Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-11-01
Chief Justice Chase

The Cincinnati Commercial has the fol-
lowing commentary on the result of the re-
cent election in that State. It's incidental
revelations of the views and sentiments of
Chlef Justice Chase will be read with gen.
eral interest:
JtdQe Chase and The Presidlencn MANY
| of our Conservative and some of our Radi
cal exchanges have made proclamation
since the Ohio election that the defeat of
the Republican party in this State-for the
loss of the constitutional amendment and
OF the Legislature constitutes substantially
deteat-ends now and forever the Presi-
dental prospects of Judge Chase. Perhaps
It's does, but there are some points of fact
that should be considered, and we propose
to name them, In the hope of producing
wholesome reflection. In the first place,
Notwithstanding the great reputation as
Radical that Judge Chase has, he is, in
temperament and convictions, one of the
most truly conservative men in the country.
He was the first public man after the close
of the war and the death of Lincoln to call
the attention of the President to the only
| sOlld basis of reconstruction-that is the
enfraDchlsement of verybody-suffrage for
all slaves, amnesty for all rebels, with, per-
maps, half dozen named exceptions. That
is what we must come to. The wisest men
of all parties have admitted it. The policy
is that of Judge Chase, and was urged upon
PRESIDENT johnson some tirle before the
date OF the North Carolina proclamation.
AS Tor the schemes of vengeance in the
form OF the confscation of the lands of
Southern white men, and their division
among the blacks, Judge Chase discounte
nances them entirely. The notion that
Congress should seize upon the President
and thrust him, with blows and maledic-
t1ons, out OF office, has never been encour-
aged by Judge Chase. On the contrary,
1t was his opinion that no little mischief
was done during the late political campaign
by the wild threats of summary impeach-
ment that were freely made
Judge Chase is held responsible for the
presentation OF the negro suffrage issue in
ONO during the last campaign. He never
urged 1t. He recognized the fact that whilo
IN the Southern States, where the great
body of loyalists were black, negro suffrage
was demanded by considerations of the
public safety, no such demand was made
in the North; and that the Southern whites
might, IN great degree, have their preiu-
dlces conquered by coupling suffrage with
amnesty, while there was no such induce.
ment IN the North to make application Of
the Golden Rule.
We do not see that it can be Justly claim
ed that Judge Chase was especially defeat
ed in the failure of the constitutional
amendment. That amendment was en-
barrassed by a clause DISTINGUISHING two
classes of persons, and that was opposed to
his policy. He was solicitous, as the issue
was before the people of Ohio, that it
should be decided in favor Of the enfran-
chlsement of the negro, as it would at any
time be easy to remove the restriction pro-
posed upon rebels and deserters.
AS to those committed to this doctrine
of negro suffrage, nine-tenths of the Re
publican party of Ohio are committed to it
as decidedly as Judge Chase is. If he is to
be discrimiuated against on account of his
principles, SO are they. Do they propose
that the one-tenth are to be made the ru-
iers over the entire household, or shall the
majority rule
Injurious imputations have been cast
upon Judge Chase i'll connection with the
national banks. To be sure, he established
them, and they who do not know that he
did SO under a national pecuniary neces-
sity, and that he accomplished the great
object of establishing uniformity of cur
rency, and Of giving the Government COM
mand of the currency that it needed and that
was OF very great utility, are but ill-in-
formed. The banks are to be dealt with
now under different circumstances. No
doubt the national banking system needs
revision and adaptation to the changed sit
uation of the country. We presume it is
better than dozen irresponsible systems
would be, and that we would do well, in
process Of reformation, not to destroy it.
On the greenback question, as it is called,
| Mr.. Chase has been held responsible for
the administration of the Treasury Depart
ment since he left it. We may say on this
point that he is not in favor of the payment
of the national debt in greenbacks as pri-
mary proposition, nor ishe in favor of Sec
retary McCulloch's policy of forcing re-
sumption of specie payments by reducing
the volume of the currency. His policy
would be to settle the affairs of the coun-
try, reduce ine expenses Of the Govern
ment, spread abroad with amnesty an en-
! franchisement confidence, peace, and good
will : and thus to ipyigorate the public
credit and make the greenbacks as good as
gold, when the question of payment of the
national debt is at once solved, as it be-
comes matter of Indifference to both bond
holder and taxpayer whether it is paid in
| gold or greenbacks. The song Of the APP
pomattox apple tree is, we suppose, much
more than sufficient answer to these sug-
gestions but principles and statesman
ship, embodied with the largest public eX-
perience and the highest intellectual gifts,
may not be SO inexpedient after all.
| Conservative Reward.
JEr:ll;o,, ~,