Before the first ballot was announced, the name of Mr. Pennoyer was withdrawn and the vote of the State changed from Pennoyer to Sibley. When the Nebraska delegation was reached, Hon. C. J. Smyth, the chairman of the delegation, said:

Nebraska, grateful for the very high honor that has been conferred, is prepared to accept the result of the combined wisdom of this convention and is not willing to take any part in this contest.

The delegation did not vote upon any of the ballots until, at the conclusion of the fifth ballot, it was evident that Mr. Sewall had been nominated. Then the delegation announced sixteen votes for the nominee. The refusal to vote was in accordance with my expressed wish. As I did not myself take any part in the nomination of the candidate for Vice-President I thought it better that the delegation from Nebraska should also decline to participate, lest the vote of the delegation might be considered an expression of my preference.

During the progress of the second ballot Governor Stone announced that the Missouri delegation had no authority to present the name of Mr. Bland, and that therefore Missouri divided her vote among other candidates. Before the result of the second ballot was announced, Hon. Amos Cummings read the following dispatch:

Meadville, Pa., July 11th. Hon. Amos Cummings: Please do not permit my name to be presented. I so instructed my friends yesterday. Joseph C. Sibley.

At the conclusion of the third ballot Governor Stone obtained recognition and said:

I desire, on behalf of Missouri, and as the friend of Mr. Bland, to express to you our grateful appreciation of your kindness. I am now in receipt of a telegram from Mr. Bland, in which he says substantially that he would deem it unwise and impolitic to nominate both candidates from the west side of the Mississippi River. He directs me to say that the nomination of Mr. Bryan has his warm and hearty approval, and he thinks the nomination for the VicePresidency should be made with one object alone in view, and that is of strengthening the ticket. Accordingly, he directs me to say that he wishes his name withdrawn from the consideration of this convention for that purpose. During the progress of the fourth ballot, Mr. Long, of Ohio, obtained the floor and said:

Two telegrams have been received by the Ohio delegation from Mr. McLean. They state substantially what I stated here in the opening-that he is not a candidate, but that you may have the exact words, I read his telegram. He speaks for himself and for the Ohio delegation: "Any vote cast for me for Vice-President is against my expressed wish and without my authority. Please so announce to the convention." That is Mr. McLean's, not the Ohio delegation's, statement.