The climax was reached when Butler's chief
lieutenant, Simmons, was appointed Collector of the Port of
Boston. Judge Russell, the old Collector, was an able and
very popular man. He had given Butler a sort of half-hearted
support. But he was incapable of lending himself to any base
or unworthy purpose. He was compelled to vacate the office,
much to his disgust. He accepted that of Minister to Venezuela,
an unimportant foreign mission, and William A. Simmons was
appointed in his place. The process of weeding out the Custom
House then went on with great rapidity. Colonel Moulton,
one of the bravest soldiers of the Civil War, who had been
under rebel fire in a Charleston dungeon, and Colonel A. A.
Sherman, a man with a marvellous military record, were removed
to make way for men for whom, to say the least, the public
had no respect. The order for their removal was recalled
in consequence of a direct appeal to President Grant. Mr.
Hartwell, the Treasurer, an excellent officer, who had graduated
the first scholar at Harvard, was removed. Mrs. Chenoweth,
a very accomplished lady, widow of one of the bravest officers
of the Civil War, a member of Grant's staff, who was filling
a clerical position at the Custom House, was notified of her
removal.
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