Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-13

~ Il is now manifest that the contest for
the nomination as the Democratic candi-
date for the Presidency lies between Mr.
Pendleton and Judge Chase The state
of the chessboard may alter before the
Fourth of July in some respects, but it is
not probable that the position Of these
two men will be materially changed
Mr.. Pendletcn's attitude on the inn
portant questions at issue, is unambigue
Gus. From the commencement Of the
war in 1861, he has been in favor Of the
Union Of the States under the terms of
the Constitution, and none other. He op-
posed every measure to pervert the war
from that object Since its close, he
has sought no mode Of restora>
ton except that pointed out by the
Constitution While accepting the
results Of the war friction on the
domestic institutions in the Southern
States, and approving the ratification OF
the fact as it is now engrafted ia the
Constitution, he does not believe that
among the general and implied powers
Of The government there is any warrant
of authority TO confer the voting privi-
lege upon the freed class The suffrage
question in his view, belongs to the States
solely. His financial views are reduced
t. system, and set forth intelligibly
They look to an early extinction Of the
public debt, by a process which will
Tighten and equalize the burden Of taxa
ton, and instead Of rendering money
soareer and times harder, viii furnish
the country with sufficient currency to
maintain its industries In word,
when man advocates Mr.. Pendleton,
he knows what he is doing.
Up to this time there is not the same
certainty regarding Judge Chase's views.
A few months since, It would not, per-
haps, have been difficult to say. Doubt
less, they have been somewhat modified
since; but there is a justifable anxiety
on the part Of those who are called to con-
slider him as an aspirant Of he be such)
for the Democratic nomination, to know
with a reasonable degree Of exactness,
what they are now Everything throw
ing light on that subject viii be read
with avidity, and we append the follow
ing from very recent letter written to
the New York Herald from Rich
mond. Il is vague and indefinite, and its
reliability must be taken for what it is
worth Il represents Judge Chase as in
the chrysalis state-just unfolding from
the grub condition Of Radicalism into
something Else. What it is to be, politi-
cal naturalists are yet unable to discover.
When the sheath is fully shed, and we
trust the process viii be complete before
the Fourth of July, he can be classified.
But 10 the extract
When preached as to his opinion Of Dem
ocratic principles the Chief Justice was
reticent, as il was impossible at this time
to divine what position that party would
nationally assume in view Of the present
condition of the entire country and the
altered complexion Of affairs since the ter
mination Of the national struggle; but as
far as could be adduced he was evidently
in favor of policy in contradistinction to
81 al -,
were evidently urging the country to ruin.
On the suffrage question the Chief JUS
tice maintained the position already famil-
lar to your readers, as avowed by himself. /
He favored manhood suffrage as indispen-
sable Tor the protection Of labor. The |
weak must be protected rs well as the |
strong, and the least expensive mode of |
protection was by the ballot. Through the |
progress Of civilrights and political equal
ity this could be done far easier and cheap 1
er than by standing armies, which would /
@herwise be required. He believes the /
Southern people had yet to learn the real /
value Of labor, but expressed hope that,
with an early adjustment of the present
national difficulties all these matters
would eventually assume their proper
course. .rrs.1-e
Questioned upon reconstruction, retieence
again marked the conversation of MIR.
Chase that was subject yet to be adiu-
Dictated, and TO give an opinion would be
transcending heproprieties Of hisimportant
position. Nothing was said on this subject
except in general way, bat twas clearly l
evident that Mr. Chase was opposed to the
Jacobin measures of the present Congress,
as entirely unconstitutional, and he favored L
a general amnesty and the early admission
Of the Southern States. "But,p said lead
ing Conservative, "Mr. Chase, you would i
not have us go in on such constitutions as
now framed p To which he replied, /
Some constitution is better than none, and
another revolution will have to be gone
through TO make better, and peaceable
modes were far preferable TO violent ones"
This was hint TO make the best Of
bad case, and to trust 70 the good
sense Of the American people to rectify in
the future whatever has been done during
the excitement consequent upon the close
Of great civil war and the delusions pro-
luced by ambitious and scheming politi-
clans Can" said gentleman 70 Mr..
Chase, "a State withdraw its assent to the
Howard amendment, which DISTINGUISHES
the best men in the South ?" which was
CURLY answered as follows: "Can State
Withdraw its dissent ~ And this was SO
palpable that it was easy to see Mr.. Chase
believed general amnesty TO be almost in
evitable. 1s* n"
Speaking Of the finances, Mr.. Chase said
bis plan had proved superior TO all others,
and that the various experiments since
ried had only been an expense and had
Increased the debt Had he
continued Secretary of the Treasury he is
satisfied that specie payment would have
been resumed ere this, and in that case the
great question that agitates the West would
be disposed of--that is, the payment of the
interest in greenbac1s instead Of gold.