New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-27
MR.. CHASE AND THE DEMOCRA rs

If ANYBODY should be idotic enough to as
| sert, we should certainly not be foolish enough
to deny, that the Republican party intends to
| nominate Mr.. PendletOn for the Presidency.
Such a story, however, is little less ridiculous
than that which is tOd-and by many people
| believed-of Mr. Chase and the Democrats.
| The foundation Of this astonishing report is
Mr. Chases ambition to achieve the Presi-
| dency. 1t is also its refutation. The more
| Mr. Chase might wish for the Presidency, the
more would he naturally shrink from Demo
cratic nomination. A man who wished TO as
| cend into tho skies might as well try 10 get
! there by descending into the sea in diving
| bell. If there were any truth in these rumors
about Mr.. Chase, they would show that, so far
| from being ambitious. he was seeking way
| to escape from political life entirely.
Taking the other side Of the question, il Is
| likely that the Dem OcIats would DC glad
| to get Mr.. Cbase-if they dared. They have
| no candidate. There is rot to-day n single
man in the Democratic party who holds a
national position and wclds % national in
huense There il Seymour in the East Pen
dleton in the West, Woodward in Penasyl-
vania, Mcclellan IN Europe, and Johnson in
no, half out of the White House. The race of
,bH u
a singular fact that the seven years' struggle of
the Democracy has not produced one man
capable Of arousing the enthusiasm OF the party,
and in whose support it can spontaneously
unite. This dearth of statesmen is the result ot
the absence of all craftsmanship in its policy,
and proves how far below the political average
its alliance with the Rebellion has dragged it
1t has been beating its head against stone walls
so long that there is 10 wonder that it has
Knocked out its brains. In all its national re-
lat0ns, it drifts about hopclessly. In local and
State elections, il can do well enough with men
of local reputation but in this Presidential
canvass il must have leader who is known
to the whole country
If the Democrats could get Mr. Chase, that
want would be supplied. And it is probable
that some of their leaders, to whom office is
everything and principles are nothing, have
looked with longing eyes upon tho great Re
publican statesman. They may have argued
that the trust which the people rapOse in his
Judgment and integrity might be transferred
to the Democratic party, should he consent
to become its leader II may have seemed TO
these gentlemen not absolutely impossible to
bring about such happy result. Lions have
been known to lie down with lambs, and Tam
many has seen in the Happy Family at Bar
nusa's Museum how animals appointed by nature
to hate each other to the end have, by little
policy, been brought to the most edifying and
pathetic attachment. Having gone thus far
they must have seen the necessity of reform
in the Democratic party. When a nation OF
eannibals invites a clergyman to become its
king, its first steI. Of course, must BIO to give
| sl.n allt
desire Mr.. Chase, they are certainly ready to
take the negro to their arms and go in for the
payment of the debt BY the extent of such
sacrifice, we may know the value they place
upon the Chief-Justice. They can only get
him for their candidate by giving up the worst,
and therefore the most important, articles Of
their creed.
And here is the absurdity of this most ride
ulous invention. If the Democrats go over to
Mr.. Chase, they Republcanize their party; there
would be two platforms essentially the same,
and the only question before the people would
be one of personal popularity. An idiot of or
binary education would laugh at tie idea of
the Democrats giving up Democracy. 1t has
been said that in 1854 they abandoned their
principles when they nominated Union gen
oi"i' puI IL must NC IcInenpcIcu uIdI Vh'J
took Mcclellan because he was a failure.
They had said that the war was an outrage on
the South and naturally supported the man
who had made it torture to the North. But
they gave up no principle them and are less
likely to do so now. Nor would Seymour OF
PendletOn permit the New-York Convention to
go outside of the party for a candidate; and il
the leaders would consent, the rank and file
would not. Mr.. Chase on any platform would
be pretty candidate for the men whose chief
political creed is that the negro is the descend
ant of the gorilla. To put man known to
doubt this fact on the ticket would be to dis
gust that mass Of sturdy voters which constr