Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-14
THE CHASE MOVEMENT.
what Is Tt4

IN our own country seem 10 DC ~ PAS9Ihss
upon the important interrogatory which
heads this article? The grave and solid
Statesmen of the land, the honest and con-
fding patriots, and the shrewd and wire
working lagos of party seem alike puzzled
and perplexed, astounded and alarmed at
the portentous, comet-like phenomenon,
That fires the length of0phiuehus huge.
In the Arctic sky, and from his horrld halr'
Shakes pestilepee and war.
What a world of speculation have not
Mr.. Chase's recent acts and those
of his prominent friends and CO.
workers opened to our view? What a
vast wilderness of Interesting questions
have they not caused to be propounded for
solution touching his wishes, his objects, his
plans. his present opinions, his intended
course of proceeding, the appliances at his
command, the chances of his success, and
the effects and consequences likely to result
from his being elevated tothe Presidency at
this critical moment in our history? What
measures of policy do he and his friends
seek to have adopted hereafter What
principles of government, old OF new, baDe-
full or beneficial, TO bleeding anal distract
ed country, are expected to be either furth-
cred or defeated by Mr.. Chase's election
What particular class Of his eompatriots
have induced him to come forward? From
what party or faction does he expect sup
port? In what precise mode will it be most
pleasing to his own taste TO be brought for
mally upon the arena Of contest? Upon
what political platform will he deem 1t ez-
pedient to run Win he choose to run upoL
a well-defned platform, upon no platform
at all. or upon a sort of conglomeration OF
all platforms which might seem to promise
votes Are we to have an explicit disclosure
of his views upon the various questions now
pending, or are we to content ourselves
with the irresponsible statements of in
eenious letter-writers for the press, or mys-
teal revelations, or dark and ambiguous
surmisings from his own lips, or from the
Inns of those who undertake to speak for
him? Is he to run upon his own we'll
known antecedents, or upon what trustful
patriots'msy feel inclined to hope from him
In the future? Are we TO recognize him
as adhering still to his speech in Ohio last
summer and as being yet in favor Of negro
suffrage and opposed to paying the five
twenty bonds in greenbacks, or are we to
understand that he has recently seen new
lights on both these points, and that he
now agrees with President Johnson In his
opposition to the reconstruction policy Of
Congress, and with Mr.. Pendleton in his
broad and statesmanlike views Of paying
off the greater part of the national
debt in national currency? Is he really
the fayorite candidate of President johnson
for the Presidency, as some of late have
positively asserted, and as yet has not been
authoritatively denied Is he the favorite
candidate of Mr.. Pendleton himself as has
been likewise asserted, but which there Is
no good reason to suppose to be true2 Is
Mr.. Chase satisfactory as a Presidential
candidate to the bondholders as class, as
he would seem to be to several of the lead
ing newspapers devoted to that interest
Are the bondholders preparing to raise a
vast pecuniary fund, as is now strongly in
timated, in order to purchase his nomination
on the 4th of July at New York, and still
larger sum to secure his election afterwards
by the peOple2 Can it be even possible
that Democratic Convention could be
controlled by gold in so vital a matter !?
Or is this most wofnl result not
even a pOteatja TemOtiSsiHa? If such
action on the part of the Demo-
cratic Convention could be secured, are
the Democratic masses so lost both to
wisdom and to yirtne as TO yield their sane
ton to 30 base a surrender of principle
and such an astounding betrayal of the
country'ss best interests? These are
the inquiries which are everywhere being
now propounded, most of which, fortunately
for the honor and happiness of the repub-
lie, admit Of quite an easy solution. That
solution will not be formally attempted at
present. We are content to call attention
to few leading facts in Mr.. Chase's
history, which may enable our readers, full
of admiration as they are, and as all honest
men are, for Chief Justice Chase's excel
lent conduct during the late impeachment
trial in Washington, to judge for them
selves, as &C. the extent ofthe dangers which
now surround our country, and the means
Of counteracting them. Let us look
a little into Mr.. Chase's public life.
Plain and undeniable facts will be
at present stated, without much com
ment. In 1882, as We learn from
the life of VIM. Writ, by Mr.. Kennedy, Mr..
Chase addressed an earnest letter to Mr..
Writ, urging him to become the anti-Ma-
sonic candidate for President, and thus OBJ
tain admission to the highest office in the
republic upon an issue wholly unconnected
with the great civil questions then before
the country A most characteristic move
ment truly
Twenty years ago, we find Mr. Chase
himself into the United States
Senate by the most disreputable political
bargain which ever disgraced the Ohio
Legislature by means of which, that fear
less and incorruptible patriot, William
Allen, was defeated, and his valuable cOun-
sells lost to the nation. So disgusting was
his transaction, that when Mr.. Chase
reached Washington, took his seat as a
Senator, and applied to Democratic eau
Gus of the Senate for admission, that caucus,
headed by the venerable Cass, unani-
1lOuSly refused to receive him.
From that time forward, Mr.. Chase was
active and prominent in the Senate in OPP
position to Democratic measures and prin-
,iples, for which he has as yet made not
he smallest atonement.
In the year 1858, as Governor of Ohio,
ne made an issue with the general govern
nent upon the validity Of the fugitive
lave law, and whilst the question was un-
Ter argument in the Supreme Court of !
ohio, openly avowed his determination to
pack up the decision of the court, if against |
he constitutionaliiy of the Lave, with a
arge military force in opposition to the |
power of the Washington officials should |
he enforcement of the law on the soil Of |
Ohio be attempted. This is stated on ALL
thority that will be promptly given, if de-
handed; from which it would seem that |
he Chief Justice, at least as far as the fu- |
,itivs slave law was concerned, was ten
Tears ago, quite as good a States Rights |
nan az any of those who have been 30
much denounced in certain quarters of late
Il Hnprincipled traitors.
In the year 1864, Mr.. Chase's politi-
al friends put him in nomination for the
Presidency in opposition to Mr.. Lin
oln. He remained in the field a few |
enough to render Mr.. Lin
oln's nomination somewhat doubtful, |
nd fill his mind with considerable solicit
ude for the result-wheu suddenly
ommittee of his political friends visited
Washington, and demanded Of Mr.. Lincoln
hat he should give Mr.. Chase a nomina-
ion for the office of Chief Justice, which
ad lust then become vacant, in cOnsidera-
ion (which they agreed to withdraw their