New-York tribune., 1868-07-29
DIR. SYODGRAss IN DEFENSE OF JUDGE
CHASE.

CHASE.
At q recent Republican meeting i'll NewYork
Dr. j. T. snodgrass spoke at lar on the candidates and
issues presented I'm the Presidential canvass and In the
of his speech he undertook defense Of the course
and opinions Of Chief-Iustce Chase Seeing that the
political relations Of the SPEAKER with Br. Chase have
been such character 70 make his statements un-
usually Trustworthy and Significant give verbatim
report OF that portion OF his speech embracing them:
Mr. Chairman, at the commencement OF my remarks, I
alluded to pa- differences OF opinion as TO the proper
choice OF "A Republican standardbouler IN the Prcsden-
tia contest; aud. with that frsness which you as my
neighbOre had right TO expect OF me, have already
stated that my choice not the distinguished sol
der selected ut Chicago. was ih hopes that atter the
feelings on the part Of those who like myself did not get
their FIRST choice In the candidate Ana yet the course
lated produce that acquesccncc not TO say harmony
aud cordially, the part OF the disappointed nc which
these papors, 1t scons TO me- ouBbta hDc'cXpected TO
10 be more specific think the friends Of ChicfJustce
Chase hsyo right to complain Of the attacks which arc
eounued upon ms motives and upon what IL assumed
without prop grounds, TO have been MS TGoh 10 tn
ton. He Is charged with not only seeking the
Democratic nomination, but doing 30 IN man
ner unworthy of his high personal character and his
exalted position CbcfJustico of the United States.
have good reason Tor stating my belief lhat he not only
tbued 10 him. but that he did not seek 1t at all TO the
TiIiSg S 9Ss eordno m @n a Of when the eGni rights
OF Gll secured by equal constitutions ana lAWs,
he would have accepted wth some some misg't,
would have involved, namely, the IceOhslIuctlOI OF
Mf CRSr%aa and fcnsmeu You viii agree with me,
would De even harder lhdn the reorganization az the re
his own platform, uutraInmecd by such conditions as
tho hungry Democratic leaders would inevitably nave
been tempted 10 impose, II they could which Is the only
way ho could have been nominated, he might well have
been excused fOr undertaking tho job hopeless and dis
What more could ~ public ask than to be sought
~ acandidate standing on his own PLATFORM win the wy
thereby opened for him 10 bring al the powers
and appliances OF the Government TO bear upon the
stic Oi the times while making the most OF tue situation
for the accompaniment oI Iio hshost go0h OF hs county
and his kind and nothing less than this, firmly believe
would have been the ann OF salmon Chase IN consent
ing at the request Of any party exchange his present
high and dignied Office for that OF the Presidency !
covered IN mo those qualifications for tho office,
which you Will not suspect me OF even dreaming pos
refusing such opportunity TO do something. however
little IL might be, toward introducing more reason aud
aud so 70 convert at least portion OF the dangerous
into less dangerous men and moro useful citizens But
ChicJustice Chase did not seek the Democratic nOnina
ton; neither did any considerable number OF tho con
trolcrs OF 10 seek him a candidate. That nomination
has been conferred on one whom he i no more hkcy 10
support than you or I, Sir Mr. seymour has claims
upon him whatever; and, in my Judgment the uncallcd
for insinuations OF Judcigus Rcpubcan papers to tie
contrary notwthstandiug Mr. Chase VIII gyehiS hearty
support TO the Republican nominees n let Hlore here
after aud suffered to do 30 wthaJ degree OF seicsect
will never aid Francis j. Blair 70 dcsecrate bis once
honored sword by erasng Herewith the reconstruction
state what baye the best reason or knowing to be
true, Mr. Chairman when l LAY That tue charge OF tIe
ChiefJnstico being the ally OF sir Johnson which Is
synonomous with being the ally Of Frank Blair, is at
Hat absurdity, and lying sander Ever since the
flesident5 proclamation ol IlONsionh notslImeht
Tor North Carolina IN order 10 reconstruct on TIC white
basis Nh Chase has been steady opponent OF his plans.
ana ho haze been lust as steady lem OF the CohEtes
sonal policy OF reconstrucon, so far as ccnempHtcs
laws It is true that he does not believe in military
domination any than he dld in slayeholdng oil.
tme-self controlled and directed by Congress, with an
honest reference 10 the restoration of The states TO
fras fIan Inn ia
secured TO all who will not seek 10 withhold
from Othcfsto any such plan as that proposed by tie
President, attempt 10 impose upOn the cOlOrod
people Of the South the rule OK the oNRoJc white pouu
a0n has received aud continues receive the unquai
fled reprObaton OF tho chief Justice.
Where, then, MI Charnan Ia view Of this accordance
the essential doctrines Of our party the justice
wisdom of this continuous course of yituperaton aud
ridlcule by Republican presses and oratogsi What
effect can It possibly have upon those who mp to
the time OF the nomination OF Gen. Grant, hon
zeal in the canvass, # not to utterly repci them
from the support OF the ticketl However bright
prospect OF Gen Grant conducting through the pot
ca canvass TO victory az he ted OR armies to glory on tie
field We surely cannot afford to run any such risk as
thsl hope, then since the Presidential nominations
have been all settled upon, aud the friends Of freedom
arc now being fauy malsalcd against the friends OF des-
will o1Pcudng ammunition upon their friends,
and the wisdom OF directing II all upon their foes
10 seems that at least the able and generally
Greet manag gng editor OF IE TRIBUNE should Withhold
from it, columns the unworthy slurs upon AFR. Chase
with which its precious space is sometimes occupied,
and leave them to into the diaribes OF Wendell
Phillips, I'm The AHSidreyy Standard, OF him 10 may
be SAID that lac ~ nothing unless lac Is denunCatOfy for
TO agate is his mission. | have good for think
ing they Ind no place IN IHE TRIBUNE with Mr. Greeeys
approval
You have probably been asking yourselves while
have beo9 spenklng, by what authority have assumed
at AL! Mr. Chase Will neither defend himself with words
nor suncr his friends 10 do IT, trusting. he says his
hcs To for him uster Judgment Of his motives I'm
camer times than the present, But base what say
upon positive knowledge OF the man and his opinions
which commenced twenty years ago, at the great Buffalo
Free Soil Convention, where, rs a delegate from Mary
land my first adopted state Was brought per force of
circumstances, into confidential political relations with
TO which assigned the duty of preparing the
platform and Of which he the Chairman. The rela
ton then established between us has continued 10 this
day. and IL has afforded frequent opportunities for
assuring myself, II l had doubted H. that Salmon T.
Chase has pemanod the steadfast friend OF the
heaven-appr0ved principle OF Free Soil, Free Speech
Free States and Free men, which rang out gorOusly
from the Buffalo platform, and which was caught up By
the Republican party when 10 first took start In Mr..
Chases own State, under his leadership.
Let u.s. then, Mr. Chairman and neighbors, from
the objectionable political sin Of fighting our natural
allies the original AbOl,Onsts and liberty party men,
and German Radicals OF later day and. above all
and most concerned Of all the until recently, seemingly
GOdfOrAaken African-Amercans, whose Indispensable
bullets helped 10 sacred cause, and whose bal
selves TO their aud worst enemy through Injustice 10
who has proved himself their unswsrVng and
therefore, safely trusted friend. 10 Is only requisite that
close up ranks, and move harmOnlOusly forward
SIDE, and no enemies within our own camp, but with q
united purpose IN order 10 insure the complete or
our principles, along with the election OF tho distinguished
men who have been chosen To bear those principles upon
party.