The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-07
PRESIDENTIAL GOSSIP.
Extract from a Washington letter to a
Cincinnati paper.


Mr.-Chase's- prospects, u-it-was asked
whether he could carry the Ohio vote
In a National Convention? Eggleston
said he couldn't speak for the whole
State. but he knew of one District
Chase couldn t carry-and that | sup
pose was the First. It was generally
conceded that as a choice second to
Grant, Ohio would vote for Wade,
and that Wade's friends, whatever
else they might do, would see to il
that Chase wasn't nominated; they
would unite with anybody else's
friends to beat him at any rate.
Thus much, Mr.. Editor, for an in.
terview between a few of the know
ing ones as early as January last,
from which you will perceive that
General Grant had then made up his
mind to be President. True, there is
a little of the Cesarian style of put
ting away the crown" about Grant S
response to Eggleston's. plain ques-
ton, but a hint from Grant is equal
to a declaration from any body else,
and so it may be set down as a fixed
fact that the hero of Vicksburg is to
be the next President of the United
States. Chase's friends are undis-
mayed, however, and will not give up
the contest until their candidate is
beaten Ia the National Convention.
The ring" is already formed. As
the initial step in the programme,
Mr.Richard Parsons, who, as be-
tween Chase Eandethe Lord, serves the
former first and best, has been called
to Washington and installed as Mar
shall of the Supreme Court, nominal
ly, but really as head center of the
Chase ring. All the appointments
under the Bankrupt Act have been
intrusted to his care; and mark it,
Horatio," none but good Chase men
will be appointed, and from each and
every register good account is ex-
pected when the day of reckoning
shall come, next Summer. There are
some who believe Mr.. Chase ought to
be content where he is. Perhaps he
ought, but he isn't. Soon after his
appointment as Chief Justice. Mr..
Lincoln was speaking to Ben. Wade,
expressing his surprise that he did not
appear to settle down on the bench
and be quiet" 8 Settle down." says
Ben, if you sent him to heaven he
wouldn't settle down. He'd want to
be archangel first, and when he got
tlat he'd reach for the Almighty'sI
throne" The misfortune with Chase
is that he never surrounds himself
with men who can do him any good.
He hasn't a friend In Ohio, they say,
who can control single Congression-
al district John Sherman is probably
his best bottle-holder-but Johns
influence is on the wane, and now
that every male relation of his of
eighteen years and upward isin office
under the Federal Government, he is
becoming sort O. careless, and doesn't
take that deep interest in politics that
he did a few years ago. The bait of
Secretary of the Treasury is held out
to him, but it's questionable whether
he would change seat in the Senate
for it. Jay Cooke and the National
banks are the main stay of the Chase
ring, and have promised to furnish j
the sinews of war as called upon.
Then comes Ben. Wade, who, if
Grant were out of the way, would be I
undoubtedly the most formidable of
all the Republican candidates. He
is backed by the leading Radicals in 1
the Senate, as is evident from the al 4
most unanimous vote by which he
was. chosen President of the Senate, 4
as against Fessenden. Chandler as
sures him of the Michigan delegation,
and agrees to furnish the needful to
offset the National Bank levy in favor
of Chase. The tariff men of New
will rally to his support and
raise all the money required for the
campaign if necessary; for Wade has
but one rule in voting on tariff bills,
and that is to go in for the highest
figures, whether they be ten per cent /
or a hundred per cent. Forney last
Winter called on Wade, and assured
him of the Pennsylvania vote, in
preference to any other man, even
Grant himself Exactly who author. /
lied j. w. f. to do this, is not appa-
rent, and if we are to take the vote of
the Pennsylvania Legislature in the
the. proprietor of the . two papers,
both daily, doesn't stand very high
In the Republican party of that State.
But the question is settled, and
what's the use of discussing probable
candidates? Colfax was bamboozled
by few. crazy fellows into the belief
that he had chance, and the poor
little man has been worrying himself
nigh unto death ever since. He
has been writing to the Fenians about
Vinegar Hill; to the Christians about
the happy land to the Jews about
Jerusalem; to the Baptists in favor
of immersion; to the Calyarists in !
favor Of hell FIRE; to the Catholics In !
favor of the Pope. and to the Radicals
hallelujah for the nigeersa i Aid assif