The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-12
Secretary Chase and the Presidency.
Secretary Chase has written the following
letter to friend of his in Ohio;-

leGleT 10 u IIleU0 Oh Ills Ill OnlQs-
WASHINGTON, March S, 1884.
MY DEAR SIR-ln reply to friendly letter from you
wrote you briefly not long ago about the wishes, OK
pressed by many, that my name might DO iavorably
dent and closed by saying that. should our friends
Ohio manifest preference for another, should accept
who been already trusted and honored By them be-
yond merit expectation.
lature indicates such preference. It becomes my duty
therefore-and count 1t more privilege than duty
to ask that further consideration be given my
1t was never more important than that all
efforts and all energies should he devoted 10 the sup
preston Of the rebellion and to the restoration
and prosperity solid and foundations Of Union
freedom and impartial justice; and earnestly urge all
with whom my counses MAJ have weight, to allow
thing divide them while this great work. III comparison
with which persons and even parties are nothing re-.
mains unaccomplished Cordially your friend,
Hon. JAMES C. HALL Senate Chamber. Columbus, Ohio
For several reasons we very greatly doubt
the sincerity of this letter. In the first place,
Mr.. Chase's friends in Congress and upon the
press urge his claims more vehemently now
than ever before. Senator Pomeroy did 80 in
q speech in tho Senate on Thursday last. The
Tribune of yesterday came out for Chase DE-
cidedly. This makes the letter look like a
feint.
In the second place, Secretary Chase is
shrewd enough to know that the people are
more apt to elect q Presidential candidate who
seems to decline the honor modestly than
man who appears to seek for it ardcntly. His
injudicious friends have recently placed him in
the latter position, and now he endeavors to
escape from it aud assume no'o episcopari at
titude. Doubtless he was moved to this deci-
sion by our article upon the magnanimity OF
III:
minatiOn.
In the third place, Secretary Chase has q
keen eye to the main chance. He knows that,
if he now declares himself candidate against
Lincoln, he pust in honor retire from the Cabi-
net. To do this is to relinquish all chance Of
success. So long as he remains in the Cabinet
he can use all the patronage Of the Treasury
Department to advance his fortunes, and con-
sequently he clings to bis portfolio; and while
protesting to withdraw from the field he is
secretly stirring up his friends to demand the
retraction of his withdrawal, thus developing
his strength by strategical retirement.
For these reasons we must decline to take
Secretary Chase at his word and count him out
of the contest. To us his letter reads more like
TcpTOdCu 70 Ills OutO lOliOWeTS lOr allowing the
Legislature of that State to "indicate a prefer
ence" for Mr.. Lincoln than like final surrender
of his claims upon the party. But, il Chase
has Withdrawn, 1t becomes question whether
he will now support Lincoln or Fremont. If
the former, what was the price paid' If the
latter, then we have the same irrepressible con-
fict in new form in the republican ranks.
The salmon is queer fish, very shy and very
wary. Often it appears to avoid the bait just
before gulping 1t down; and even after il is
hooked ii has to be allowed plenty Of line
and must be "played' carefully before It can
be safely landed. Some of the characteristics
Of the salmon also distinguish Mr.. Salmon p.
Chase. He first boldly approaches the Presi
Dental hook lin confidential conversational,
then nibbles at It lin tho Pomeroy circular),
then toys With 1t lin his correspondence with
Lincoln), and now turns away from 1t with
well feigned disgust Tin the above letter. and
swims OF briskly. BY and by, however, we
shall see him leap at it Tin the Baltimore Con-