The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-28
Chier Justice Chase.
TFfom the CauneltOn Reporter

Among the leading men of the age
the present Chief Justice of our SUI
prenle Court holds a conspicuous
place At the bar, IN the Senate, IN
the executive chair Of a great State.
in the Cabinet and on the bench, he
has ways been. and IS, In the fore
ground As iurist, for thirty years,
his reputation has been constantly
increasing. at home and abroad. As
a politician, more than thirty years
since, he threw all his energy and in
fuence in the support Of principles
odious to vast majority Of our peO-
pie. and now, perhaps, sustained by
majority equally as vast. In this we
do not now question his honesty. and
we but express the common opinion
that 10 this he evinced a remarkable
sagacity and a clear appreciation Of
the springs of human action. As a
State executive officer there was,
and Is, but one opinion IN Ohio
as to his peculiar fitness for
the place he filed. We all re-
member our misgivings, doubts and
fears. when Mr. Chase took charge
of the finances of the country, and
when he was called upon to provide for
the pay and support of vast army, and
TO meet the enormous expenditures
attending the war. Almost every ex-
perienced fnancier in the country
stood aghast at his position, and pre-
dicted for all his plans, as they
were, one after another, developed,
a most .ignominious failure Who of
US did not expect to see green
backs" as reduced in value as was
the old Continental currency ahd the
assignats Of the French Directory
We were mistaken, and the chief of
the Treasury Department was either
very lucky or very wise, 1t Is certain
that a more timid financial policy in
1923 and "a would have paralyzed
cur armies and destroyed the integri-
ty of our Government.
We hardly need refer to the char
acter and action Of Mr.. Chase as
Chief Justice, whether in the room
of the Supreme Court or presiding In
the Senate Chamber, over a court Of
impeachment. He stands, confessed
", above party platforms, and sus-
tains with dignity and force the
majesty and supremacy of the law.
In every place of his public life we
must give Mr. Chase credit for IN
finching honesty of purpose and of
action. He must have been honest
in purpose when he maintained for
years a policy so exceedingly obnox-
ious. He must be regarded as emil
nently honest IN action when, after
controlling the collection and expen-
diture of thousands Of millions of
dollars, and when direct pecuiation
would not have been detected, and
where the indirect opportunities Of
acquiring wealth were so abundant,
he handed over to his successor the
keys of the public Golfers, and was
content with the very moderate for
tune he had acquired at the bar. No
accusation of bribery or prostitution
Of Office furnishes his fair fame.
This much In justice to one whose
6 free soil " and anti-slavery policy we
have always opposed to the extent Of
our ability. While giving him full
credit for honesty Of opinion. and
maniiness in expressing those opin-
IONS. We have regarded him as mis-
guided and dangerous in that particu-
lar. In all 0ther respects we know
him to be lifelong Democrat; be-
lever in State and individual rights.
in the doctrine that the earth and
the leSaffuet thereof. belong to the
living and not to the dead which is
the cardinal principle of Democracy.
as enpneiated by y efeTspns He has
always ADVOCATED the largest suffrage.
and while BE has advised the white