The final decision has upheld the dignity of the Senate, and shown the people that a Senate committee is not to be trifled with.
The Senate itself was a little ruffled over the matter.
When it was proposed that the President should be asked to pardon Mr. Chapman, Senator Allen, of Nebraska, introduced a resolution that before the President should be applied to for pardon, Mr. Chapman must appear before the Senate, and purge himself of his contempt by answering the questions that he had refused to answer three years ago.
Mr. Chapman would probably have still persisted in his refusal, and got himself into fresh trouble; so it was perhaps a good thing for him that he did not personally apply for a pardon.
Mr. Havemeyer's lawyers are busy over his case. They intend to say in his defence that the questions asked him had nothing to do with the matter in hand, and that he also was right in refusing to answer them.
In the mean time Mr. Havemeyer is using his personal influence to persuade the Senators not to prosecute him and to let his case be withdrawn when the day appointed to try it comes round.
It is more than likely, however, that Mr. Havemeyer and Mr. Searles will both have to share Mr. Chapman's fate, and pay the penalty of their contempt of the Senate.
The log of the Mayflower is now safely in this country.
It was brought over by Mr. Bayard, the former Ambassador to England, who arrived here a day or two ago.