The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-05-19
A New Party.
From the Pittsburgh Comm ercials Washing
tan Correspoldent.l
WASHINGTON, May II,

From the Pittsburgh Comm ercials Washing
ten Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May II, 1868.
The city has been alive for seyera
days with reports concerning the move
ment for the formation of a new party
with the Chief Justice at its head. Th
course of Messrs. Fessenden, Trunbul
and Henderson has been generally refer
red to that movcment-in fact, con
trolled by the shape they expected it t,
take. 1t can be stated that some o
those Republican papers which hav
taken the position that in the minds o
several prominent Senators, Senator
Wade stood diyectly in the way of i'm
peachment, have over-estimated tina
difficulty, and his prominence in con
nection with the future of the party ha
united several of those who do not lik'
him in the new party move. So far as
known, the first positive declaration o
the Chief Justice in this matter wa
made on Thursday of last week to 1
committee from a Democratic organiza
tion in Philadelphia. The committed
consisted of John Welsh, the Democrat
ic candidate against Judge Kelley, anG
Assessor Frazier, former Republican
who went into the Philadelphia Con
vention, subsequently, "swung rOune
the circle" with Johnson, and has since
acted with the Democrats. They ar
rived in the city on Wednesday, and
next day obtained an interview with
Mr.. Chase, when Frazier said:
"Mr. Chief Justice: We have called
upon you as members of the Citizens
C Conservative Association of Pennsylva'
MIA, of which Ex-Governor Johnston is
President, for the purpose of consulting
you in reference to the use of your
name as the Peoples Conservative can.
didate for the Presidency. We believe,
sir, that the mass of the American peo,
pie are now looking to you as the man
who is TO lead us out of the great diff
Guilty we are now in. The American
people are now instinctively turning to
you, that you may lead them to peace
and national prosperity. We believe,
Mr.. Chief Justice, that with you as the
standard bearer of all the people now
in opposition to the radically revolu-
tionary measures of the Republican par
ty, we can sweep the country from ocean
ts ocean. We hope, sir, you will give
this matter your favorable cons:dera-
ton, and will soon come to see that you
can serve your country much more etfi-
ciently as President of the United States
than in the Office you now fill with SO
much dignity and ability"
To this the Chief Justice replied sub
stantially as fellows: "Gentlemen l
am personally gratified to meet you and
make your acquaintance; nor am less
gratified for the kind feeling you cx-
press for me. But l must frankly say
to you my position as Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court forbids my entering
in politics, and | am thus debarred,
very properly so, from mingling in the
politics of the day. But Chief Justice
rs am, feel | am the servant Of the
people, and should they call me to pre-
side for four years over the destiny of
our country, doubtless would feel it
my duty to comply. Understand ME; l
am no candidate for the otlice-an office
that at best is anything but agreeable,
and one that at present is especially
vexatious and annoying"
TO this the Committee replied: "But,
Mr.. Chief Justice, alth.ugh you are not
a candidate for the Presidency, and are
doubtless averse to assuming SO great
responsibility; yet, sir, if the people
turn to you, as they certainly will, as
their great deliverer, do you not feel
that it would be your duty to help
them What we now want is peace
and prosperity, a complete and perma-
nent reconstruction of the South, for
until we have the South restored, we
-. have ne peace. Until we have ac-
tn. Sta,sesd Stlsssd complete restoration of
terests SIs OF vs OF tho South the business in
organized and iiilatTy- will continue dis
or later be our doom.a will sooner
The Chief Justice replied briefly that
he was in the hands of the people. AL
though not desiring the Presidency, yet
if the people called him to serve them
in a higher and more arduous sphere, he
would doubtless comply. He felt-per-
haps no man more keenly-the deplOra-
BILE condition of the country, and II
there was anything he could do to re-
store confidence, to bring peace with
all it's blessings, and calm the passions
of the people, that lie would freely do.
The Committee, after an hours inter
view, left expressing themselves as very
highly pleased. They soon after called
upon Senators Doolittle, Dixon and
others, and consulted upon taking i'm
msdiate steps to consolidate the conser-
vative elements of the country upon
the Chief Justice for the Presidency.
In this connection, it may be stated
that some ten days since the Chief JUS
tice stated to prominent Ohio politicians
and ex-members of Congress that he in
tended to run as tho Democratic candi'
date, provided he could secure plat
form which would suit his views, but
that if such Democrats as Seymour and
Pendleton impressed their extreme
views on it, he should then give ur
any design of working with that party
and run as an Independent candidate.