d "as indicating that
the reform movement, so far as it concerned New York, was virtually in
the hands of a set of political tricksters, who came here not for
reform, but for plunder."[1365]

[Footnote 1364: New York _Evening Post_, May 2, 1872.]

[Footnote 1365: _Ibid._]

Next to the "tricksters" the platform-makers embarrassed the
convention. It was easy to recognise the equality of all men before
the law, to pledge fidelity to the Union, to oppose the re-election of
the President, to denounce repudiation, to demand local
self-government for the Southern States, to ask "the immediate and
absolute removal of all disabilities imposed on account of the
rebellion," and to favour "a thorough reform of the civil service;"
but for a tariff reform assemblage to frame a resolution which the
apostle of protection could accept required great patience and
persistence. The vexatious delay became so intolerable that delegates
insisted upon making a ticket before adopting a platform. Cochrane
bitterly opposed such a resolution since Greeley's candidacy, if not
his support of the movement, depended upon the convention's attitude
on the tariff. Indeed, not until the committee on resolutions had
accepted what the editor himself dictated was the knotty point finally
settled. "Recognising," said the platform, "that there are in our
midst honest but irreconcilable differences of opinion with regard to
the respective systems of protection and free-trade, we remit the
discussion of the subject to the people in their congressional
districts and to the decision of Congress thereon, wholly free from
executive interference or dictation."

Although the resolution was out of keeping with the spirit of the
movement, it seemed proper to pay this extortionate price for
Greeley's support, since his conspicuous championship of protection
made it impossible for him to acquiesce in any impairment of that
doctrine; but the advantage that such a concession gave his candidacy
appears not to have occurred to the leaders who embodied whatever of
principle and conviction the convention possessed. Indeed, no scheme
of the managers contemplated his nomination. To many persons Greeley's
aspiration took the form of "a joke."[1366] Nor was his name seriously
discussed until the delegates assembled at Cincinnati. Even then the
belief obtained that after a complimentary vote to him and other
favourite sons, Adams would become their beneficiary. But the work of