Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/283

 CHESTER ALAN ARTHUR 235 and restless. Doubt and uneasiness were every where apparent. The delicacy and discretion displayed by the vice-president had compelled approval, but had not served wholly to disarm prejudice, and when he took the murdered president s place the whole peo ple were in a state of tense and anxious expect ancy, of which, doubtless, he was most painfully conscious. All fears, however, were speedily and happily dispelled. The new president s inaugural was explicit, judicious, and reassuring, and his purpose not to administer his high office in the spirit of former faction, although by it he lost some friendships, did much toward healing the dissen sions within the dominant party. His conservative administration of the government commanded uni versal confidence, preserved public order and pro moted business activity. If his conduct of affairs be criticised as lacking aggressiveness, it may con fidently be replied that aggressiveness would have been unfortunate, if not disastrous. Rarely has there been a time when an indiscreet president could have wrought more mischief. It was not a time for showy exploits of brilliant experimenta tion. Above all else, the people needed rest from the strain and excitement into which the assassina tion of their president had plunged them. The course chosen by President Arthur was the wisest and most desirable that was possible. If appar-