, 1873-06-29

In EXECUTIVE SESSION, Dec. s, 1854
Read; considered By unanimous consent, and uoml-
@~' DIV. c. CLARK,
Principal Executive Clerk
There could hardly hayo been more inauspi-
c;ons beginning or more splendid success.
he was conspicuous in later, as we'll rs in ear1y
life. for his moral courage. Towards tho close
OF his first term Governor of Ohio, there we're
1umors Of defalcation in the State Treasury.
It was q damaging thing to the State Administra-
ton; smaller nen would have hushed it up or
smootAed it over, il possible; but Mr. Chase,
though candidate for reelection. walked to the
Treasurer's Office, took possession Of the estab-
lshment, and instituted an Investigation: The
exposure he had precipitated WAS his heaEi-
est load to carry through the en-
suing campaign. Another instance Of
his high courage Was given also in his candidacy
for Governor. He Was nominated by comblna-
ton of two parties, one Of them being tile Know
his antagonism to the principles Of . powerful
party which YVES supporting him, Mr. Chase,
though standing On the common platform, re-
pudiated any connection with the Nothing
tenets Of his own adherents. The consequence
WAS, that though elected, he ran many thousands
dehind his ticket. No doubt many men thought as
Gov. Brough said when young Chase argued for
runaway slaves, "There is q fine young man,
who has spoiled his bread and buttor:" Tho
sequel showed who was the wisest.
His comparatively moderate circumstances
have been commented on in many OF the tributes
which have been poured out to his memory by
press aud people, with half apology for any
mention OF the subject, and an intmation that
public men deserve little credit for dying poor.
Surely this is mistake. Honesty has become
no such common thing that we may ceaso to ad-
mire and praise it. Corruption is older than the
pyramids and will still be young when ths pyra-
nids have crumbled. To say that he was honest,
would be to paint but half his merit. Ho was scru
pulousI7 honest, oven fastidouely honest. il such
thing could be. As an Illustration Of this,
can relate an incident Of which he told mo him
self, though not given to speaking OF sach mat
ters. It was during his term as Secretary OF the
Treasury, that his bankers invested some thou
aanda Of dollars Of his money in q stock which
rose few months after, giving profit on the
transaction Of some four thousand dollars A
check for the amount, nearly years salary
OF Cabinet officer, was sent to Mr. Chase.
He returned it to be destroyed, saying that
while at the head Of the Treasury, and
in control Of the national finances, ho did
not deem it proper for him to engage In any
transaction affecting in the elightest degree the
condition Of the currency. such an example
is surely too precious to be lost. His oppor-
tunites for making himself rich, il the thought
Of such thing ever occurred to him, we're
simply il1imitable.. In the immense transactions
Of war times. the great shiftings Of values, he
might have enriched himself to the very bounds
of desire without go much as the taint OF sua-
picion on his garments Our public mon have
not become SO pure that We can afford to dis
miss this example with mere Tore OF commen-
dx t0p