The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-08-01
The Dignity of Chief Justice Chase--Hii
Sense of PrOpriety.

Daniel Webster once said of one of the
chief justices who once adorned the bench of
the supreme court of the United States: -
when the spotless ermine of the judicial
robe fell on the shoulders of John Jay, it
touched nothing not as spotless as itself."-
The dignity and purity of old Chief Justice
Marshall, of Chief Justice fancy, also illus
trate and adorn our judicial history. But
how in contrast with the dignity and grave
decorum of these great men is the conduct Of
Mr.. Chief Justice Chase, since he came into
Office? His perambulatlons throughout the
south, recently, haranguing vagabond negro
mobs was sufficiently disgusting; but the
other day he still more thoroughly outraged
every sense of p-opriety and decency at Dart
mouth College, New Hampshire. The occa-
sion was the closing of the commencement
exercises of that renowned institution of
learning. The faculty, trustees and alumni
of the institution were present at the ban
quet; large body of grave and learne
men and when some alluson was made to
the chief justice, Mr.. Chase. being present,
addressed the learned gentlemen in speech,
from which we make the following extract
ssIt is my belief that reorg anization of the
country will De complete and permanent until ev-
cry man in it, of whatever cslor, is allowed to
vote. Theright of suffrage 10 right of freedom
and citizenship, and it must be granted to all
and to ali who have been made free by the course
and events of the war. 1t will be objected that
the negroes are not qualified to Bat my
observation, recently, assures me that they are
sufficiently rtellIgent. There are AL ong them or
81. rto liant
smiths, preachers, who very skillful and intel
ligent. AT least there 10 at the south, among the
colored men, real arIstocracy, an aristoc acy oil
nature. There those who are inteiiigen
enough to construct a ticket, and the others have
intelligence sufficient to vote it when it 10 put into
their hands. They can take the ticket you Civ,
them, and II they are unable TO tell the reason
why they vote it, they yet know enough to wall
nm To the ballot box and put it in. And thinl
that in about as much intelligence as those befor
me have think if should ask the reasons o
you why you voted as you did, you would not Civ
them. I think you. Mr.. President and Mr.. Elk
Presid emit, and you, gentlemen of the trustees
and these distinguished gentlemen here, coui,
not tell why they voted they did at the lat
election You found ticket ready made, an
YOU knew enough To GO to the ballot and deposl
it. You had no hand in making IT, and the col
ored men of the south can do az well az you hav
done. :,
And they are moral enough to be allowed tn
outrage They a very religious people an
most them belong to church, or II, a. Iien
suggested, that only members ola church Shout
he allowed 70 vote, that restriction should
made. they would all be members of ths churc
next week, and that, if it were not very mora
izing process, would be very speedy ana enect'
al oontcal one But they moral enough
be allowed this right. They have great mar
black preachers among them, who are now preac
ing The sanctty OF marriage, and If they have b
little knowledge of the distraction between meu
and tuum, never having been taught it by the
late masters, yet these preachers are aow instruc
ing them in the rights of property. Therefore,
give them the ballot will be eminentiy right"