Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-22
NATIONAL INTELLlGENCER.
MR.. CHAsE'S VIEWS.

cred by Mr.. Secretary CHASE during MS i'0on'
tour to the West Whatever is uttered by tne us.
tineuished Secretary is sure to find attentive ana
interested readers as well because of the ability ne
brings to the discussion of public questions as Of
the eminent position he. holds IN the eyes oil the
whole country at the present Junciure.
Significant for what they contain, the recent
speechts of Mr. Chase are equally significant for
what they omit. In the discussions which Rave
been lately joined on most important topic OF
administrative poll y in regard to the conduct OF
the war, it has been popularity supposed that Mr.
Chlse was among the adherents of the extreme
dogma which looks to the extinction of State lines
in the nsurgent district and to the reconstruction
of Southern society and institutions under the
directing and controlling power OF the Federal
Government, according to the programme marked
out by Mr.. Solicitor Whiting and Mr.. Senator
Sumner It will be seen that in his recent public
addresses Mr.. Chase gives no countenance to any
such doctrine, and when we take into account the
known earnestness with which he holds all his polti
cal opinions and the courage with which he avows
them it is safe to assume that his views on this
topic have been miscor cfived, and therefore mis-
represented, by those who would desire to bring
the weight Of his name to the defence of theory
which they iud it impossible to maiatain or vindi
cate BY argument As far as Mr.. Chase gives any
intimaton of his convictions this subject we
understand him to have taken position which,
BY necessary implication, places him in antagonism
tothe policy in question. In his speech at Indian
apolis he said:
"You have had al the objects of the frequently and
ably sed before YOU ard shall attempt to 60
ttel to-day will simply say that are engaged
III struggle for the integrity Of the Repubic-ior the
very life 81 the greatest nation ever established upon THIS
glcbt-a struggle upon which depends the question OF
whether the civilization which forefaiheN planted
ehs rmni4 10 all future generations example to the
void III in time pas This not war OF conquest but
the question Involved it ia whether our dear country,
the country ol fathers and the heritage OF our chill
dre tie country that embraces in II all that dear TO u.s.
shall i've or perish"
1t has been supposed by some, says Judge
Sprague in the case Of the Amy " arwick, that if
the Government have the rights of a bclligcrent,
then, after the rebellion is suppressed, it will
have the rights Of conquest; that State and its
inhabitants may be permanently Invested of all
political privileges and treated foreign territory
acquired by arms" But this, odds the Judge, sis
an error a grave and dangerous error. Under
our Government the night Of sovereignty over
any portion OF a State IN given and limited by
the Constitution, and will be the same after the
wer 81 it was before When the United States
take possession Of any rebel district they luire
no new title, but merely vlndcate that which pre-
yiou.ly existed, and are TO do only what is neces-
sary for that purpose" Mr. Chase obviously takes
the same view of the matter when he says tha.
this is /" not war Of conquest"
But still more interesting is the declaration of
the honorable Secretary when he says that it would
have been extremely agreeable to him if we
could have suppressed the rebellion without dis
turbing the Institution of slavery To this effect
he says in tic speech delivered at Cincinnati
wnnld be very glad myself if could have stricken
this rebellion down IN the frat six months Sometimes
thought it might have been done but it has turned out
that could not and the war has gone on with vary
was Que Of the most natural things the world that
when The began We should want to get through 1t
without disturbing the institution ot slavery"
And a. when this rebellion commenced 1t would have
been ex remedy agreeable If could have put
foot upon the snake mean the rebeIo-and crushed
il without any further trouble. But white greatly de-
sired thst-sud hsd been generalo-chiel should have
attempted in awkward kind If way, to accomplish
lt-stl we all know tie rebellion went and assumed
greater and greater proportions
He then proceeds to explain that the President
did not strike at slavery" until, in the progress
of events it was perfectly clear that we had to
strike at this under-prop of the rebellion" 1t is
on this ground alone that the Secretary defends
the "proclam alton of freedom" lie says:
1--WE put greater ard greater armies in the fed, but
the population in the South wa, the real prop OF the
Notwithstanding provisions for the army while the army
Was xhting in the f-l tba they could send almost
their whole white aboring population into the battle field
and they bad another aborng population behind them to
feed and support them Aud therefore 1t appeared evil
dent espt ciay had to depend upon blacks in the
South for information for armies and that the whole
popnson was so far demorazed that they the only
friends our armies could find when they passed through
seemed ssy perfectly clear that We had to strike at this
under-pr Of the rebellion.
" Aud 10 when President Lincoln thought ht to issue
his proclamation, said amen Wi all my heart IL was
never intended interfere with States that loyal
This proc maon up great feature in this
In my Judgment the procaBa ion the right thing in
the right place aud without IL Just sure as am
of my own existence that could have made the pro-
gress we have made: And hold that the v no de.
nouncs the proclamation either speaks gnoranty fpf
about that of which he knows little nothing or else he
really desires that the r. belon should succeed There il
no alte the rebellion would have succeeded bat for
the PROCLAMATION IT. then opposes the proclama ion
he Oppose because he does not understand IT, because
be wishes the rebellion IL succeed"
Here we have several propositions which it is
interesting to suslyze, because for want Of dis
elimination in the of words, equally loyal men