Nothing, therefore, remained to be done but for Senator Morton to refrain from making his motion; for a hurried canvass of the Senate had revealed the fact that the motion, if made and brought to a vote, would be defeated, and the effect of such a defeat would be worse than if the motion had not been made.

So the Blaine motion was allowed to go by default, and Mr.Lamar was duly sworn in as a Senator from Mississippi.

Of course it was well known at the time by many,--Mr.Blaine among the number,--that this ended the controversy and that no subsequent investigation would be made.

That Mr.Blaine was sadly and seriously disappointed at the result of his action in this case, as well as in his action in defeating the Federal Elections Bill, will be made clear in subsequent chapters..