Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-07
CHIEF IUsT1cE CHASE.

CHIEF JUSTICE CHASE
The New York Tribune, discussing the
rumor about Judge Chase as possible
candidate for the Presidency on the
Democratic ticket, says
Mr.. Chase, on Copperbead platform.
would be the weakest OF all possible can
didates-Weaker, even, than Yallandig-
ham. We do not, Of course, imply that he
would consent 20 runoh any such platform :;
we only state a fact verified by ample ex-
perience when We say that he would be
beaten out Of sight. Mr.. Chase il a very
able and strOng man, but he has no signal
personal popularity. On q CoPperhead
! platform, Nallandigham would receive the
votes Of three 10 seven States Chase would
hardly get one. But il is idle to talk Of
thia If be is not 10 run on his own plat
form, be cannot run at all n IN .i
Though the Latin maxim says it is
right to be taught by your enemy, we
are not disposed to cite the Tribune as a
cOmpetentor candid adviser 10 regsrd to
the selection Of the candidate Of the
Democratic party. Nevertheless, in con-
sidering what is called the "Chase move
ment," it is wise to ascertain how much
Of truth there probably is in this state
ment There is undoubtedly dispOsi-
ton in some quarters to fOrego o regular
Democratic nomination, and under the
candidacy Of the Chief Justice, to con-
centrate all the elements opposed to the
Chicago ticket To a certain order of
minds, there is something captivating in
this scheme and if Mr.. Chase were to
give it countenance, and put in operation
that extraordinary capacity for managing
Of which he is possessed, it would as
sumo formidable proportions 1t has not
transPired whether the suggestion has
been in any manner submitted to him,
or by any authority from him, submitted
to others, There is, however, talk enough
regarding it, to make it worthy of notice,
though we cannot think it probable that
Mr.. Chase will be candidate. tst II
The Tribune says if he runs at all, he
must run on his own platform; and what
is that He is, or rather was, what is
known as State rights anti-tarif Demo-
Graf, but for twenty years he has divi-
ded the honOrs Of the leadership of what
is now known as the Radical party
There is not a tenet in the creed of the
latter compatible with the principles of
the JefersOnian Democracy. Under its
practice the rights fthe States have been
ourtailed to comparatively nothing, and
onerOus and unjust tariffs have been inn
posed. Mr. Chase, too, has been re-
garded as a supporter of the Radical
policy Of reconstruction, and he is GER
tainly one Of the pioneers in favor of ne
gro suffrage. He is, also, the author of
the existing financial system, and is un-
derstOod to maintain that both the prins
cipal and interest on every species of
government bonds are payable in gold
and advocates such an administration of
the finances as to return them to specie-
paying basis at an early date, We eOn-
strue this to be the substance of Mr.
Chase's platform If he will only con.
sent to be candidate upon these prin-
oiples, is it practicable for the New York
Convention to accept him? We cannot
see how this is possible. To do so,
would be an abandonment of every prin-
ciple which the Democratic party has
protested since Its found alton, and fatty
discard every measure its leaders have
advocated in the present condition Of the
country Will the masses of the Demo-
cratic party ratify and cOnsummate a
movement Of this kind These are
questions which demand dispassion"
ate investigation, There is con-
suming desire on the part of every
man who recognizes that the country is
going 10 destruction under the lead of the
ultras who have nominated Grant, to de-
feat them by any means possible The
superstition, that Mr. Chase, with the
Conservative Republicans whose support
he could probably command, and the
entire Democratic strength, together
with the negro vote of the Southern
States should they be admitted to the
Electoral College, would certainly accom-
plish this But would the second of these
conditions be fulfilled7 That question
gives us pause. The Tribune thinks not
As will be seen, it assumes that Mr..
Chase would not receive the vote that
would be'giYen to Pendleton, Seymour,
Johnson or Hancock, and if he abanS
doned his principles and formally assOci-
ated himself with the Democratic party.
II not in that case, certainly he could
not on a platform in diametrical Oppo-
sition to the principles of that party.
We therefore conclude that the nOmi-
nation of Mr. Chase at New York is
scarcely in the pale Of probability ; and
doubt very much il he would accept it
if rendered Ii is scarcely credible that
a single act Of Mr. Chase-his admirable
and truly noble bearing as presiding of
fcer of the impeachment trial-win in-
duce the representatives of party
founded in 1900, and that has survived
all the fluctuations and mutations of the
period, to abandon its or
and discard its principles for
the sake Of adopting him as its Presi-
Dental candidate; and that too, at
iancture, whenever, if the principles Of
the Democratic party we're needed for
the salvation Of the public interests, it is
the present IL is equally improbable
Il 4