New-York tribune., 1868-01-07
MR.. CHASES POLITICAL PRINCIPLES.

Soon after the great uprising of the American peo
pie against the Nebraska bill of Senator Douglas Mr.
Chase, then in private life. urged to give some
counenance TO the organization currently designated
hnor- NodnOs. He responded as follows:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2s 1854.
MY DEAR SIR: My views OF the matters referred 10 In
youT last letter are clear, and may be easily stated.
With me- opposition 10 natonalized slave holding and
slave catching and to Slavery domination in our National
Government Is simple Application OF denocratlc prh-
cipe. At the present moment, regard this application
Of that principle as OF paramount Importance.
therefore. he member OF no party or political
organization which. IN free state ignores the Slavery
question. which reduces 1t to secondary consldora
ton, nor can belong 10 any party whlch IL ahtdemo
cratic in its character The rule which guides my polt
cal action is very simple ..-.,,., .,,..,.,
For years past Slavery has controlled the action OF tho
old political parties; no matter which of them has OBJ
tanned control OF the Government It's administration has
been OF necessity proSayeTy. Under Polk. Texas was
annexed with Slavery under Fillmore the Fugitive slave
has been repealed Not of those could have
been carried without the active aid Of tho existing Ad
constantly proSlavery the existence of powerful indie
pendent political organization avowcdy antiSlayery,
has naturally had great influence upon the action OF tho
The minority party IN the Free States has been anti
wing would permit Thus when the old Democratic party
succeeded under Polk the old whig party being tho
minority became decidedly anti Slavery I'm profession and
TO some extent in action when the whIg party
succeeded under Taylor, the old Democratic party being
in the minority became Just antSayery Ia profession
and action the Wings had been In like circumstances
When the old line Democracy again succeeded under
Pierce the Wings again became antiSlayery.
In each OF these successive periods the minority what
It's political designation has been ready 10 cooperate
with the Independent anti Slavery party such cOOpera
tions have actually taken place They have become more
marked in their character and more frequent IN their
occurrence the strength Of the independent opposition
10 Slavery has increased Hence the cooperation between
the antl-saveTy independents aud the Wings, which
elected Mr. Hale TO the Senate In ls Hence the
operation between the anti Slavery Independents and
the Democrats which elected Mr sumner ana myself IN
have Elected Mr Gillette and Mr. Branard in is5
Thege IN tO IA N
ascendant majority are inevitable, and when no prnci
bic objection Thus far they have only marked but
accelerated the prevalence OF antsavery sentiment and
As an independent Democrat. recognizing the para
mount Importance OF consistent antislavery action,
have not hesitaed 10 ADOPT the rule when these facts
suggest. have coOperated and will cheerfuy cooper
with any body Of my fellow-eitizens' whom cireum
me in the Advancement Of the antslayery cause.
narS tS T. wns to vote with me Tor men Of my oreanl @
ton who will faithfully carry them out In legislative ju
dcial and executive acton. am am WI Wiling TO vote with
oppose the doing OF II by others Thus In the recent
election in OHIO entered heartily into the peoples
ment which was nothing more nor less Than cOOpera
ton Of liberal Democrats independent Democrats. and
wings for the purpose OF securing the % election OF trust
and Of rebuking the pro-sayery action OF the Admins
Among the anti-Nebraska candidates in Ohio, some
were repued TO be Know Nothngs. did not hesitate 10
support them nor ana thousatds % upon thousands o, pa
who proved their undyng hostility 10 oppression by pre-
ferTing anti-NeDraska hnOW-Nolnlngs 10 anu hnOw-
Nothing Nebraska men; while, on the other hand and
the same principle OF honorable cooperation for
mon ant-Slavery purpose, members OF the knOwNOth
ing organization did not hesitate TO support anti Nebraska
candidates who not members OF their order, nor
converts TO their doctrines.
For one wish TO see the peoples movement go on In
the liberal spirit which has thus far characterized It. But
II is to be understood that the Know Nothlngs who par
ticipaed in IL will hencefoTh ignore the aDtSlavery ele
men or support candidates who are not members OF
their order whose nominations are not dictated by
Them those who regard the Slavery question or
mount Importance and whose principles VIII not allow
them 10 become members or Nothing Associations,
must OF necessity assume antag0nistic position.
III this conflict shall arise, II Is plain that the peoples
movement cannot gO on, or must 90 on without the
Know Nothing cooperation 10 becomes the friends or
Liberty TO be prepared for every event Let 1t be
granted that In the action OF some foreigners there mas
been something Justly censurable and calculated TO pro-
woke the hostility which mas eInD0died seu III tne Know
Nothing organization, still could not what Is wrong in
that action be emedied without resort to secret political
is il right TO punish all for the faults OF sonnet Can
anti slavery men especially join In the ndiscrim-
mate prescription Of those Americans OF foreign Dlrh
who stood shoulder to shoulder with us i'll the ahtiNe
braska struggle last Fail -.
For myself cannot take upon myself any such poiti.
cal obligstons cannot prescribe men on account ol
their birth cannot make religious faith pOlitcl test
do not pretend to judge those who think and act other
n they choose TO condemn because cannot In these
things violate the political ma1ims which have governed
INV nolitlcal life hitherto must content myself win
that OF my own conscience which has sustained
me heretofore under seyerer trials.
Your kind wishes for my political advaneenent & hie
gratefully acknowledged. There are some reasons why
such an Endorsement Of my political course as you suk
gest would very gratifying But hitherto nave never
sacrificed or compromised any potchi pnh 20 tennt
me from the plain path in which my sense OF political
duty requires me TO walk. Faithfully, yours c..,
DR. John Paul, Defiance, Ono o. T. ChAsh'