John Sherman

I would not hold an office when my political friends forced me to act through unfriendly subordinates.

I had definitely made up my mind that if the Senate again rejected them I would resign.

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…

To nominate another man only to have him rejected would do great harm, and the confirmation cannot, by any means, be taken for granted.

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.

The President was quite willing to base his request for their resignation, not upon the ground that they were guilty of the offenses charged, but that new officers could probably deal with the reorganization of the customhouse with more…

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.

Some employees were incapacitated by age, some by ignorance, some by carelessness and indifference; and parties thus unfitted have been appointed, not to perform routine duties distinctly marked, but to exercise a discretion in questions…

It was intimated by chiefs of departments that men were sent to them without brains enough to do the work, and that some of those appointed to perform the delicate duties of the appraiser's office, requiring the special qualities of an…

The investigation showed that ignorance and incapacity on the part of the employees were not confined to the surveyor's department, but were found in other branches of the service--creating delays and mistakes, imperiling the safety of the…

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…

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.

If any have been appointed for purely political reasons, without regard to their efficiency, now is a good time to get rid of them.

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.

The President properly lays great stress on excluding from a purely business office active participation in party politics.

This reduction will enable you to transfer those now employed on work for which they are not fitted, to other work for which they are competent, and to reward exceptional merit and ability by promotion.

In the selection of inferior officers, the only rule should be the one daily acted upon by merchants--to employ only those who are competent for the special work assigned them, whose industry, integrity, and good habits give guarantees for…

The government is fairly entitled to the services of those who are fully able to discharge personally the duties of their office, and who are willing to give their entire attention to their official duty.

You will have no difficulty in selecting, from these, the more efficient and trustworthy to fill the more important positions, and when these are carefully selected, you will have secured for the duties of greatest trust, active…

No officer should be required or permitted to take part in the management of political organizations, caucuses, conventions, or election campaigns.

No useless officer or employee should be retained.

No assessments for political purposes, on officers or subordinates, should be allowed.

It is my wish that the collection of the revenues should be free from partisan control, and organized on a strictly business basis, with the same guarantees for efficiency and fidelity in the selection of the chief and subordinate officers…

The end we all aim at, a specie standard and a redeemable currency, is greatly promoted by the judicious action of the banks, and I will, with greater confidence, do my part officially in securing the maintenance of resumption.

If resumption is made a real success it will be accompanied with substantial business prosperity and do more to strengthen and retain the ascendency of the Republican party than any and all other reasons.