Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-17
ExIyCHAsE.

Few have descended more rapidly IN
public estimation than Chief Justice
Chase. Nor has bis sudden downfall
any Of these compensations, such as wide
spread sympathy of the consciousness OF
untarnished reputation. which console
and sustain men IN the day of their ca.
lamity. He disappears from the poit.
zeal arena amid burst Of dsrslon and
disgust. His influence is gone; and, so
far as any additional preferment to high
office is concerned, he might as well be
really dead and buried.
The end of all his hopes-the ultima
thule of all his devious path the gilt
terlne prize which entranced his thoughts
was the White House in Washington.
With the head of fox and the heart of
= usurper. he planned for self aggran
dizement, and never hestated to join in
the hue and cry of any political organ
izatIon which seemed to DO moving in
The direction of his consuming desires
Every station Of honor, profit. or trust
in the whole Republic was merely a
point dappuy to his Interior ohject--aL
additional round in the ladder whose top
rested upon the Presidency. Even the
high and noble position of Chief Just CT
of the Supreme Court Of the United
States was prostitutsd into truinpery
instrument of self-exaltaton, where. with
his shoes smeared with the mire and
filth of the polluted byways he had been
treadlng. he stood irrevereutly upon the
bench once pressed By Marshall JAY.
and Story, reaching up eagerly on Zip
toe with nervous clutch at the
Presidential office. With an opportu-
nifty to crown his life with an enduring
judicial chaplet, he shaped his Official
decisions in the Interests Of bis ambltio..s
hopes. Where he might have gemmed Tia :
history of his tribunal with land mark
adjudications. seltl NO forever in behalf
of the hroadest and noblest rights OF hu
manity the most profound questions, he
left bias, k or else a blerred page IN
the Milligan case, he contributed an
opinion that was little more than a com
mon place brief--a boich. too, not above
the CAPACITY of country court SINISTER
This was not because be lacked brain,
but conscientious purpose. He penDed
the decision with his Thoughts concen
trated upon the idea Of avoiding unp"p
uari,y, and with deliberate considera
ton of tn influences it might have upon
his unhall0wed Presidential aspirations.
For the same reasons. Jefferson Davis
ha. been permitted to escape from iii"
clutches OF justice. The multifnrm de
laws in the trial Of that arch traitor were
but pretentions subter.uges of an unscru
pulous Ambitions, guaging all circumstan-
ces by the square and the pIummet OF
the Prpsden Ial Office. As presiding of
fer of the Senate, sitting as q court Of
Impeachment, to decide the most mo-
menluous issue ever submitted to that
body singly, he PLAYED political mou nte
bauk. AMI set on foot an intrigue to de-
stroy the Repuh!ca.. party, with which
he was openl, afhlating while secretly
stabbiug. In this his only object was to
agurandrze himself oy the work of dis
indignation. BY showing himself to be
the chief instrument in acquitting An
drew Johnson, he expected t. concillste
the Democracy; by bleaching from their
teaItv number Of the most prominent
Republicans he designed IT, divide. dis
.r.oi. and break up tho political Organ
cation of which he was regarded AS a
member. On The ruins hus created. he
pro :, ised himself the formation of q new
"A third party, with himself at its head
But the spontaneous outburst of scorn
and indignation, on the part of an out
ragged and betrayed people. hla-tei. as j"
one moment. all the deep laid plans and
cunning devices Of the treacherous Chief
| Justice.
Still intent upon his infatuation fnI
Pre-, dental honors. he plunged deeper
and deeper int" the reek'ng slnms aud
ces>pool. of political intrigue. H. begun
to play hide and seek with the Dem
ocratc party. Some of the shr"wd man
ayers Of that organization prsce've and
comprebended their opportunity. Sae-
ing their advantage. they begn;ed the
poor old deIuded trickstpr into belief
that he would ott.in the Tammanv nom
nation. while they were in reality usr
him as the cats paw to pull the roasted
ch-Stnuts out of the part,zan fire. As
soon as he had answered tier purpose
he was cast contemptuously aside. as
one losses ont of a win low the rind 81
a sucked orange. He lies in the last
stage. of modification, ready for sepnl
ture in his political grave. Dishonor"d
J self debauchsl. friendless. he goes to hi.
long home an example, of the calan;tous
disgraceful consequences of political pros
! titntion. Hhicnn0 ReDMblicQn.