372. (CHESTER A. ARTHUR) A great political content letter by Vice President of the American Geographical Society, Francis A. Stout, 7pp. 8vo., Arlington House, June 24, 1877, to New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan concerning his belief that Chester A. Arthur was headed for public service disaster. In part: "...I...spent a pleasant evening yesterday at the White House with the President, Mrs. Hayes and the Misses Foote and Platt...today I called on [Secretary of State] Mr. [William M.] Evarts and told him that I found myself obliged to decide...in regard to the leasing of a piece of property...in New York...I have become satisfied that Arthur made a grave mistake in not weeding the Custom House openly and publicly two weeks ago. His political opponents are working like beavers against him. And if he be retained and Sharpe reappointed they will both be charged directly to your account, as Arthur has lost strength thro' delaying carrying out reforms. I enclose some newspaper clippings which are worth attending to [included]. If Arthur will avail himself of this opportunity to clear the Van Cott gang out of the Custom House. I can get the 7th Assembly Dist. of N. Y. City into first rate trim...he [Arthur] must keep his friends...I want to go to the next state convention in order to converse with the delegates from the interior and show them that the typical disinterested, well-off, New York republican reformers are not Evarts men. So long as the Van Cott gang is retained in the Custom House so long will Conkling men, and none others, [will] go to conventions from the 7th Dist...when that 'reformer' Murtagh (!) takes such a stand it shows the way the wind is believed to blow...". Included is the original newspaper clipping from the Washington Republican, June 23, 1877 condemning Arthur for corruption in New York's custom house and the original transmittal cover in which Governor Morgan forwarded the letter to Arthur. Very good condition. $200 - 300