The New York herald., 1864-10-18

wars among lot OF mock republics, and
annual elections therein at the point of the
bayonet, after the South American fashion.
This is the peace which the rebel Vice Pres-
dent proposes; the peace which that model
Quaker, the Hon. Ben Wood heartily en-
dorses, and the peace which is advocated,
through the World newspaper, by Messrs. Bel
mont and Barlow, to advance tire cause Of
General Mcclellan. At this rate 1t cannot be
long before he will discover that he has been
betrayed aud sold in the house of his profess
ing friends.
Who Shall Be the Next CHIEF Justice or
the United Stntess
The question as to who shall be the sue
cessor to Chief Justice Taney is now before
Mr.. Lincoln and the country, and upon the
answer to be given to it by the President
will in great measure depend the solution
Of the political contest in which we are now
engaged. 1t is for Mr.. Lincoln to prove by the
selection he will make that he is able to rise to
the necessities of the crisis now upon us; and
that, upon great occasion such as this he can
remember that, while he was nominated and
elected as the standard bearer Of party, he
was sworn into office by the late Chief Justice
Taney as the President of the United States.
He must allow no considerations of mere party
expediency to influence his choice; but must
select, after mature and conscientious refec-
ton, the very ablest and fittest man in the ma.
ton to fill this most important post. Both
houses of Congress and the Presidency are
transient in their nature, but the Office of Chiei
Justice is Office for life; and from the highest
seat on the bench of the highest court in the
land, the action both Of the legislative and ex-
ecutive branches Of the government may be
overruled in any particular by judicial de-
cision that such action is against the letter or
spirit of the constitution. 1t may, therefore,
be asserted that no question Of graver I'm
poriance than the appointment of a successor
to Judge Taney can be brought before the ma
tional Chief Magistrate at the present time for
his solution in the interests Of the country.
Of candidates for the place there are
many; but four names are most prominently
pressed and mentioned as likely to receive the
vacant ermine. These are Salmon p. Chase, of
Ohio; Edwin N. Stanton, Of Pennsylvania;
VIM. M. Evarts, Of New York, aud Reverdy
Johnson, Of Maryland-the President, it Is said,
being pretty equally balanced between the two
last named gentleman. AS to Mr. Chase, il our
information be correct, the public need feel no
uneasiness, Mr.. Lincoln having replied some
few days ago to q delegation who were urging
Mr.. Chase's appointment to the chief Justice
ship, that, "until he and Chase were created
over again by the Almighty, they could never
come together" If this quotation be correct,
as we have every reason to believe it to be, the
is out of the question; and the conservative
men Of the country need feel no apprehension
of the calamities which could not but ensue if
30 violent and bigoted a partisan were pitch
fsrked into that seat most requiring calm aud
catholic judgment, vast legal attainments and
experience, and the possession Of those grand
qualities and virtues which made the lives of
Marshall and Taney so illustrious, and their de-
csions Of such worldwide acceptance.
Mr.. Stanton without fulfilling all tie require.
ments Of the Office, approximates much closer
TO the standard OF fitness than Mr. Chase. lie
is lawyer of deservedly high reputation; has
great energy, honesty and industry; possesses
independence of character and an infexb!e
will; is'of too stubborn material to be made
the tool, and Of too much penetration to be the
dupe Of any man or set OF men whatever. He
has large experience in the practice
and decisions Of the Supreme Court OF
the United States; and there yet fingers
in him SO much Of the old demo-
cratic leaven that, il made thoroughly
Independent Of party ties, we might not
unreasonably hope for general fairness and
impartality in his course and decisions. Last
but by no means least Of the arguments to be
urged in his favor is this: That if made Chief
Justice Of the United States be would cease to
be Secretary Of War, even without that "shel-
ling OUT process which-he long since declared
to be the only agency that could eject him from
bis present place. StRDtHp in the judicial
ermine and up to his 1lDows in law books,
would be just as picturesque and far more use
ful, than Stanton pouring over military maps
with cleaning spectaclos, and meddling in
affairs Of strategy which are beyond his CON-
preh ension.
VIM. M. Evsrts, of New York, is the permar
nent candidate Of the Hon. Henry J. Raymond,
Of the Times, chief fugleman Of the admins
tration and "my Lord Thurlow," Of Albany.
He is aniable, but utweak; Of great culture, but
no natural force Of character. In all the social
and professional aspects Of his life, we believe
him to present an unblemished record; but he
belongs to the past order Of things, and may be
said to have fosslllzed into his present convio-
tions before the great delugs Of the rebellion
which we are now struggling to put down.
Evidently the proper man for tho place IS
Senator Reverdy johnson, Of Maryland, whose
appointment would be substantial guarantee
10 the conservative opinion OF the country
that Mr.. Lincoln contemplates no unoonssItu-
tional aots Thoroughly loyal as he has proved