The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-07-04


trials in of the courts except the Marine Court until
the nrst Monday in October
E1.Secretary Chase and HIS SUCCESSOR
The Political Situation.
ExSecretary Chase is pretty consistent
man. He followed the example Of the rebel
Memminger in bis financial policy, and as soon
AS Memminger resigned Mr. Chase took the
hint and resigned also. He was the Mephis-
topbeles Of the Cabinet. He intrigued Came
ron out of Office, and had Stanton appointed
in order to remove Mcclellan. He prevented
Dupont from capturing Charleston, after the
brilliant victory at Hilton Head, 80 that he
might marguerite his free negro schemes in
South Carolina. The Tribune calls him great
statesman, and compares him to Clay, Webster
and Calhoun; but, SO far from resembling these
open, honest, able men, Chase was mere in.
triguer. He grossly neglected and mismanaged
bis ewn department, while he pepetually
busted himself with other departments Of the
government His resignation was hailed with
general rejoicings, mingled with sincere regrets
him.
AS soon as Mr.. Chase offered his resignation
the President gladly accepted il, aud selected
Ex-Governor Tod, Of Ohio, as his successor.
Gov. Tod would doubtless have made very
bad Secretary Of the Treasury. He knows
no more Of finances than post His sole re-
commentator to President Lincoln, az we un-
derstand it, was that he todd q better story
than any other man In the Buckeye State. 1t
may be accepted as q general rule that no
Western man comprehends the difficult and
delicate problems Of national fnancisring,
and certainly Tod is not an exception to the
rule. Fortunately, however, the Ex-Governor
faAncial management. With q discourtesy 30
unusual ~ to be remarkable, the Senate prac-
tically refused to confirm bis appointment and
sent a committee to induce Old Abe to nomi-
nate somebody else. The result was that the
Presidents backbone gave way for the hun
dredth time. Gracefully yielding to the de-
mands OF the Senators, he requested Mr.. Tod
to decline the position, and appointed Mr..
Fessenden the very next morning. The Senate
confirmed Mr.. Fessenden in precisely two
minutes, thus showing that the matter had been
prearranged. The fact is that the Senators had
tue game in their own hands, and could have
continued to refuse to confirm the appointments
until Old Abe nominated the man they desired
They had then, and they have still, the power
TO compel him to reconstruct his whole Cabi-
net.
Mr. Fessenden is q very able man. He Is
named after William Pitt, the great Englisl
ioancier, and, ifthere be any virtue in a name,
be may adopt William Pitts financial ideas. 1t
is true that this is hypothetical and nominal
merit; but the fact that Cbasc's silly Gold bill
was repealed on the same day Of Mr. Fcssenden's
appointment gives US more 81 bstantal grounds
for entertaining some hopes OF him. AS the
chairman Of the Finance Committee OF the
Senate, be has endorsed Chases plans to a GER
tain extent but this may have been the result
Of bis ideas Of his duty as . supporter Of the
adm nstration rather than the result OF his own
. carry out these plans, as Chase would have
done, be will make as bad middle AZ Chase
would have made; but il he strikes out boldly
for himself and bases his operations upor
sound financial maxims, he may yet rescue u,
| from the slough OF despond into which his pre-
| decessor has inveigled us. At any rate, he can
not do much worse than Chase, and q new mar
is likely to adopt a new system. Upon thi.
probability we venture to think well O
Fessenden; for our fervent patriotism
and our sanguine temperament will no
permit US 10 despair Of the republic
while single chance remains. But we believe
that Mr.. Fessenden ought to Insist upon
thorough reconstruction Of the present quarrel
acme and discordant Happy Family before
he finally accepts the Treasury portfolio. Il
he does not insist upon this preliminary he vii
inherit Cbase's squabbles and sacrifice himself
to President LincoIn's happy-go.lucky dispo
sition.
Had President Lincoln been possessed o
the slightest sense Of his responsibility to thu
country, or Of the requirements Of the crisis
he would baN eized upon the occasion o
Chase's reaen 70 barmonize his Cabine
and conform u to the sentiments Of the people.
General Dix should have been - Secretary o
the Treasury, General MoClella6should have re
placed stupid stanton as Secretary Of War, sut
Admiral Dupont should have been called to The
Navy Department, now disgrsced by sleepy
welles AID bis corrupt proteges. II is not to-
lats 70 SECURE Mcclellan and Dupont even now
II