ing complaints
and favoritism. As a rule, it is best in all cases to have but
one of the same family under your jurisdiction, and no just complaint
can be made if this rule is impartially enforced.

"The President properly lays great stress on excluding from a purely
business office active participation in party politics. Naturally,
in a government like ours, other things being equal, those will be
preferred who sympathize with the party in power; but persons in
office ought not to be expected to serve their party to the neglect
of official duty, or to promote the interests of particular
candidates, or to interfere with the free course of popular opinion,
or to run caucuses or conventions. Such activity of office-holders
is offensive to the great mass of the people who hold no office,
and gives rise to complaints and irritation. If any have been
appointed for purely political reasons, without regard to their
efficiency, now is a good time to get rid of them.

"Where actual misconduct is proven, such as receiving gratuities
or bribes, or oppression or insolence in office, or even the want
of common courtesy, or drunkenness or other bad habits tending to
degrade the officer, or absence from or neglect of duty--in all
such cases I know it will be your pleasure to dismiss the employee.

"The payment of taxes is not pleasant at best, but if rudely enforced
by oppression or discreditable officers, it renders the tax as well
as the tax-collector odious.

"I do not fix any time within which this reduction must be made,
but shall expect it to be completed by the 30th day of June proximo.
So far as the reduction is specifically made by the adoption of
the report, it should be made by the 1st day of June, and it should
be made as to each particular division or department of the
customhouse as early as practicable.

"After all, the success of this movement for reform of old abuses,
which existed for many years before you became collector, will
depend mainly upon your good sense and discretion. I assure you
I will heartily sustain and approve any recommendation you may make
that appears to me to tend to make the New York customhouse--not
only what it now is, the most important, but what it ought to be--
the best managed business agency of the government.

"Very respectfully,
"John Sherman, Secretary.
"C. A. Arthur, Esq., Collector of Customs, New York."

When the inquiry commenced there was no purpose or desire on