The New Orleans crescent., 1868-04-21
MR.. CHASE AND THE RADICAL REVOLT
TIONISTs.

According TO the New York Independent,
the st. Louis Republican, and some other
leading Republican organs, the hour has
struck fcf an open, unreserved, final and for
NAL separation between Chief Justice Chase
and the Republican party Especial signif-
cance is attached to the expression of this
opinion by the Independent, and not without
reason. The editor of that journal, Theodore
Tilton, has for five years past been an ardent
admirer and eulogist of Mr.. Chase. He has
within that time advocated the nomination of
Mr.. Chase for the presidency as the man of
the most statesman-like mould in the Repub-
hcan party, and of ideas as far advanced as
those of radicals that would go farthest
Quite recently, he visited Washington and
consulted with the impeachers, and sounded
the views and tendencies of high personages
with reference to the programme of the i'm
peaching radicals, and more particularly of
one high parsonage whom MIR. Tilton is
pleased to describe as a. triplet "jointly
challenging and bewildering the public atten-
ton; first, the chief justice of the United
States; second, the president of the high
court of impeachment; and third, the Hon.
Salmon Z. Chase" 1t was Immediately upon
the return of the editor of the Independent
from Washington that his manifesto appeared
renouncing his advocacy of Mr.. Chase, and
declaring the bonds between the latter and the
Republican party to be dissolved. Subjoined
are the words in which this announcement is
made. 1t will be seen that the reputation
is mutual Or, rather, Mr.. Chase, if the In
dependent speaks truly, first repudiated the
Republican party, and hence that journal
feels bound, on behalf of this party, to repu-
diate him:
If the Ameriran people, at Judge Taney's
DEATH could have i0reseen that his successor
whoever he might be) would be called 10 pre-.
side over trial for the impeachment Of the
president of the United states, such is now ge-
ing forward, and over a trial of the president of
the Southern Confedercy, such as will go forward
next month, they would have urged upon Presi.
dent Lincoln, still more earnestly than they did,
The appointment of Mr.. Chase as the man who,
above all others, was most signaly fitted for the
high post and its great duties.
For years past, we have earnestly and often ad-
vocated Mr.. Chase's nomination to the presidency.
This advocacy now ends. Without crediting the
fable Of tie scandal mongers who say that Mr..
Chase has abandoned the party of which he was
lately the chief ornament, and has practically
joined the Democracy, we are nevertheless con-
strained to say that the Republican party can no
longer with prOpriety look to Mr.. Chase 10 be
one of its leaders and least of all to be its chief.
short time ago, we thought that the greatest
gift which this journal could offer 10 the coming
Chicago convention was Mr.. Chase's illustrous
name. We now have reason TO believe that Mr..
Chase would not accept the Republican nomination,
even II il we're rendered. We have equal reason
to believe, also, that he would accept the Demo.
cratic nomination, if 1t could be rendered on a
platform not Inconsistent with his well-known
views Of negro suffrage. No one who knows the
man will expect him to change, modify, or COM
promise his lifelong and ineradical convictions in
favor Of liberty, justice and political equality.
Solemnly and earnestly he holds now, as he has
held always to the civil and political rights Of all
American citizens, without distinction Of color,
and, let as add, also, without distinction of sex.
Nor have we any doubt that he will remain, in
his own judgment, sacredly true to those great
and high convictions during the rest of his life.
But, as the fact is now evident that Mr.. Chase no
longer links his political future with the Repub-
licsn party, we feel that, in the conduct of Jour-
nal which has long been conspcuously known as
one Of his unvaryiDg supporters. we have no
right any longer TO solicit the Republican party to-
unfurl at their head the banner of his name.
There are some curious paradoxes in this
pompous dismissal of Mr.. Chase from Repub-
lican fellowship. No fault is found with his
political principles. He is not charged with
one word or one act Of inconsistency. No
apprehension is expressed of meditated
apostacy in the future to great and high
convictions" which he has cherished in the
past Then why, having been so long in fra
ternity with Republicans of the straightest
sect by reason of these convictions, should
he repudiate the Republican party, or the Re-
publican party repudiate him, or each repudi-
ate the other? Is that party rich to reple-
ton in craftsmanship so that it can give up,
with superb alacrity, the man who under
that head has had no equal in its ranks? Or
is Mr.. Chase so strong in his own name that
he can afford to reject the aid of the party
on whose victorious tide he foated to his
present lofty position?
The language Of the Independent throws
no light on these questions. But, in the
illumination of inference they are not
obscure. Mr.. Chase does not belle the
sagacity for which the Independent has given
him credit, if he is now ready to cut loose
from the Republican party; and the suspicion
that he is statesman as well as a Repub-
lican is precisely the reason why the impeach-
ing Republicans, including the editor of the
Independent, regard him as impracticable
and untrustworthy for their purposes. In
the opinion of the impeachers. Mr.. Chase
falls short of the standard of unscrupulous-
ness needed to carry through their pro-
gramme. In the opinion of Mr.. Chase, the
programme of the impeachers, even if sue
cessful, involves the ultimate defeat and ruin
of their party, and he naturally wishes to
save his future by keeping out of the slime
and debris of the wreck when the congress
sional faction shall be left stranded by the
receding wave of fortune.
The Late Judge semple.