Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-10
Chase and the Presidency.

Judge Chase and the Presidency.
We had occasion some weeks since to say
that did not in the conduct of Judge
Chase in the impeachment trial any reason
for supposing that he had abandoned the
Republican party, or was proving false to
any of the political principles with which
his public life had been completely iden-
tilted. Since then rumors have multiplied
and apparently from sources that ought to
bc correctly informed, that Mr.. Chase has,
in fact, become soured by his failure to re
ceive the presidential nomination at the
hands Of the Republican party, and is quite
ready to join the party which his active po-
litical life has been spent in opposing, il
that party will pay him the doubtful COM
pliment Of nominating him on the coming
18th of July in New York as its candidate
for the presidency. We not yet fully
prepared to believe that Mr.. Chase is 9 going
back ON himself in this way, although the
evidence Is now very much against him
Disappointed ambition has soured other
Statesmen before Mr. Chase, and he may not
he above that infirinity of minds which have
been reckoned great.
But it cannot he possible that Mr. Chase
will accept the Democratic nomination ex
cept upon platform that does not give the
lie to his entire political record He will, at
least, compel the Democratic party to meet
him half way. in the mutual surrender con-
templated. One of the Washington cor
respondents, pretending to speak from
knowledge Of the mind of the Chief Justice,
constructs this platform the one upon
which Mr. Chase is willing to stand and
wave the Democratic banner
l. The States alone have the right of fix
ing the terms of suffrage
2 Congress has power to keep the
Rebel States out of the Union, and its doing
So is usurpation-
,. Universal manhood suffrage. and uni
versal amnesty and restoration to Political
rights Of all engaged in the Rebellion, are
now indispensable.
T. Speedy resumption of specie payments,
so that greenbaCks will be equivalent to
gold.
5. No military trials in time of peace.
6. 4 proper proportion of Southerners in
the Cabinet.
!. The Judiciary to be independent OF
Congress
<. The President has full power to pardon
Rebels and restore them to political rights.
Congressional restriction of this power is
usurpatiOn-
The suffrage plank in this platform viii
make trouble in the Democratic ranks; and,
indeed, we cannot understand how the party
can rally for universal suffrage, even with
universal amnesty; nor do we see how MIR.
Chase can accept any doctrine short of uni
versal suffrage without eating his own
words A compromise may, however, be
effected by agreeing that suffrage belongs ex-
clusively To the states, and it is therefore
improper for national convention, or a can
didate for President, to have any views in re-
lation to it in short, after asserting that it
is n state concern altogether, 1t may be
thought that national convention cannot
consistently say anything more on the
subject.
The seriousness with which Democratic
politicians and papers discus. the proprietv
of nominating Judge Chase, betrays their
want of confidence in any of their own men
and even in their own distinctive principles.
They, doubt, hope to gain many votes
give the solid vote of their own party which
always goes for the regular ticket. But the
difficulty will be to get him nominated.
The 9 white mans party and the repud-
ators do not want Chase The New York
Day Book expresses the minds of this class
of Democrats when it says;
There is no detection in the Mongrel ranks
at the present time. Mr.. Chase could not
draw away from Grant thousand men in the
whole United States, who have not already
determined to quit the filthy negro gunboat.
Now, if there is any sagacity, any patriot
ism in the July Convention, it will nominate
some one of the great Democratic civilians
and statesmen in the Land. And under his
banners as the standard-bearer, it will place
platform of square opposition to the whole
plan of the negro party Instead of get
ting up bats To tempt some of the rats out
of that party, it will go into the campaign
with the loudest thunders against every one
and all of it's denominations, and rouse up
the people with the widest spirit of horror
and revenge at all its principles and all its
acts. That is the only sort of campaign in
which the Democracy is sure to win. Let
the cry 90 out for 90 White Mans Gorern-
Daent foreUert" Let it boom like the noise of
a cannon through every valley, and from
Gulf. and the negro party under the stagger-
ing banners of Grant will he wiped out of
existence. But if the Democratic politicians
get up cunning lodging platform, with a
hobbling candidate Il suit, the party will
be, and ought to be, ANONYMOUSLY defea ted.
If the Chief Justice should make love to
the Democrats, and be rejected by them
either on account of his principles or want
of availability, he still has his position of
Chief Justice from which neither party can
GUST him. We hope, however, for his credit
in history, and for the respect in which he
he has been held by the friends of freedom,
it will turn out that he has been shamefully
slandered by these who claim that he has
abandoned his former political faith and
gone over to the Democrats.
-, :rsu