Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-16

A:.s,
and continued to occupy the Gubernato:sai
Chair Of his State till the inauguration oil Gov
ernor Boucke, in lS43.
The course of Mr.. Seward, rs Governor oil
New York, is we'll known to the country. In
his canvass in the fall Of 1888, he expressed
sentiments but little less objectionable than
those uttered at the same time by Tappan,
Garrison, and the other leaders Of the original
abolition party. AS Governor Of New York,
the people of Virginia have abundant reason 10
know that he gave practical Illustration o.
the "higher law" doctrine, which he suose-
quently proclaimed to the world. His reiasa'
in 1910 to deliver up n fugitive, upon Inc Ut
mand of Virginia, created no little controversy
and excitement ct the time, and is stu ire
ouently referred to rs u matter of history
From that day till the present, his whole course
has been consistent, a bitter and an unresent-
ing war upon the rights and institutions oil the
South. AS the Louisville Courier" in ate
issue, very appropriately says:
"The honor of first proclailning the lire,
pressible Conflict is divided between hun ana
Mr.. Lincoln, but to the new Secretary oil STATE
is the credit generally awarded by the Aooil,
tionists. He has openly expressed his belief
in the Higher Law, and stands the repre-
sentative man in America Of the 'lrrepresSoIe
Conflict against slavery. When the SuonnS-
sionists Of the South claim that tho new Pre-
mier is conservative-that he is disposed 10
yield anything to the just demands OF the
South-theY do so in the face oil his whole
public record. There is not in all he mas uohe
or anything he has said the slightest evidence
of disposition to do justice or conctde equaii-
ty to the slaveholaing States Onthe contrary,
believing in the Higher Law and having en-
listed as soldier, Or in other words an actlTe
and professional fighter, in the conflict that
must be kept up between freedom and slavery
until one or the other shall be STIMULATED
throughout the country he believes The cause
of freedom has now triumphed and that his
friends have only to witness the early abolition
of slavery on the Continent. And whatever
Others may counsel, or others propose, 1t will
be found that Mr.. Stewards voice will be potent
to o7errule every suggestion that may be made
in the new Cabinet in favor OF any concession
to slavery, or looking to any surrender OF the
ultra doctrines upon which his party is founded.
There is no man in the Administration from
whom the people Of the slaveholding States
have as little to expect, or SO much to tear.
In the statements, views and suggestions oil
our Louisville contemporary, We heartily con-
cur. We cannot but wonder nj the ntatuat!on
of our Southern brethren, who with know
ledge Of his un,eceden,s and OF his present
position on tho slavery question, are ready to
welcome him to their bosons az peacemes-
senger with healing on his wings" The more
natural, logical, and safe conclusion Of South.
ern men is, that he ought to be viewed by
them as the scourge Of his country aud Of the
age in which he lives.
Salmon P. Chase, the second member Of the
Cabinet in position, talents and influence, is q
native Of New Hampshire. and is SO years Of
age. He has spent nearly the whole of his
active life in Ohio, in which State he passes
as the abest and greatest Of the present era,
of ill-feeling and Of banished statesmen. lie
was an aboitionist when it cost something to
be an abolitionist-when some Of his present
prominent associates would not have hesitated
to denounce him as fanatic, or traitor, or
both. More than twenty years ago, hc drew
the attention Of the public to an argument
made by him as counsel for fugitive from Ia.
Dor against the fugitive slave law Of 1853. In
1887 be appeared before the Supreme Court Of
Ohio, as counsel for James G. Birney, prose-
cuted for harboring fugitive slave. Subse.
quently, in newspaper article, he took the
same ground as TINT assumed in his legal argu-
ment In 1916 he was associated with William
H. Seward as defendant counsel in the case Of
Van Zant, before the Supreme Court Of the
United States In the speech he made on that
occasion, Mr.. Seward argued: THAT under
the ordinance 1857 no fugitive from justice
could be reclaimed from Ohio, unless there had
been an escape from one Of the original thir-
teen States and that slavery was 10 be left
exclusively to the several States WITHOUT SANG.
TON OR SUPPORT from TIE NATIONAL GOVERN
MEST"
In 1871, Mr.. Chase joined in call for a
Convention Of the opponents Of slavery and
slavery extension, which body assembled in
columbus short tilce thereafter and organ.
lied the old Liberty party" lie wrote the
address Of that Convention. In 1918, ne par
tcipated in a national antislavery Convention
held in Buffalo, New York. In 1847, he at
tended and actively participated in another ma.
tional Convention of like character. In 1848,
he was prominent member Of the Buffalo
Convention that nominated Van Buren, and
Adams. In 1919, he was elected to the Uni
ted States Senate by one Of the most disgrace
full coalitions that ever characterized the pro.
ceedings of legislative body. In 1856, he
was chosen Governor Of Ohio, and was re.elec-
ted to the same office in 1857. lie had just
been elected to the United States Senate for
the second time when he accepted the Cabinet
appointment rendered him by President Lin.
coin.
We need scarcely add to the foregoing nara,
tive, any opinion Of our own as TO Mr.. Chase's
status upon the vital question Of Southern IT.
situations.
Every reader will at oncc decide whether the
newly appointed Secretary OF the Treasury
should be viewed by Southern men as "an air
from Heaven or as blast from hell"
Mr.. Gid Wells the Secretary o! the Navy
is known to the country at large only by his
present introduction through Lincoln as one Of
the appendages of Seward aud Chase in the
work shop Of the Cabinet. Mr. Wells was once
the editor Of the Hartford Times, and was sub
Postmaster ct Hartford. Since s4S
he has been one Of the worst abolitionists in his
State.
Montgomery Blair, the Postmaster General,