The sun., 1873-05-10

htti SuNAAti Y HhNFs
In the foucrll lay of tho late Chicf
Justice CHAsU there VII disappear from
CA: -ilht tao Ia of the four great mon
whom President LINCOLN called INTO hi.
Cabinet during the war of the rebellion
Mcssrs. SEWARD. STANTON, FEs-ENDrN,
and CHASE we're mon Of diverse character
and qualities, but each in h sown way was
unrivallcd. In the high arena Of Scuato-
rial debate Mr.. FEssEVprS was the master
OF them all, Ia the capacity of War Min
istcr with million Of men in the field,
not one of them could have matched STAN
TOSS inporious energy. In the direction
of our fore IN affair, neither could have
exhibited the copiousncss, the fertility,
or that genial felicity OF exposition
that marked Mr.. SEwARp's diplomacy.
Aud ii is not too much to say that no
man in the whole country could have
equallcd Mr. CHASE in that most cmbar-
raising tak of all, the successful manage
mcnt Of our finances.
At the opening Of tho war there was
nothing so difncult ns the financial prob
lem, and there was none upon which so
Dtue light was shed, either by our own cX-
vast proportions of the war required a cor
responding sy-tcm OF finance t1 meet its
enormous aud con family expanding de
munds. IL was to Mr. CHAss's bold sim
plicity aud cleanliness Of thought, and
above all, Ia his nrn grasp and umbcnding
will that we owe tNn .ystnm which carried
the country t"iumphlutly through IT,
trials. He oxhil tal fur beyond any Of
h,s cONtlgUos u.at guIli'y ~ ;plministra-
oVe abinty viii "a tho French TT above
cvory other. ard wtIch ttcy term militia
two, In THE r' - ~ 90 Wis tho grt-ite.t
Of thTu all 1r rAe; down old systcins
and ostuul IN. - Whtoh shah stand the to-t
OF time and eNpori, noe and especially e. 10
this during tho Tempest OF civil war II tho
work of genius. Ih.S what Mr.. CuAeEdid
lie overthrow tho whole banking system
Of the county, and hc erected another
upon IL ruins. And ne did this alone. and
against The pls.iyoor active resistance of
ia" entire community. when all ordinary
resources failed to furnish money for the
war hc st IA motion n unique agency
for placing the national loans which
proved Instantly aud brilliantly sue
coTsiul. Tie invented the system of five
twentius and t"n-fortic- FOR the permanent
funding of the national debt; and no
scheme has vet been found better than
thtr in the completeness aud toNihilitv
of it, operation. With wonderful darius
and force Of character, he nut aslda
tho constitutional standard Of value,
and did not hesitate to override the
fundamental law against impairing the
IG nf ~ in a
patriotic determination that every private
interest should yield to the public neccs-
tity. He made II the condition of ex-
ircnc" for the banks of the country that
they should contribute their resources to
the support OF tho public credit. lie eu-
fJrool this condition with vigorous de-
termination against the most powerful op-
position. \ few banks would not comply,
from prudential, and sometimes from po-
htch cOnsido ratious; bat Mr. CHAsF aud
his -y-t"in triuuph"l an 1 thry all At last
Wslui'-os-l, ~ went ot of ,NiSt..ucr. Aud
pursuing hI- rr-Olui' u.thod-, and with
unahntcd confidence ia h,- powers and re-
sources, hc u-.-fp ou The rciuction Of thu
rate OF intor,~t on the national loaus from
SIX per cent, 60 five per Cout., in tho very
three millions ot dollar. day were rr-
quircd 10 maintain thr urfr-o- IN the ncld.
These were the great toldng features OF
Secretary CHA~E'- financial policy. Even
this cui~ury review Of thcm exhibits their
novel and mastorly character They cOuld
only have emnutt,d from bold original
mind Of diruuct ideas, strong. uuhc.l-
tatng, revolutionary in It's vigor, imburl
with frlt-rouhdcn~o and fo"liug itself
equal 10 any emergency. The novelty OF
Mr., CuAsE's situation, ma the ease and
force with which he met each successive
and threatening phase Of 1t, carrying hi.
great burden steadily 10 the end have
mover been fully appreciated. Bat history
Will not fail TO award him the title OF great
ness for his deeds during this period
II were idle 10 say that In the prosecu.
ton OF his large and vital schemes, Mr
CHASE made no mistakes. lie would hard
iy have been human If he-ad not. The
Issue OF his five per cent, legal tenders wa,
mistake, The lrgal-trndrr measure In
its application 10 pretxisting contracts
was mistake, at least ia our Judgment
The injurious character of this application
he him elf recognized, and aimed 10 cor.
rect by his noble decision on its unooustt
WuouaIity after he became Chief Justco
But the ea,y-going public, ana the lawyers
OF the great corporations who became hi,
associate Judges, were content to endorse
even the errors OF tue great Secretary
winch the wiser judge had himself con
demnHdi thus exhibiting in vivid aut
striking Colors the difference botwccl
greater and lesser men; between rner,
lawyers and statesmen who recognize ua
tional necessities aud maintain the prrrnga
tiyes OF lustbe over the piausibilltios of tn
law, But We have no need TO criticize th
defects in Nj. CHAsE's financial admins
trauon when we hnd that both judges ail
hGsiato's are unable 10 see them, OF a