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{{stalwarts sb}}

{{stalwarts sb}}

By the mid-1870s, French's rise in Republican politics led to befriending prominent state party leaders such as Thomas Murphy, [[Roscoe Conkling]], and future vice president [[Chester A. Arthur|Chester A. "Chet" Arthur]].<ref name=nytimesobit/> In 1876, he was appointed Appraiser of the Port of New York by President [[Ulysses S. Grant]], whereupon his entry into metropolitan politics began an identification with the party's Stalwart faction–according to ''The New York Times'':

By the mid-1870s, French's rise in Republican politics led to befriending prominent state party leaders such as Thomas Murphy, [[Roscoe Conkling]], and future vice president [[Chester A. Arthur|Chester A. "Chet" Arthur]].<ref name=nytimesobit/> In 1876, he was appointed Appraiser of the Port of New York by President [[Ulysses S. Grant]], whereupon his entry into metropolitan politics began an identification with the party's Stalwart faction–according to ''The New York Times'':

{{cquote|His chief mentors in this new field were Gen. Arthur, Thomas Murphy, De Witt Clinton Wheeler, Jacob Hess, and Roscoe Conkling.|||''The New York Times''}}

{{cquote|His chief mentors in this new field were Gen. Arthur, Thomas Murphy, De Witt Clinton Wheeler, Jacob Hess, and Roscoe Conkling.|||''The New York Times'', February 4, 1896}}

During the presidency of [[Half-Breed]] Republican [[Rutherford B. Hayes]], French, along other Stalwart officeholders of patronage-controlled seats such as Chester Arthur, was ousted by the Administration. However, in early 1879, a "scheme" successfully installed French into a police board—a coalition of machine-aligned aldermen from both the Republican and Democratic aisles successfully nominated him as Police Commissioner, where he was described as:<ref name=nytimesobit/>

During the presidency of [[Half-Breed]] Republican [[Rutherford B. Hayes]], French, along other Stalwart officeholders of patronage-controlled seats such as Chester Arthur, was ousted by the Administration. However, in early 1879, a "scheme" successfully installed French into a police board—a coalition of machine-aligned aldermen from both the Republican and Democratic aisles successfully nominated him as Police Commissioner, where he was described as:<ref name=nytimesobit/>

{{cquote|...easy going, and so generous to his friends in the matter of appointment as to escape suspicion that has attached to other officials.|||''The New York Times''}}

{{cquote|...easy going, and so generous to his friends in the matter of appointment as to escape suspicion that has attached to other officials.|||''The New York Times'', February 4, 1896}}

As police commissioner, French was subject to controversy over his failure to send inspectors to a general election, and also faced accusations by the mayor of failing to maintain street cleanliness.<ref name=nytimesobit/> Conkling, David D. Field, and Col. George Bliss defended him, and a letter by the mayor to Governor Alonzo B. Cornell was disregarded.

As police commissioner, French was subject to controversy over his failure to send inspectors to a general election, and also faced accusations by the mayor of failing to maintain street cleanliness.<ref name=nytimesobit/> Conkling, David D. Field, and Col. George Bliss defended him, and a letter by the mayor to Governor Alonzo B. Cornell was disregarded.