New-York tribune., 1873-05-08

the unexamp,ed trial Of the war, without serious
embarrassment and with uDshaken credit In the
worst days Of the Rebellion, when the prospect was
darkest and the cost of the campaign most enor-
nous, the Government was never at loss for money.
What ST Chase did for his country at this time 10
Thus told by the author Of The American Con-
flict ("
Gov. Chase bad filed in the public servce. through
yeaIs OF nonol, depression and disaster, the second
place IN Importance and the first In the magnitude Of M
requirements and had discharged its duties with pre-
eminent ability, energy, ana courage When he
eepted IT, on the accession Of Mr.. Lincoln, tho
enue beng Inadequate, even In the absence Of all
pendture preparation Tor var his predecessor Co0b
October lsso and obtained only s7C2 OO0-the bidders
TO whom the balance was awarded choosing 10 forfeit
their initial deposit rather than take aud pay tor
their bonds. Thencefortb lided over t6 res
s a g ny p eS ne ea' S2te: payable year ron
had vanished from the scene Gen. DIX, WHO Oeefed
HIM In mr Buchonans Cabinet, attempted Feb. ls5D 10
borrow small sum on % year bonls Gt per cent
be obliged TO sell those bonds at average dis
count OF 9I per cent Hence OF Mr. Cbases rs loan Of
100000 for which bids were opened Apu y ten days
before Beauregard first fred on Fort sumter, tie 0f
lngs ranged from TO 10 per cent discount; ana ony
$4,000 rendered at under cent discount
ne the face OF vehement camOr. declining al bids
Soon afterwaPd the balance Of 4bs sooC 10 twoyeaf
Treasury notes at par or a fraction over
Such were the financial auspices under which the Re
public commenced the most gigantic and costly strug
Gle that the world had knOwn-a struggle l which
II was ultimately re0nred 10 Keep 90 foot an army 80
100000 men, with vast aud costly steam nayy-a war
In which welappOnted armies had to be tahspVHed Dy
water or by railroads for hundreds Of mica war ior
which nearly every weapon, every casuage every
means OF Oense, had to be created or Dougt on the
spur OF the exigency-a war wherein our mex
serious elements OF so5l-e
war wherein countless millions bad 10 be raised on the
heel Of every great dsasterOften when our seat VI
Government iu imminent peril Of capture and When
foreigners, with scarcely an exception, proclaimed our
cause already h0peesy lost aud dcafcned the general
with their vehement protests against the cnlhl
madness OF pouring out rivers more OF blood ana heap
! ing up mountains Of debt TO no possible end bu1le
crafty suen stupid, brutal Ob'tnacy-a DabArdpL yuI
nexOrabe pride. hen we add that very cOnslIeiaOs
States was profoundly hostile 20 prosecution Of The
part fatal all hopes OF any desirable of
ally only refraned from subscribing 10 the loan con
tinuay pressed on the market, but dssuaded other.
capitalists among peOplc-mOst, Of those In
thrifty and comfortable circumstances being oencr IN
debt than otherwise while few are accustomed 10 con-
troll considerable sums IN mOney-!t must he fell That
the raising in one way or another Of tie gigantic loan.
| to a conclusion was tho standing miracle OF tne con
test. Had the widest deyotee OF Manifest Destiny
our Government could borrow money or incur GeDt 10
prosecute civil war which impered us existence, he
barely third OF the debt actually created and. wbea
we consider also, the Stale aud local debts likewise IN
gents the actual debt incurred was probably over Ou
billions, the total expenditure in prosecuting tbe war
| side being considerably above lhAt sluPendods
sum-"
Mr. Chase resigned the Secretaryslip of the Treas
ury on the last Of June, 1894 and IN the following
October was appointed Chief-Justce Of the United
| States in succession TO Roger b. Ianey. For the
better part of his life he had practically abandoned
the profession of the law; be had never filled judi
| cial position; he had never even remained iona
enough at the bar to be reckOned one Of the really
eminent jurists of the West. Yet men had learned
| TO know that Salmon z. Chase was one Of thos,
rarely endowed men who adorn and dignity any
eminence to which they may be raised, irrespective
Of their previous training; and there was general
confidence that Mr.. LincOln's choice would prove
wise one 1t cannot indeed be said that Mr. Cbasei
rank as a Judge viii equal his fame as hnancieri
but be showed himself not unworthy to preside over
bench which had onco been illustrated by John
Marshall. His decisions invariably commanded
respect, and on many occasions displayed
traces of traDscendent abilities. What he
might have done III this position had
the ermine fallen upon him at an earlier period Of
his life. we can easily conjecture. He came to the
Bench with mental powers uDimpaired-as they
were indeed to the very last day Of his lfe-and
mind enriched by much and varied experience; but
with physical system utterly broken down by The
stupendOus labOTs Of the previous three years Like
Mr.. Lincoln aud Mr. Stanton, he was killed by the
war. By great care, constant bodily exercise and
strict habits of life, he exacted from his enieeDled
frame the last exertion of which 1t was capaDlei
but it never was able after his retirement from the
Cabinet to perform the full measure Of work which
his intellect would have imposed upon it,
The name Of the Chief Justice was brought into
singular prominence at the time Of the Democratic
National Convention in 1893. For some months be
fore the meeting Of that Convention. there was more
or less mention and discussion of his fitness as pos
sible candidate who could unite the progressive
Democrats and the reasonable Republicans upon
platform which should save the rights OF the States
without perilng any OF the results Of the war; IhH
style of remark grew so general that it seemed
proper for the Chairman of the National Democratic
Committee TO address letter 90 Judge Chase, ask
ing hIs views upon pending political questions. To
this the Judge responded on the SOh Of May in the
following language, which was taken as indicating
willingness TO serve as the Democratic candidate;
Foy more than quarter OF a century have been IN
nv political views aud sentiments, Democrat ahdi
still think that upon questions oi hGAce commeIte
and adminisratOn generally, the old Democratic rin-
Ciples afford the best guidance Nhat sepafited e n
former times from both parties was the depth aud pos
i1iCenees Of NV convictions on the slavery question:
on that question thought the Democratic par I1ie
TO make q Just application Of Democratic priucple ana
regarded myself more DemCCra.ic tAan tAo De"
In sI9 was elected 10 the Senate by the united votes
OF the Oldno Democrats aud independent Democrats,
and subsequently made earnest efforts ~ bIing aoos
union OF all Democrats on the gr und OF the hhl'uOI
OF slavery 20 the States In when t then eXistd asa
uon-ineryenton ia these states by Congress hSh ll.s
union been effected, IL my firm D3ief that the couhu
would have escaped the late civil war ana al ls eNhs
never favored interference BY Congress Win s,aley;
but as u war Mr.. Lmcolu's proclamation "
emancipation had my hearty assept, ana
united as a member OF his AdminlstEs-
ton in the pledge made TO malntAs
the freedom OF the enfrancbsed people have Desu,
and am in favor Of much OF the recOnstrueiol poy
of Congress as based the reorganization Of tne eta2
Governments or the South upon universal slntase.A
think that President johnson rZht IN regsfhE nv
Southern states, except Virginia and Iennesee' as
ing at the close OF the war, without goSernueus
the United states Government could properly ie'Osus
without governors. judges legislators, or ONE es-
functionarios-but wrOBg In lunting by MS reSohsa
ton procamations the right Ot suffrage 10 whltes
hxrhif had