floor of the Senate that would insure his reelection even by a Populist Legislature.  In this,—­as he soon found out, to his bitter disappointment,—­he was mistaken.  He no doubt came to the same conclusion that many of his friends and admirers had already come to, that in bidding for the support of the Populists of his State he had made the mistake of his life.  The impression he made upon the public mind was that he was devoid of principle, and that he was willing to sacrifice his own party upon the altar of his ambition.

But it was neither known nor suspected that he contemplated making a bid for the support of the Populist members of the Legislature until he delivered his speech.  When, therefore, it was announced that Senator Ingalls would address the Senate on a certain day, he was greeted, as on previous occasions, with a large audience.  But this was the first time that his hearers had been sadly disappointed.  This was due more to what was said than how it was said.  Then it was plain to those who heard him that his heart was not in what he was saying; hence the speech was devoid of that fiery eloquence which on previous occasions had charmed and electrified his hearers.  But, after that speech, when one of his auditors would ask another what he thought of it, the reply invariably was a groan of disappointment.  When the immense crowd dispersed at the conclusion of the speech instead of smiling faces and pleasing countenances as on previous occasions, one could not help noticing marked evidences of disappointment in every face.  The impression that had been made was, that it was an appeal to the Populist members of the Legislature of his State to return him to the Senate, in exchange for which he was willing to turn his back upon the party which he was then serving.  It was almost equivalent to an open declaration of his willingness to identify himself with the Populists, and champion their cause if they would reelect him to the seat he then occupied.  From the effects of that fatal blunder the Senator never recovered.

Another thing that lessened the distinguished orator and Senator in the estimation of the public was his radically changed attitude upon questions affecting the political, social and industrial status of the colored Americans.  From a brilliant and eloquent champion and defender of their civil and political rights he became one of their most severe critics.  From his latest utterances upon that subject it was clear to those who heard what he said that the colored Americans merited nothing that had been said and done in their behalf, but nearly everything that had been said and done against them.  Why there had been such a radical change in his attitude upon that subject, has been an inexplicable mystery.  The only explanation that I have heard from the lips of some of his former friends and admirers was that it was in the nature of an experiment,—­the expectation being that it would give him a sensational fame throughout