The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-15
EX-SENATOR CHASE.


We had intended to express our deep regret
at the retirement Of Mr.. Chase from position
which he has adorned and in which he has
won the respect of every member of the Senate,
but the following editorial from the New York
Erening Post, so happily touches on many
points that had occurred to us, that we adopt it
as our own:
SENATOR CHASE.
Among the changes which have taken place
in the composition of the next Congress, most
OF which, we are happy to say, are for the bet
ter there are some which we cannot but great
ly regret. Of this kind is the failure to reelect
Mr.. Chase, of Ohio, to the United States Senate.
whose place is ill-suppled by Mr. Pugh q man
not at all distinguished by character and capacity
from the rabbe of members whose votes, in the
Congress which recently closed, passed the Ne
braska bill. If the election of Senator by the
Ohio Legislature could have been held under
such circumstances as to make it fair express
sion OF the popular will, that is to say, if the
choice had been made by a Legislature elected
after the passage ofthe Nebraska bill, Mr.. Chase
would have been returned to the Senate by a
large ma ority.
We are sorry to lose Mr.. Chase from the
Senate, not merely on account of the ability
shown by him in the discussion of the import
ant questions which have lately agitated the
Union, and the unhinching courage with which
he has maintained what we esteem the right
view oil those questions, but also on account of
the confidence we had learned to place in him
whenever other matters of importance were
brought before the Senate. We shall miss his
| eloquence in the debates of that body, the cour-
tesy and dignity which graced the part he bore
In them, and his conscientious abstinence from
appeals to the prejudices of the day but, more
than this, we shall miss the right-mndedness
winch made 1t a pleasure to watch his public
conduct and observe his votes. On the subject
Oh Slavery his course was predetermined. He
was pledged to a certain policy, and we wanted
no security for his vote. 1t was in regard to
controversies on other topics that we had most
occasion to admire his course. While other
Members of Congress, whom we esteem, hesitated
ana doubted, lost their way, and allowed them
selves to be seduced into the support of schemes
devised for the emoluments of individuals, Mr.
Chase brought with him to Congress well-settled
principles of legislation, which made his duty
plain to him in all cases of this kind and neither
tear nor the hope of favor has ever induced him
to desert them. We could always rely on his
vote In favor of liberal commercial legislation
we could always count on his opposition to a
corrupt or an extravagant appropriation we
could always depend upon his cooperation to
restrain the action of the Federal Government
within its proper sphere. We know of no mem.
Der OF Congress whose votes and speeches show
more conscientious and steady reference To
sound principles of legislation He has never
been prevented from voting right by the appre
hension of being misunderstood. Notin SIMPLE
instance has that powerful external pressure.
which at Washington SO often sways the vote
OF the two Houses, been able to crowd him from
the ground which his own honest Convictions
prompted him to take.
Furlty OF intention is not enough in a public
man must be accompanied by decided views
OF pubic duty as well as by inAexible frmness-
Inc man who has false and confused notions
OF now he ought TO act in public station, or
who is naturally irresolute, often does as much
mischief as if he were absolutely corrupt. The
clearness and consistency of his views, and the