squandered,—peculations practised,—a torrent of iniquity seemed to have burst forth to pour its inundations over his head.
"And what secret enemy," thought he, "'like the black raven hov'ring o'er my peace,' has thus so treacherously overwhelmed me by such calumnies—so unexpected, so derogatory from the high and just principles of honour, integrity, and uprightness, from that strict rectitude in which I have been accustomed to walk and to view my actions, and which, notwithstanding the unjust opprobrium cast upon me, I find to be an invincible support and shield."
In the first place he called around him his clerks, and busily and in earnest undertook the inspection of his papers, even to the most minute accounts, in which the Government was concerned. But, alas! in doing so, he but truly discovered that fraud and duplicity had been practised against him, secret connivances and collusion of which he could have had no idea. His books were mutilated, and none seemed disposed to afford him the explanations he desired; evasive answers were given to his questions by those who had seemed to have been bribed to his destruction.
That enormous abuses existed was evident, but of these he himself felt perfectly innocent.
