They soon found out to their entire satisfaction that it was not to be a judicial trial, but a political one and that the jury was already prepared for conviction without regard to the law, the Constitution, the evidence, or the facts.

Governor Ames was to be convicted, not because he was guilty of any offense, but because he was in the way of complete Democratic control of the State Government.
Personally they had nothing against Ames.

It was not the man but the office they wanted, and that they were determined to have.

They knew he had committed no offense, but, as matters then stood, being a Republican was an offense which justified removal from office.

To punish him otherwise, for anything he had done or failed to do, did not at any time enter into their calculations.