Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-12

nigh trusts OF Governor OF Ohio and Senator of
| the United States.
But influential as were these positions and
important as were these trusts there was yet
| higher place to fill, brosde, d 'ty to perform,
| and 1t vas eminently fitting that one whose adj
vanced sentiment had helped TO lead the nation
| to the point where this sentiment had resulte
in civil war; should give his aid in the practical
solution of the difficulties thus occasioned. Re-
elected to the United States Senate at the close
OF his second gubernatorial term, he was imme-
6 date selected ss by President Lincoln for
the Secretary of the Treasury of the United
states at a time when, though the nation
seemed in danger of bankruptcy, the most ex-
traord nary demands must be made upon its
resourt es. The inevitable contest was upon ",
and his own cherished ideas were to be defend,
by arms, and he was summoned to supply
materials for defence, the sinews of war. An
empty treasury meant no bountles, no paw,
no pensions, consequently no soldiers. An
empty treasury meant no supplies, no trans
portation, no efficiency, no success. And
though the nation might have been as
sured of non-interference from abroad, by rea-
son of the offence to the sentiment of human
justice in the corner stone of the confederacv
an empty treasury meant panic, lack of enthu-
siasm, discomfort at home. Mr.. Chase, who did
not come to the post without special training or
monetary affairs in Ohio, called about him
those with whose aid he filled the empty treasu-
armed, paid, and transported our vast armies
in all that pIotracted war.
The wealth of the people flowed at his word,
and when they had given all, they bowed will
lingly under tue pressure of an enormous ma
tional debt, but never failed in their response.
The Importance of his work cannot be over-es-
timated. With his success the Secretary of
Var could have all needed troops the Secre-
tary of State no foreign intervention; but with
out success in the department of finance. n,
could have had only disaster and defeat. His
! sympathy with freedom prompted all this, and
his devotion caused him in the emergency to
press to an extreme limit the constitutional
powers of a free government, but, when the
crisis was passed and the peril was over, his
sense of right and his respect for constitutional
| limitations was such that lie sat in judgment,
] ard passed sentence upon some OF his own con-
spicuous acts without faltering or hesita-
| ticn. The duties of his cabinet position
| he discharged both faithfully and well, ad-
| mnistering trust of thousands OF millions.
The vilest never accused him of self-seeking, he
| was poorer man when he resigned his portfolio
than when he accepted it. Soon after his resig-
| nation from the Cabinet the highest Office in
| the gift Of the President became vacant by ths
death OF truly great jurist (who for long wears
| had worthily and well discharged the high trust
| which itinvolved,) and it was fit and proper
| that the Chief Justice should be rendered 10
| Mr.. Chase, who had both the culture to adorn
| and the record to justify the appointment He
| accepted the position and honorably filled it at
| time when the gravest questions OF national
polty and constitutional law were brought be-
| fore IT for adjudication, and he has fallen in
| unsulied robes. .
Infexible in his political as well as his per-
| sOnal integrity, he replied 10 those who aues-
toned him concerning a nom ~ ION for the
| Presidency, with unreseryc! safe ment of
his felOng principles, and clear definition of
| his present attitude towards existing parties
| and closed with these words: - have answered
| your letter as thought ought to answer it,
| beg you to believe me, for | say it i'm all sin
cerity, that do not desire the office of Presj-
| dent, nor a nomination for il. Nor do I know
| that, with my views and convictions, | am
suitable candidate for any party"
,, Yet TN the impression has generally prevailed
| he was disappointed by its non-fulfillment
| Whatever history may prove to be the truth in
saw in his private or his public acts or conduct
| indications Of the querulousness or the bitter
ness that so usually attest the fact of hlighted
| hopes and unrealiZed lOngings; he was ever
! courteous and kind to all, pure patriot an
| upright judge, a Christian gentleman.
| But when the biographer shall have presented
| to the world in fitting terms his great endow-
| ments and his cOnsecrated gifts; when the his
| torian shall have described the years in which
| he SO conspicueusly moved. and the events OF
| which he himself was so large part, il will be
| found that his blameleSs private life will be
| rendered only more conspicuous by the criti-
cism attracted towards it by his eminent Off ;isl
| position. The glory of many lives is furnished
| by unworthy ambitions, unscrupulous self
| seeking or personal excuses, which cause the
| pen or narrator to pause, and the tongue OF
| neither reserve concealment-his private
| virtues were without blemish.
The breath Of scandal, which has charged
| corruption on so many public men, and with
| rash venom attacked, doubtless, many innocent
| Of blame, has not furnished the mirror of his
| spotless reputation, and his name goes down to
| coming generations without a reproach. His
| virtues are truthful lesson to all aspirants
| emulOus Of honorable manhood. The departure
from the world Of such a man is an incalculable
| loss to the nation-tO humanity at large. Such
| lives have larger scope for influence than those
| OF, common men; from their elevation they ex-
ercise the most potent influence on all the null
| THORN and complex movements of the worlds
| temulous life. Civilization and morality are
generated and swayed by their thoughts and
plans. The influence of the late Chief Justice
will be felt in healthful impulses wherever his
| name is known, for there was nothing meretri-
| cious in his habits of study or his methods of
Inv he was genuine man, reaching
forming honestly and well whatever he under
took.
He was blameless in all social relations, up
right and true in conduct, courteous in bear
ing and he superadded to all other excellencies
| christian conservation. He was observedIy q
deyout man, with earnest conviction to duty,
| and valiant confession OF his faith. As a wor-
| shipper he was constant in his attendance,
reverent in his attitude, transformations in his
devotion. He listened to exhortation or EXPOSE
ton OF Gods word with deferential respect.
courteous to the minister, hvmble before his
God. Great among men he was a child be-
fore his Father in Heaven, ard tired with life's
toll, he went out suddenly into the infinite rest
of God. His associates in the great crisis of our
nations destiny have most OF them preceded
him: Lincoln, the martyred President. was
| quickly followed by Stanton, the iron Secretary
| of War; and Seward, the poll ,hed Secretary OF
State, tarried not long. AMI now another has
been added to the list of mar yrs-for the Chief
| Justice was fastened to the tomb by the pro-
| longed and uninterrupted lIbors while Secre-
| tary of the Treasury.
Like clouds that rake the n 'untsin summit,
| Or waves that own no curb .ng hand,
| How fast has brother followe brother,
| From sunshine to the SUM, IS land. -
He had been warned by the frail tenure by
which he held his life. and needed well the
| warning. He made plans with the constant
provision, elf live" arranged for the dis
Posal Of his worldly goods ut with singular in
difference; made no provisions, gave no direc-
lions, for his last resting place, or for per-
petuated memorial among his fellow men. As
though he adopted for hims elf the sentiment ut
tered by Sir Thomas Brown that "TO subsist i'm
lasting monuments, to live i'm their
productions, to exist in their names and
predicament Of chimeras was large satisfaction
unto old expectations and made one part of
their Elysium. But all this is nothing in the
metaphysics Of true belief. To live indeed is to
be again ourselves, which being not niy hope
but an evidence in noble believers, 1t is all one
to lie In st. Innocent's church yard rs in the
lands Of Egypt, ready to be anything in the
ecstacy of being ever, and as content with six
feet as the m0les Of Adria aus"
How vain TO-DAY appear Ali hOnOrs and ALI