Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-05-16
S.fLNO.V' r. CEE.fsB.

Salmon Portland Chase named for his
Uncle Salmon, who was the leader t the
bar at Portlanf, Me-, md who died while
making one of his powerful pleas in the
court house, was born at Cornish, n. H.,
January -, 1908, and he was therefore in
his sixty-sxth year mt the time of his
death. His parents were sturdy farmer
folk, his mother being of Scotch descent,
and his early Lie was like that of most
New England lads of sixty years ago.
When he was seven years old tho family
removed to Kecno, N. H., two years later
his father died, and at the age of twelve ho
accepted the offer made him by Bishop
Philander Chase, his uncle, and went to Ohio
to pursue his studies under the bishops di-
rection. Ailer two or three years resi-
dencc with his uncle, who was the cmbodi-
ment of sternness in his treatment of the
lad, he entered Cincinnati college, of which
his uncle was presidents but a year later
he returned to New Hampshire, entered
Dartmouth college, and graduated there ia
1926. Five Of his unclcs had graduated at
Dartmouth, aud 10 one of them, Dudley
Chase at that time United States senator
from Vermont, the young man applied for
IA clerkship in one of the departments at
Washington after he left college. The old
gentleman told him that he would gladly
give him half dollar 10 buy spade with,
but he did not propose 10 ruin him by set
ting him in government Office. Thrown
thus upon his own resources, he opened a
classical school at Washington, where he
had sons of Henry Clay, William Writ
and others among his pupils, and after three
years of school ,eachng and study of the
law with William Writ he was admitted TO
the bar, and in 1880 fixed his residence ut
Cincinnati. While waiting for clients lie
prepared an edition of the Ohio statutes
which brought him fame and practice, and
he soon had an enyiablc position at the
bar.
Just az the young lawyer gained Il toler-
able foothold in his profession, Cincinnati
began to gravely discuss whether slave
holding were a sin or evil, and among those
who quickly decided and stoutly declared
that it was a sin was Salmon Z. Chase. lie
made himself prominent among the anti
slavery advocates Of that place and time by
HIS UtltlSt vi u NOutil WIZ Duu Dttu AT
rested as a fugitive slave, by standing calm
ly in the doorway of q hotel before an ex-
cited mob thirsting for James G. Birneys
blood, aud by defending Mr.. Birney against
the charge of sheltering fugitive slave,
when he boldly declared the then novel
doctrine that slavery was sectional and
freedom national. Still later he was ASSOC
ciated with VIM. Ii. Seward in the famous
Van Zandt case, and it was only the logic
al sequence OF his early and iorcibe stand
upon the slavery question that he should
he elected governor of Ohio in 1S47, by the
liberty party. Two years later lac was
elected United States Senator from Ohio,
and for the next fifteen years he was one of
the foremost anti-slavery men in the coun-
try. His first election as governor was by
the democrats and frce-soilers, but when
Franklin Pierce was nominated for the
presidency in 1852, Mr.. Chase formally
withdrew from the democratic party. lie
was one of the earliest and strongest OPP
ponents Of the repeal of the Missouri COM
promise, and in 1855 he was elected gov
ernor of Ohio by the anti-P cree and anti
Missouri compromise voter position TO
which he was triumphantly re. elected in
1857 by the republicans. by the largest vote
ever given for governor in that state.
When Mr. Lincoln formed his cabinet
Mr. Chase was given the position of sccre-
taiy Of the treasury, and no appointment
gave keener satisfaction TO the dominant
party. Mr.. Chase was beset with difficult
ties such as no secretary of the treasury
ever before encountered, but his fame may
well be rested upon his marvellously sue
cessful administration of the treasury de-
partnient He resigned his place as secre-
tary of the treasury June 80, 1864, and in
October of that year he was appoincd to
succeed the deceased Roger Il. fancy as
chief justice of the United States supreme
ambition which i'll became the incumbent
of the highest judicial position in the land,
have tended TO diminish the activity and
usefulness of the wears he has spent upon
the supreme bench, but the memory of his
former services has remained with undi-
unfinished luster; and in his death the coun-
try loses one of her foremost public men,
one Of the few who were true TO principle
and convictions of duty when il cost some
thing to believe and say that il was a NOR
al wrong 10 buy and sell human souls.
TIIR DKC.IY. OF Es.IRTERS