Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/247

 CHESTER ALAN ARTHUR 203 labor and accountability, for which the state is chiefly indebted to my predecessor, Gen. Chester A. Arthur, who by his practical good sense and unremitting exertion, at a period when everything was in confusion, reduced the operations of the department to a matured plan, by which large amounts of money were saved to the government, and great economy of time secured in carrying out the details of the same.&quot; Between 1862 and 1872 Gen. Arthur was en gaged in continuous and active law practice in partnership with Henry G. Gardner from 1862 till 1867, then for five years alone, and on January 1, 1872, he formed the firm of Arthur, Phelps & Knevals. He was for a short time counsel for the department of assessments and taxes, but resigned the place. During all this period he continued to take an active interest in politics; was chairman in 1868 of the central Grant club of New York; and became chairman of the executive committee of the republican state committee in 1879. On November 20, 1871, he was appointed by President Grant col lector of the port of New York, and assumed the office on December 1 ; was nominated to the senate December 6, confirmed December 12, and commis sioned for four years December 16. On December 17, 1875, he was nominated for another term, and by the senate confirmed the same day, without reference to a committee a courtesy never before