The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-08

broken py several changes, including Stanton
for the War Office in place of Cameron.
Then, with Seward as Secretary of State,
Chase as the head of the Treasury and Stanton
in the War Office, Lincoln, that earnest and
steadfast champion of the Union, was founded
on q rock. In Seward he had the cool and
skilful diplomatist which the crisis required
to avoid threatened warlike entanglement
with England and France in Stanton's won
derful abilities in providing for and managing
q million Of men in the field he had the very
man he wanted for the stupsndous mass of
work assigned him and its appalling compi-
cations. But, as the Great Frederick ex-
pressed it, IAN army is like a serpent, for it
moves upon its BELLY" and without the indis-
pensable sinews of war we could not have
raised the soldiers required to extinguish the
Southern Confederacy. In providing the
ways and means for raising equipping and
maintaining million yea, eleven hundred
thousand fighting men--in addition to gigan-
tic navy and costly civil list during the four
years of our great rebellion, the sagacity and
the comprehensive talents displayed by Chase
in his department. will fully compare with the
amazing capabilities of Stanton in pushing on
the war, or the mastery diplomacy Of Seward
in maintaining peace.
Taking up here the broken thread of the
Presidential aspirations and movements of our
late Chief Justice. it may be said that if he
was not disappointed in 1860 he was in 1864.
and most keen]y disappointed in 1863 In
these misfortunes-f they may SO be called
he belongs to that unnumbered multitude Of
Presidential aspirants Of which Clay. Calhoun,
Webster, Cass and Douglas have occupied the
front rank. But in 1868 the failure of the
Chief Justice to secure the democratic nomi-
nation was less misfortune to himself than
to the democratic party. He had discovered
that the time had come for new departure
for this oft-defeated but still powerful and
energetic party; that the issues of the war
were virtually settled, and that the fulilment
of his grand idea Of equal rights, after thirty
years Of unfinching and jealous labor on his
part, left him at full liberty to enter into o
new party organization looking to those other
great ideas Of State rights and free trade But
the democratic party, with the old pro-slavery
film still befogging its vision, failed to
perceive the advantages in 1868 of the ''new
departure suggested under the Presidential
standard of Mr.. Chase, and 30 the golden
opportunity was lost The adventure under
Greeley and Brown, in 1872 was not only too
late, but too abrupt and too violent and
extreme as democratic change of base, and
hence its disastrous collapse.
Considered rs statesman or politician, fnan-
cier or jurist, or in oil these capacities to-
gether, the public life of Salmon P. Chase
may be pronounced singularly consistent,
sagacious and successful. Itembraces, through
the period Of his official career, all the great
questions, issues, events and characters which
make up the political history of the country.
It is the record Of conscientious consistent
and patriotic philanthropist and reformer,
who never lost sight of the boundaries of the
constitution. In his death we lose q states
man and Chief Justice whom oil parties,
creeds and nationalities delighted to honor;
and o man in whose majestic and attractive
presence winning manners and genial and
instructive conversation, all men were
charmed; and q fellow citizen whose purity of
life, unspotted record and generous character
we may, without qualification, hold up as an
example to our rising young men aspiring to
o life and name of usefulness, honor and Inst
ing distinction. 1t will be difficult to fill the
measure of his attainments, legal experience
and sound JUDGMENT in filling the seat he has
left vacant in the Supreme Court We can
only hope that the President, in appointing
his successor, will endeavor as far as prac-
ticable to perpetuate in our court of last
resort the accomplishments and the qualifca-
tions of Chief Justice Chase.