Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-06-19
Chase

Of Philadelphia, whom be substantially
informed that he would not decline
such a nomination. Since that time
new evidences have been daily develop
ed that the Chief Justice has tnrned bis
back upon the friends whose eonfldenCe
and support have honored aim. Day
after day the proofs have multiplied
that his coIdness toward The impeaeh-
ment Of johnson was not simply the
impartiality of a Judge but the artful
trick Of q demagogue 10 curry favor
with its opponents.
i We would fain shut our eyes 60 these
things and the unavofdable belief that
they are all too true gives us more pain
than we can express. Net we are not
one Of those who are greatly surprised
at the detection Of Mr.. chase from the
i Republican party. For long time we
have thought we discovered IN his na-
ture a consuming seIfshness which
would upon opportunity sacrifice
friends, everything for personal ag-
grandizement, We believed he left
Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinet for d selfish pur-
I pose, even the defeat in favor Of him
/ self of the Iatter's denomination. We
now believe that he then eutertRined
schemes OF a third party movement,
and it is asserted that that had q good
deal to. do with his appointment to his
present position. 1t viii be remember
ed that he remained in retiracy until
about the time Of Chief Justice Tauey's
death when he appeared on the stump
advocating the reelection Of AFr. Lin
coin. Possibly these circumstances
mean nothing, but they follow each
other with suspicious signifiance.
Mr.. Chase, we believe, would have been
glad to have had Mr.. Lincoln make
martyr of him, as he was too shreIxd e
do. he retired from the Cabinet, how
ever, cherishing the hope, as we thought,
that the financial exigencies of the
country would show such necessity
for his services as would create great
clamor for his nomination at Baltimore,
Disappointed in this he took the next
best thing, a position on the Supreme
Bench, where he has ever since given
the impression of being possessed with
an intriguing desire for the Presidency
amounting almost to monOmania. On
marked to a friend in Washington that
he would rather be President a month
than Chief Justice a lifetime. And
this from the Chief JusticeI
For these reasons among others, when
subsequent to the elections last fall
many papers declared in favor of his
nomination for the Presidency, we did
not do so. Our confidence in him was
then by no means implicit, and his SUBJ
sequent conduct has shown that our
suspicious were well grounded and
that Mr. Chase is just the sort Of man
we adjudged him to be.
We honor him for his long and able /
services in behalf of liberty, and for this
reason the more regret that he should !
permit character so exalted, the result |
of a lifetime so useful, to be offered for |
sale for a paltry reward he will never
get to a party implacably hostile to the |
cause he has given the best efforts of
his life to sustain and advocate.
Mr.. Chase will not be nominated by 4
the New York Convention. We wish /
he would be, Such a result would do 1
more to educate the whole country up
to the broad platform of equal rights
and impartial justice than almost any
other possible event. II would redeem
our politics from the mire Of prejudice,
forestaH repudiation, and to a great ex-
tent settle the vexed questions of suf-
frage and finance. It would give tram
guilty to the country in the assurance
that in any event its interests would be
safe. The day when the Democracy
shall nominate Salmon P. Chase on a
platform of justice and honesty will be
a day for the ringing of bells and build
ing Of bOnfires. 1t win be the greatest
since that of Lee to Grant.
No platform upon which Mr.. Chase
could be placed could cover up the rec
ord of his life on the questions Of f.
nance and suffrage. The very fact that
such name should be seriously can
vassed for the Democratic nomination
is great point gained for the Repu1i-
can cause. 1t is sign of hope for the
Democracy and for the country. But
we are satisfied this man in many re-
speets so sublimely great and in others
so contemptibly weak is only being
tampered with. He is suffering himself
to be used as a catspaw for temporary
purpose which being subserved he will
be mercilessly slaughtered. We shall ,
be glad for the sake of truth and jus
lice if the event proves otherwise. But
Cicero once bargained himself away in ,
a like manner to his lifetime foes, and .
We know what his end was. Chase is in {
many respects like Cicero.