make report as early as
practicable."

The third report was made on the 21st of July, and related to the
management of the department of weighers and gaugers.

The fourth report, made on the 31st of August, related to the
appraiser's office. In acknowledging the receipt of this report
on the 12th of September, I stated:

"The recommendations made by you will be fully examined in detail,
and be acted upon cotemporaneously with the proposed change in the
leading officers of that customhouse."

Two other reports were made, dated October 31 and November 1, 1877,
the latter containing suggestions as to the recommendations of
legislative amendments to various existing laws and usages.

After the receipt of the report of August 31 the President, who
had carefully read the several reports, announced his desire to
make a change in the three leading officers of the New York
customhouse. He wished to place it upon the ground that he thought
the public service would be best promoted by a general change, that
new officers would be more likely to make the radical reforms
required that those then in the customhouse. The matter was
submitted to the cabinet, and I was requested to communicate with
these officers, in the hope that they would resign and relive the
President from the unpleasant embarrassment of removing them. On
the 6th of September I wrote to Richard C. McCormick, Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury, who was then at his home near New York
on account of illness, the following letter. I knew that Mr.
McCormick was on friendly terms with Collector Arthur, and that he
might better than I inform him of the wish of the President to
receive the resignations of himself, and Messrs. Cornell and Sharpe:

"Treasury Department, }
"Washington, D. C., September 6, 1877.}
"Dear Governor:--After a very full consideration, and a very kindly
one, the President, with the cordial assent of his cabinet, came
to the conclusion that the public interests demanded a change in
the three leading offices in New York, and a public announcement
of that character was authorized. I am quite sure that this will,
on the whole, be considered to be a wise result. The manner of
making the changes and the persons to be appointed will be a subject
of careful and full consideration, but it is better to know that
it is determined upon and ended. This made it unnecessary to
consider the telegrams in regard to Mr. Cornell. It