sits upon the British throne."

He made efforts to secure peace between the warring nationalities in South America, and to that end proposed a peace congress, which suggestion, however, was not acted upon by Congress. The administration also offered its friendly offices to determine peaceably the boundary lines between Mexico and Guatamala, and relocated the boundary line between Mexico and the United States. Through a commission, in which General Grant and W. H. Trescott acted for the United States, reciprocal treaties affecting commercial relations with various South American countries were made; and treaties of a like nature were made with Santo Domingo, Dec. 4, 1884, and with Spain in reference to Cuba and Porto Rico, Nov. 18, 1884. These treaties were, however, withdrawn by President Cleveland as inexpedient, without affording the senate an opportunity to act upon them.

President Arthur proposed a monetary union of the American countries to secure a uniform currency basis, looking to the remonetization of silver. He strongly urged the construction of the interoceanic canal across the isthmus of Panama, and through correspondence with Great Britain asserted that the provisions of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty of April 19, 1850, could not be allowed to interfere with the rights of the United States in controlling such a route in view of the spirit of the "Monroe doctrine." On Dec. 1, 1884, a treaty was made with the republic of Nicaragua, which authorized the U. S. government to build a canal, railroad, and telegraph line across Nicaraguan territory by way of the lake and San Jose river. This treaty was rejected by the senate, and before that body could reconsider its vote the treaty was withdrawn by President Cleveland, March 12, 1885. President Arthur obtained from the British government a full recognition of the rights of naturalized American citizens of Irish birth, and all such under arrest as suspects were liberated. A bill passed by Congress, prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers for twenty years, was vetoed by him April 4, 1882, as in violation of a treaty with China. Congress sustained the veto and passed a modified bill, suspending immigration for ten years, which was amended July 5, 1884, and approved by the President. A law was passed Aug. 3, 1882, by which convicts seeking a home in the United States were returned to Europe, and the importation of contract laborers was prohibited by a law passed Feb. 26, 1885. President Arthur repeatedly advised the suspension of the coinage of standard silver dollars and recommended the redemption of all outstanding trade dollars. The removal of stamp taxes on many articles of merchandise, and on bank checks and drafts, as well as the taxes on surplus bank capital and deposits was recommended, and on March 3, 1883, the acts enforcing them were repealed. This resulted in the reduction of the collection districts by one third. Legislation was recommended looking to the construction and maintenance of ocean