The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-08-06

excuses for his failure to try Jefferson
Davis before he brought the whole
influence of his position and learning
to shield Andrew johnson from de-
served impeachment, aud before his
present Identification Of himself with
all the vile denominations Of the DEM
Ocratic platform, had uncomfortable
impressions of the man, Of which
could not Though I often desired toy
divest myself.
A portrait of the character of Mr..
Chase, given me by Hon. Samuel
Lewis, of Cincinnati, when that good
man and faithful AbOlitionist was on
his dying bed, has despite of all eff
forts to shake it of and forget it) fol-
lowed me for a dozen years and more,
and has become more and more vivid
as time and events have developed the
true status of the man. The judg-
ment of Mr.. Lewis was that Mr.. Chase
was not to be trusted in any emergen-
cy-that he was cOldly selfish and in
tensely ambitiOus-and that in furth-
erence Of his ambition he would sac
| riice the Abolition cause or any other.
was shocked by this portrait of Mr..
Chase and disputed its accuracy at the
time, but its ugly features have con-
frOnted me ever since. Hence, gross
and unexpected as was the detection
Of Mr.. Chase to many of his friends, it
was not wholly unlocked for by me.
He has confirmed the bad opinion
of him in every particular. Greedy
for the Presidency, he has not hesitat-
ed to rpnOunce all ties of ancient
friendship, to repudiate all obligations
of gratitude, to disregard the senti-
ment of reserve which be fits his
present nigh Office, to intrigue and
scramble for a nomination at the hands
of a party conspicuous for the bitterest
hostility to the prOfessed principles Of
his whole life, and whose triumph in
| the coming election would be the di-
rest calamity.
The signal defeat, Tebuke and hu-
initiation of the inOrdinate ambition
of Chief Justice Chase in some meas
ure atones for the Democratic base
ness which accomplished his seduction
He has sOiled his judicial ermine in
vain. He is, like WOlsey, left naked
to his enemies. The two OF three
votes he got, instead of comforting
honor, only render his isolation and
/ destitutiOn the more conspicuous.
The Democrats "loved the treason"
but, as usual, desptsed the traitor.
! His success, in the circumstances,
would have been a sad disaster to the
political morals of the country. As
/ the case now stands, Mr.. Chase is q
warning to all after comers. He has
parted with his principles, sold HIM
Iself and lost his price.
A defence of Mr.. Chase is already
whispered. He merely meant to pu-
rify the Democratic party! He did
not mean to descend to its level, but
lift the party to his. He simply went
into it to reform it. On this theory,
folly is added to knavery. He at
tempts to deceive the Democratic par
/ ty, to purify it of deception! To de-
fraud the party to make it more hon
| est To the Democrats he says, am
with you, I stand on your platform.
To his old friends he says, I do no
such thing, but stand where I have
stood through life. am willing that
the Democratic party shall come to
me, but have no purpose to go to it.
This defence is now worse than the
crime-and is only less hurtful because
its lying hypocrisy is open and mani
| fest to all.
Hereafter let us hear no more Of
| Mr.. Chase as the negrO'5 candidate or
the negrO's friend. He is a deseFter
from our ranks, in the face Of the
enemy, and is simply not in the enc
mics RANKS becau use-they despised
and spurned him. His degradation
is complete, and he will have to live
longer than Chief Justice fancy if he
Outlives the memory Of this fagrant
transgressiOn. In sorrow more than
anger we part with him. His crime,
though great, has met an equal pun
ishment. Let us hope that it will
prove saIutary, if not to him, at least
to others who may be tempted in like
manner to bPtray their principles.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS.