The Portland daily press., 1868-04-17
The independent ON Chief Justice Chase

Inc khnepcnueut ON ChIet Justice Chase.
The Independent, edited by Theodore Titon,
has advocated the nomination of Chief Justice
Chase for the Presidency with perhaps more
earnestness than any other paper in the coun-
try. But it now withdraws from the number
of his supporters and makes the following ex-
planation
A spectator in Washington just now finds
that three personages are jointly challenging
and bewidering the public attention: First,
the Chief Justice of the United States; sec
ond, the President of tile High Court of I'm
parchment; and third, the Hon. Salmon p
Chase.
1t the American people, at Judge Taney's
death, could have foreseen that his successor
(whoever he might beg would be called to pre-
side over trial for the impeachment of the
President of the United States, such as is now
going forward, and over a trial of the Presi-
dent of the Southern Confederacy, such as
will go forward next month, they would have
urged upon President Lincoln, still more ear
nesty than they did, the appointment of Mr..
Chase as the man who, above all others, was
most signally fitted for the high post and its
great duties. But, thou,:h Mr.. Chase took his
supreme seat amid the plauditS of half the ma
ton, yet ever since he was gowned there has
been an impression on the public mind that
he would rather be off the bench than on it,
1t is remarked of Mr.. Chase more frequently
ina than any other man that he is ambitious for
but ITebIueucV.
For years past, we have earnestly and often
advocated Mr.. Chase's nomination TO the
Presidency This advocacy now ends With
out crediting the fable of the scandalmongers
who say that Mr. Chase has abandoned the
party of which he was lately the chief orna-
ment, and has practically joined the Democ-
racy, we are nevertheless constrained to saw
th"t the Republican party can no longer with
propriety look to Mr.. Chase to be one of its
leaders, and least of all to be its chief. A
G hnFT f1ENNaa
gift which this journal could offer to the COM
ing Chicago Convention was Mr. Chase's il.
lustrlous name, We now have reason to be-
lleVe that Mr.. Chase would not accept the Re-
pup lean nomination, even if it were tender
ed. We have equal reason to believe, also
that he would accept the Democratic nomina-
ton, if it could be rendered on platform not
inconsistent with his wel-known views of me-
gro suffrage. No one who knows the man
Will expect him to change, modify, or com
promise his long and ineradcable convic |
tons IN favor OF liberty, justice and political
equality. Solemnly and earnestly he holds
now, as he has held always, to the civil and po-
ltlcal rights Of all American citizens, without
distinction of color and (let us add also) with
out distinction of sex. Nor have we any
doubt that he will remain, in his own iutg-
ment, sacredly true to those great and high
convictions during the rest of his life. But,
as the TACT IS now evident that Mr.. Chase no
longer links his political future with the Re-
publican party, we feel that in the conduct of
a journal which has long been conspicuousy
known as one of his unvaryng supporters, we
have no right anylonger to solicit the Repub-
mean party to unfurl at their head the banner
of his name.
vi course these remarks are not designed to
state the position, or indicate the views. or
hlnt the purposes of Mr.. Chase-an office
which we have neither authority, nor knowl- |
edge, nor wish, nor right to assume; but sole
~ Tor the sake of honorably infoi ming the Re
publican party that this journal uneq1yocalIy |
recalls Its lopg-maintained nomination of Mr.. |
Chase for the Presidency -. |