The Portland daily press., 1872-01-23

HOW HE ovERDID IT-AN ANECDoTE IN THE
LIFE OF CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY.
The Washington correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Commercial tells this story-which is
irreverent, but may be true, and is certainly
readable:
Speaking last evening of the possibility of
Secretary Fish retiring from the Cabinet,
prominent Administration Senator from the
West said that. like Ben Wade's praying, he
thought the Senators, in asking Fish to stay,
had ''rather overdone it." Being astonished
at the mere suggestion that Ben. Wade ever
prayed, asked the Senator what he meant
by Ben. Wade's OVERRIDING it.'
"Why," said he, shave you never heard
about his praying that Judge fancy might
live n
''Well, you see, Judge Taney, toward the
close OF Buchanan's term, became very feeble,
and it was thought he would not live much
longer. In fact, he had been dying for sever
al years, and when he made his Dred Scott
decision, which was in '57 or '5S, he was very
old and weak. Let me see, Taney was over
eighty years old at that time. OF course, that
decision set Ben. Wade and the rest of us
Abolitionists almost wild with rage. Howev-
er, it furnished us with lots of capital for the
campaigns, and honestly believe that that
decision did more 70 strengthen the party af-
than any one thing since the party was or
ganized. 1t was at time, too, when it need
ed some stimulant
"Well, the party grew, the Shareholders be-
came more and more aggressive, trouble was
brewing, the convention was held and Lin
coin was nominated, and in November of
1850 was elected. fancy all this time grew
older and feebler with each year. The win
ter after Lincoln was elected, and before he
yUa ira tad allx lN,,.
PRAYING FOR TANEY.
''Then Ben. Wade and the rest of us began
to pray that old Taney might live until Lin
coin was inaugurated, for if he had died
Buchanan would have filled the vacancy with
somebody as bad as Taney, and good deal
younger, and he would have been Chief JUS
tice as long as he lived. But if he lived until
Lincoln came in, and then. was obliging
enough to die, Lincoln would appoint an anti
slavery or Republican Chief Justice in his
place. Don't you see? 1t was a matter of
great Importance to US that Taney should live
until after the 4th of March, 1861. good
deal OF political praying therefore, was done
to this end.
''Well, the 4th of March came: Lincoln
was inaugurated, and elected; the war came
important political questions were likely to
come before the Supreme Court; Taney was
pro-slavery and secessionist at heart, but he
was alive. The first year of the war passed
yet alive; the second year-yet alive The
third year of the war came and went, and
Taney was eighty-seven years old, but he still
lived. This unfortunate circumstance was
frequently the subject of discussion among
Wade, Chase, Sumner, Seward and others of
our old party; but it could not be helped; he
was yet alive. Finally in 1864, when some
great political question was imminent, and it
seemed likely to 60 to the Supreme Court for
decision, Ben. Wade came into the Senate
Chamber, where several of us were standing
talking about the question. He elbowed his
way in and said, evidently much excited,
'Well, by God, gentlemen, after Lincoln was
elected, and before he was inaugurated, L
prayed devoutly that Taney might live, but
I'll be id if don't think overdid it. Pm
going to pray now that he may die.
"Well, sure enough" continued the Sena-
tor, Ben. Wade began to pray, or he said he
did, and in October following Taney became
an angel"
At this point my Western Senator stopped
but had no remarks to make nor doubts to
express as to the efficacy of Ben. Wades
prayers.