Mrs. McElroy was openly mourned. Senator and Mrs. Pendleton gave a brilliant reception in her honour on her retirement, and all the officials departing and those expecting to fill their places with the resident social groups attended to do her honour. The young girls to whom she had been such a fairy godmother of good times escorted her to her train in a delegation and filled the cars with flowers. President Arthur was not regretful at leaving the job that had caused him so much care. In his overanxiety to do what seemed best for the country, he had made enemies of old-time friends. Desiring to rise above partisan and factional contests, he had failed in his effort to please both parties. Slander, ridicule, and misrepresentation were hurled at him, not only by the Democrats, but by the opposing faction of his own party. Merciless abuse fell upon him for not complying with all requests with regard to appointments. Each faction had its chosen array of patronage which it demanded, and whichever way the distribution was made, there was dissatisfaction. While he might easily have found eager friends to reveal inside facts that would have placed him in a better light and permitted such odium as there was to fall upon those who were responsible, he flatly refused, preferring to bear the brunt of much misjudgment himself rather than to be the means of shifting it to another. The calumny resulted, however, in the breaking of his spirit and his health. His administration was one of dignity, intelligence, and firmness. He met the problems that beset him with marked skill. He took a firm stand in support of the Civil Service laws and appointed a commission to revise the tariff. He added his influence to the promotion of Indian education, supported the plans to increase the strength of the navy, and also the measures for controlling and improving the course of the Mississippi River. Under his régime, a Civil Service Commission was established to conduct examinations for appointments to minor places in the government service. His administration saw a return of prosperity in the greatest degree the country had ever experienced. The public debt was reduced nearly $500,000,000, internal revenue stamps were repealed, the number of collection districts was lessened, and letter postage was reduced from three cents per one half ounce to two cents per one ounce. A bill was passed for distributing the Geneva award, another for returning convicts to our shores, the tax on matches, checks, and drafts was removed, and the importation of convict labour was forbidden. In 1883, the President joined the Villard Excursion party to drive the silver spike. Provision was made for the adjudication of the French spoliation claims long awaiting payment and for the final distribution of the balance of $15,000,000, paid by England to the United States in satisfaction of the claims of Americans for losses by rebel cruisers fitted out in British ports.