"Very truly, etc.,
"John Sherman.
"General C. A. Arthur, Collector Customs, New York."
It soon became manifest that these gentlemen had no purpose to resign, and that Senator Conkling intended to make a political contest against the policy of civil service reform inaugurated by President Hayes. On the 24th of October, 1877, the President sent to the Senate the nominations of Theodore Roosevelt to succeed Arthur as collector, Edwin A. Merritt to succeed George H. Sharpe as surveyor, and L. B. Prince to succeed A. B. Cornell as naval officer. All of them were rejected by the Senate on the 29th of October. On the 6th day of December, during the following session, Roosevelt, Prince and Merritt were again nominated, and the two former were again rejected. Merritt was confirmed as surveyor on the 16th of December.
This action of the Senate was indefensible. There was not the slightest objection to Roosevelt or Prince, and none was made. The reasons for a change were given in the report of the Jay commission. Even without this report the right of the President to appoint these officers was given by the constitution. To compel the President to retain anyone in such an office, charged with the collection of the great body of the revenue from customs, in the face of such reasons as were given for removal, was a gross breach of public duty. No doubt the Democratic majority in the Senate might defend themselves with political reasons, but the motive of Mr. Conkling was hostility to President Hayes and his inborn desire to domineer. The chief embarrassment fell upon me. I wished to execute the reforms needed in the collector's office, but could only do it with his consent. The co-operation required was not given, and the office was held in profound contempt of the President. If the rejection of these nominations had been placed upon the ground of unfitness, other names could have been sent to the Senate, but there was no charge of that kind, while specific and definite charges were made against the incumbents. Other names were mentioned to the President, and suggestions were made, among others by Whitelaw Reid, whose letter I insert:
"New York, March 29, 1878. "My Dear Mr. Sherman:—Leaving Washington unexpectedly this morning, I was unable to call again at the treasury department in accordance with your polite invitation of last night. I have, however, been thinking over the customhouse problem of which you asked my opinion. It seems to me, more and more clear, that, if a new appointment is to be made, it should be controlled by two considerations: First, the appointee should be a man who can be confirmed; and, second, he should be a man equal to all the practical duties of the place, which are necessarily and essentially political as well as mercantile.
"To nominate another man only to have him rejected would do great harm, and the confirmation cannot, by any means, be taken for granted. I believe it is possible to select some well-known man, who has carefully studied the subject of revenue collection, and could bring to the task executive skill, experience, and sound business and political sagacity, and that such a nomination could be confirmed. I assume, of course, that any movement of this sort would be based upon the previous removal of the present incumbent, for good cause—of which I have been hearing rumors for some time.
"Pray let me renew more formally the invitation to dine with me, on the evening of the 10th of April, at seven o'clock, at the Union League Club, to meet Mr. Bayard Taylor just before his departure for Berlin. I sincerely hope you can arrange your movements after the Chester visit so as to make it possible.
"Very truly yours,
"Whitelaw Reid.
"Hon. John Sherman, Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C."
The President would not make other appointments during the session of the Senate, as the implication would arise that the rejections were based upon opposition to the persons named, and he, therefore, postponed any action until the close of the session.
After the close of the session, on the 11th of July, 1878, the President gave temporary commissions to Edwin A. Merritt as collector to succeed C. A. Arthur, and Silas W. Burt to succeed Cornell as naval officer, and these gentlemen entered upon the duties of their respective offices.
On the following December it became necessary to send their nominations to the Senate. I had definitely made up my mind that if the Senate again rejected them I would resign. I would not hold an office when my political friends forced me to act through unfriendly subordinates. I wrote a letter to Senator Allison as follows: