The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-05-17
CHASE, AND THE PREsIDEN CI

CHASE, AND THE PRESIDEN CY.
1t has often been repeated, the old saw
that times change and men change with
them. Almost every day in the events Of life
We find verifcation Of the adsge. Lately
there happened an event. very sad event
which recalled 10 our mind forcibly this
true and venerable saying. A few days
ago Chief Justice Salmon p. Chase died
and was buried.
After the close Of the war Of the rebel.
lion the Democratic party found itself IN
an embarrassing position, and agitation
within its ranks was daily placing new
impsdiments in its path, A largo num-
Der Of its influential leaders refuoeo W al
vance from .hc position of hostility "a
equal rights, and sought to convince the
party that it might again obtain
power by preaching the crusade Of caste
and marking its banners anew with the
legend Of "This 10 white mans govern
'ment.' The platform which these poll.
ticisns commended 10 the American peo-
pie contained buta few planks-l |. Down
with the negro; 2. Reputation, by indi.
rection; 3. Overthrow Of the reconstructed
state governments by bayonet; 4. Tariff
and frse'trade jdmbled; 5. Resolutions of
90.
But there were men in the Democratic
party who appreciated the fact that the
republic had passed into new era. and
that the old party war cries would sound
out OF place uttered among the peculiar
surroundings. Mr.. Wilbur F. Storey Of
the Chicago Times, was the first Demo.
crat In the nation who had the courage 70
declare the changed condition Of political
Affairs and advise the Democratic party
70 advance to its proper position as the sd.
vocAte of impartial suffrage and eousl
rights A great outory followed, and
many Democrats who believed Mr.. Storey
to be sagseious politician and a wise
counsellor in this regard were frightened
into silence.
But the movement then begun within
the ranks Of the Democratic party gained
new strength each day, until, in 1868 /,
had brought the great mass Of the marty
into the belief that it would be visa -
nominate Chief Justice Chase for tbs
presidency. That movement commenced
by MI Storey, also led the Dsmocrac /; into
the new departure and into summon, ~
Greeley but the opportunity to make !,
bare fruit was when Mr.. Chase was .up.
gessed for the presidency, and Mr.. Storey.
led away by blind personal devotion 10
MI fendleton rather than to that pen,le.
mans financial fallscy, refused 10 ,oco,,
the only candidate who could have
brought the Democracy into power by
leading 1t forward into the position ,bs
Chicago Times had declared long before
It must occupy or die.
AT that ilme-how distinctly we re-.
member certain leaders of the Demo.
cratic party denounced all other D,mo.
crsn who believed Mr.. Chase ,bonId ho
nominated by the party for the presi.
dency, as recreants, Republicans in dis.
guise, or stupid men without poli,ic.,
foresight. But time vindica,sd thu
Chase men, and il is with feeling of
grasacasion we remember that we were
one OF the dead sts,esmsns partisan.
In less than four months after tina nm.
fortunate nominations of tho New Yorl
convention, the impression became gen.
efai That II would haye haa,
Dexter II Mr.. Chase had =
oeeh made the nominee. Mr.
Blair, ~ soon a. no b.,
eisurs to survey the political field. sf,.,
'is nomination as the candidate for vico I
expressed . willingness to with.
raw from the ticket, and after the Oc,o.
er elections urged the withdrawal Of
eymour and the substitution of Chase
tut the mistake was irrspsrsble, and the
democratic party went down in irre.ri.vs.
10 defeat If Chase had been nom mated ,