ndom's Letter Accompanying the Meline Report--Investigation
and Complete Exoneration--Arthur's Message to Congress in December
--Joint Resolutions on the Death of Garfield--Blaine's Tribute to
His Former Chief--Credit of the United States at "High Water Mark"
--Bill Introduced Providing for the Issuing of Three per Cent.
Bonds--Corporate Existence of National Banks Extended--Bill to
Reduce Internal Revenue Taxes--Tax on Playing Cards--Democratic
Victory in Ohio.

On the 23rd of September, 1881, President Arthur convened the Senate
to meet in special session on the 10th of October. Mr. Bayard was
elected its president _pro tempore_. On the 13th of October, when
the Senate was full, David Davis, of Illinois, was elected president
_pro tempore_, and the usual thanks were given to Mr. Bayard, as
the retiring president _pro tempore_, for the dignity and impartiality
with which he had discharged the duties of his office.

At this period of my life I was the object of more abuse and
vituperation than ever before or since. The fact that the new
administration of Arthur was not friendly to me was no doubt the
partial cause of this abuse. The intense bitterness manifested by
certain papers, and by discharged employees, indicated the origin
of most of the petty charges against me. One of these employees
stated that he had been detailed for work on a house built by me
in 1880. This was easily answered by the fact that the house was
built under contract with a leading builder and the cost was paid
to him. I neither knew the man nor ever heard of him since.

I was blamed for certain irregularities in the disbursement of the
contingent fund of the treasury, although the accounts of that fund
were by law approved by the chief clerk of the department and were
settled by the accounting officers without ever coming under my
supervision, and the disbursement had been made by a custodian who
was in the department before I entered it. My wife was more annoyed
than I with the petty charges which she knew were false, but which
I did not dignify by denying.

Mr. Windom, soon after his appointment as secretary, directed an
inquiry to be made by officers of the treasury department into
these abuses and it was charged that he, at my request, had suppressed
this inquiry. The "Commercial Advertiser," on the 11th of October,
alleged that I was as much shocked by the disclosures as my successor,
Mr. Windom; that I did not want any furthe