Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-05-22
The Youth of Chief Justice Chase.

The Youth Of Chief Justice Chase.
Mrs. Stowe, in = pleasant sketch of
Mr.. Chase, contained In her book enti-
tied "Men Of our Times" published a
few years ago, says that he received his
name, Salmon Portland, from an un-
Gle, Salmon Chase, u distinguished law
yer Of Portland, who died suddenly
while pleading in Court. She also gives
the following incidents of Mr.. Chase's
early years:
In regard to Chsse's early education,
we have not many traditions. His par
ents were of the best class of N. Hamp-
shire farmers-Bible reading, thought
full, shrewd, closely and wisely eco
nomical. 1t Is said that in that region
literary material was so scarce that the
boys first writing lessons were taken
on strips Of birch bark.
When his father died there was found
to be little property for the support of
the family, and only the small separate
estate of his mother was left. She was
of Scotch blood-that blood which is at
once shrewd, pious, courageous and en-
ergetic, and was competent to make a
little serve the uses of great deal.
But an education, and college edu-
cation, is the goal toward which such
mothers in New England set their IA
ces as flint-and by infinite savings
and unknown economies they compass
it.
When Chase was fourteen years old,
his uncle, the Bishop Of Ohio and Il
linois, offered to take and educate him,
and he went to Ohio along with an ell
der brother who was attached to Gen.
Cass' expedition to the waters of the
upper Mississippi.
While at Buffalo the seniors of the
party made an excursion to Niagara,
but had no room in their vehicle for
the boy. Young Chase, upon this, with
characteristic energy, picked up anoth-
er boy who wanted to see the falls, and
the two enterprising young gentlemen
footed it through the snow for twenty
miles, and saw the falls in company
with their elders.
He remained two years with the
Bishop, who was peremptory man,
and used his nephew as he did himself
and every one else about him, that is,
made him work just as hard as he
could.
The great missionary Bishop had so
much to do, and so little to do 1t with,
that he had to make up for lack Of mo-
ney by incessant and severe labor, and
with such help as he could get. Hi
nephew being his own flesh and blood,
he felt perhaps at liberty to drive lit
tie more sharply than the rest, as that
is the form in which the family in.
stinct shows itself in people of his char
acter.
The Bishop supplemented his OWL
scanty salary by teaching school and
working farm, aud so Salmon's pre-
paratory studies were seasoned with
an abundance of severe labor.
The youth was near sighted, and
troubled with all obstinate lisp. The
former disability WAS incurable, but the
latter he overcame by means ofa long
and persevering course Of reading
aloud.
On the whole, the Bishop seems to
have thought Iwell Of his nephew, fol
one day in refusing him leave to go in
swimming, he did so with the compli'
mentary exclamation: "Why, Sal.
mon, the country might lose its future
President, were 1 to let you get drown
cd"
After being fitted under his uncle,
Chase entered Dartmouth College.
One anecdote of Chass's college lif.
is characteristic, as showing that cOura'
geou. and steady sense ofjustice which
formed leading feature Of his after
life. One of his classmates was senten.
ced by the faculty to be expelled from
college on charge Of which Chase
kn-w him to be wholly Innocent
Chase, after in vain arguing the case
with the President, finally told him
that he would go too, rs he would not
stay in an institution whore his friends
were treated with such injustice. The
two youths packed up their goods and
drove OFT. But the faculty sent word
after them almost before they had got
out of the village, that the sentence
was rescinded and they might come
back. They said, however, that they
must take time to consider whether
they would do SO, and they took q
week, having a pleasant vacation, af'
ter which they returned.
1t will be seen from the following
that Mr.. Chase, like some other distin-
guished lawyers, did not burst upon his
profession with any extraordinary bril-
liancy:
"His early days of legal practice
were days of waiting and poverty
The only professional work he did for
q considerable time was to draw an
agreement for man, who paid him
half dollar, and a week afterward
came and borrowed it back.
: "Mr. Chase's first argument before a
United States Court was at Columbus,
O., in 1884. The case was to him a We
~ important one, and when he arose
to make his argument he found him.
self so agitated that he could not utter
q word. He had therefore to sit down,
and after waiting few moments, tried