The Liberal Republican National Convention was simply a huge mass-meeting, with nearly all of the States of the Union represented, and it was boiling over with go-as-you-please independence in politics. Stanley Matthews, afterward made Supreme Judge, was temporary president, and although he denounced the Grant administration in his opening speech as a monument of corruption, he soon thereafter bolted Greeley and supported Grant. Carl Schurz was made permanent president. The contest for President was evidently narrowed down to Adams and Greeley. I voted on every ballot for Adams, with whom I had little sympathy, and three-fourths of the Pennsylvania delegation voted with me. On the 6th ballot Greeley was nominated by changes of votes after the ballot had been announced, but I did not change the vote of Pennsylvania until he had received a majority of the votes of the convention. The following are the ballots for President:
| First. | Second. | Third. | Fourth. | Fifth. | Sixth. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Francis Adams, Mass. | 203 | 243 | 264 | 279 | 258 | 324 | |
| Horace Greeley, New York | 147 | 245 | 258 | 251 | 309 | 332 | |
| Lyman Trumbull, Illinois | 110 | 148 | 156 | 141 | 81 | 19 | |
| B. Gratz Brown, Missouri | 95 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | |
| David Davis, Illinois | 92 | ¹⁄₂ | 75 | 41 | 51 | 30 | 6 |
| Andrew G. Curtin, Pennsylvania | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Salmon P. Chase, Ohio | 2 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | — | — | 24 | 32 |
Mr. Greeley’s nomination was made unanimous, and the convention proceeded to ballot for Vice-President as follows:
| First. | Second. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| B. Gratz Brown, Missouri | 237 | 435 | |
| Lyman Trumbull, Illinois | 158 | 175 | |
| George W. Julian, Indiana | 134 | ¹⁄₂ | — |
| Gilbert C. Walker, Virginia | 84 | ¹⁄₂ | 75 |
| Cassius M. Clay, Kentucky | 34 | — | |
| Jacob D. Cox, Ohio | 25 | — | |
| John M. Scoville, New Jersey | 12 | — | |
| Thomas W. Tipton, Nebraska | 8 | 3 | |
| John M. Palmer, Illinois | — | 8 | |
The following platform was unanimously adopted:
The administration now in power has rendered itself guilty of wanton disregard of the laws of the land, and of usurping powers not granted by the Constitution; it has acted as if the laws had binding force only for those who were governed, and not for those who govern. It has thus struck a blow at the fundamental principles of constitutional government and the liberties of the citizen.
The President of the United States has openly used the powers and opportunities of his high office for the promotion of personal ends.
He has kept notoriously corrupt and unworthy men in places of power and responsibility, to the detriment of the public interest.
He has used the public service of the Government as a machinery of corruption and personal influence, and has interfered with tyrannical arrogance in the political affairs of States and municipalities.
He has rewarded with influential and lucrative offices men who had acquired his favor by valuable presents, thus stimulating the demoralization of our political life by his conspicuous example.