The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-04-17
aREMINISOENOES
PUBLIC MEN,.
BysEx-aOvKRNoR b. +. PERRY.
GcoNTINUEp FROM LAST wEEK.1
SALMON L. CHASE.


As ! was on my way to the New
York Democratic, Convention, /
stopped in, Washington day Or
two, fo' the purpose ,of seeing the
President and others. Mr.. Long,
OF Ohio. krndly'invired me to wish
the Chief Justice. and have a con.
versation withHhim in reference to
his political views an. opinions. eco geo
The name Of Chief Justice Chase
had been prominently brought. be
tore the public as a candidate for
the Presidential nomination by the
New York Convention. Govern.
or Bonham, OF Sonth Carolina,
and Col. Jones, of Kentucky, ac
companied US. The Chief Justice
received us very kindly. and we
discussed the politics of the day
for some tine. In reference to
himself, he said, that he lad always
adhered to The Democratic princi
ples,and awas States Rights man.
l mentioned that [ remembered,
on one occasion, he and Mr.. Barn.
we'll Rhctt, of South Carolina,
voted together in the Senate on a
very important States Rights ones.
tion as to the rendition of fugitive
slaves. He replied. that, on that
occasion, after expressing his views
in reference to the fugitive slave
bill, Mr.. Rhett came over to his
seat, and said.I agree with you in
the views yon have expressed, they
are the true States Rights doctrine
The Chief Justice conteuded, In
that debate, that Congress had no
constitutional power to pass the
fugitive slave bill, but. that the
constitution required the States to
do so.a | remember thinking at
the time. that Mr.. Chase knew
very well the Northern States
would pass M law on the subject,
and that if Congress did not, no
tngitives would be surrendered. |
thougbr, likewise, that Mr.. thett
entertained the same opinion, and
that this refusal on the part of the
Northern States would greatly in
crease the excitement at the South,
and prove the way TO disunion.-
The Southern States could say tn,
North has broken the Federal
compact, and we are no longer
bound by it,. In thinking this. |
may have done both, the Chief Jus.
tice and Mr.. Rhett, injustice. But
1T was rather strange to see two
Senators the antipodes of each 9th
er on slavery, voting together OH
so vital q question. @" o. .'s
In reference to, the right of suf.
frage, the Chiet Justice said it was
for the States to regulate this mat
ter, and that Congress had no pow
er to legislate on the subject. lie
thought there wonld De no diff
entity in controlling the negro vote
in the Southern States. Proper.
ty anC brains, said he, "will always
control labor" / thought TO my.
self, why are you, then, in favor OF
negroes voting, when You admit
they may be always controlled by
their employers 1t is nothing
more or less, than giving addition.
al Suffrage to property and brainss
L replied to the Chief Justice. thai
carpet 'baggers from the North had
the negroes under their control in
the Southern States. and that they
wonld not be influenced by their
former owners and trne friends.
He said this could not continre
long. The carpet. t.baggers wonld
have to leave the country pretty
soon, or become identified with the
people in interest and feeling. a. sa.
L was very much impressed
with the Chief Justice as a man Of
talents ard ability, He is Certain.
- one of The ablest men iii 4; er.
ica. He is a noble looking gentle,
man, ard his manners are very
pleasant ard agreeable. III, con, C
verses extremely well. / thought
he seemed very willing to be nom.
mated by the Democratic party.
But j; would be strange indeed, as
lwrote General Hampton, to see
the Democratic party going into
the camp otthe enemy, to select
General 10 c,nmthand their forces
in battle.l oMr. .vCliase would have
been the nominee soft the Radical
parry, but for the military reputa.,
ton of General Grant " - ,'Io.,,aH
There was a strong feeling IN
tile convention to bring forward
the Chief Justice, and he would
have been nominated by the New
York delee alton, had not 'Horalio
Seymore's name been presented.
when il was. by the Ohio delega,
tion. His nomipationwould have
been q bitter pill for Soutbern,
Democ ats to welcome, ash had
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