Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-29
CHASE AND THE PRESIDENCY,
The Reputed Organ Of the Chief JUS
tice Puts Ont "a Feelcr-The Choice
of Evils AdrOitIy Argued.

The Reputed Organ Of the Chief JUS
tice Puts Ont Feelcr-Ehe Choice
of Evils AdrOitIy Argued.
From the Cincinnati Commercial. March q.
Perhaps there is not movement" in
a political sense, TO make Chief Justice
Chase the Conservative" candidate for
the Presidency, but there is a good deal of
thinking about the subject, and, as our
readers may have observed, the newspa-
papers have found the topic one of inter
est This is not a case in which Mahomet
will go the mountain. The practical ques-
ton is whether the mountain will be found
sufficiently lively TO change its base. The
Tory party in England has retained power
by going with the reform movement. and
directing that which could not be con-
trolled. If the Democratic party of the
United States would regain power, it must
do likewise. The Tory party is not enam-
ored of Disraeli, but prefer him as premier
to Russell or Gladstone. The Democratic
party is not suspected of a passion for
Chase, but it may prefer him TO Grant. If
Chase were a candidate for the Presidency,
he would be pretty certain to carry the
South. The negroes Of the South regard
him as the first of living men, and hold his
name in honor next to that of Lincoln
circumstance that does 10 discredit to their
appreciation of personal qualities, or to
their sagacity as politicians. The South
ern whites recognize in Chase the
greatest statesman who has opposed their
peculiar pretensions which were in so ter
rible manner destroyed, in the course Of
the war; but they have seen in him whole
some magnanimity, and they have faith
that he is a man whose sense of Justice is
clear of any vindictive sentiment. So that
if the Northern Democrats were found
ready to accept the situation, and vote fer
Chase for the healing Of the nation, neither
the black nor white Southern brethren
would be troublesome. or course nothing
but the spur of necessity would drive the
Democracy to support the Chief Justice
for the Presidency. If the Democracy are
capable of seeing, as others see, that they
cannot be successful without the abandon
ment of obsolete leaders and issues. they
will approach the state of mind in which
new measures and men will be found ac-
ceptable Revolutions do go backward
and reactions react. The reaction of last
fall has spent its force, and the more
certain it becomes that Mr.. Pendle-
ton may get the New York Fourth of
July nomination, the more certain it is
that she will be defeated in November
The strength of the Democracy ia in party
discipline, and this discipline makes the
party wieldy, and enables its managers to
accomplish extraordinary things. Among
these things extraordinary we may reckon
the nomination of Chase as a possibility.
The platform in such a case would have to
deal in glittering generalities, such az the
perpetual integrity of the republic, the
guaranteed liberty of all the inhabitants
of the Union not convicted of crime, and the
preservation of the public faith. The treat
ment of negroes and Rebels might be diff
cult, but il may be that the Greeley doc
trine-inpartial suffrage and universal
amnesty-would serve as a sufficient plank
for the part Of the needful platform re-
lating to this subject. Negro suffrage in
the South is a fixed fact. Why should the
Democracy mourn over the things done
The nationality Of the United States il as
indisputable AZ that of France or Russia.
Why should the Democracy waste them
selves in fruitless controversies about that ?
Greenbacks are popular. Instead Of pro-
posing to multiply them, why should not
the democracy ~ III lui Tic iiNEcdot VI tue
purchasing power of those that we have
Indeed, why should our fellow-citizens,
equally interested with Republicans in the
general welfare who insist that they are Of
the Democratic persuasion, 90 on forever
wounding themselves by kicking against
the inviolale and the inevitable? And
why should Republicans take ofiense if the
Democracy see in Chase the coming man,
and prefer himto the foTeordained Chicago
nominee? 1.-THE next Presidential contest
should be between the General Of the army
and Chief Justice, there would he no we'll
grounded apprehension as to the safety of
the country; and what more could reason |
able patriots ask than that? We cannot |
conceive of the Chief Justice running for |
the Presidency on a Copperhead platform,
bot il would be unpleasant to be forced TO |
believe that the Democracy have not been |
educated up" during the last eight years,
10 the point of abandoning their old here
sizes, now 30 intimately associated with ms
aster and humiliation, and Understanding
that slavery is no more, and rebellion
stamped out BY armies; and Of acting like
intelligent beings, according TO the siina'
ton 10 which they ind themselves. J