The Governorship was the prize at stake.
In this matter there was no concealment of their purposes and intentions.

As soon as the Governor's legal advisers found out what the actual situation was, they saw it was useless to continue the fight.
Upon their advice, therefore, the Governor tendered his resignation, which was promptly accepted.

He then left the State never to return again.

If the impeachment proceedings had been instituted in good faith,--upon an honest belief that the chief executive had committed offenses which merited punishment,--the resignation would not have been accepted.

The fact that it was accepted,--and that, too, without hesitation or question,--was equivalent to a confession that the purpose of the proceedings was to get possession of the office.