Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-05-14
A Significant Letter.
TAG late cH EF JUsTICR's SENTIMENTS OF CON-
CILFATfoN-HIs VIEWS FOUR YEARS AGO.

TLE late cH EF JUsTICR's SENTIMENTS OF CON
CIL'ATioN-HIs VIEWS FOUR YEARS AGO.
In letter to Captain b. II. Manning, of Char
lesion, s. g.. In response TO an iHVitauon, In May
lS69, 70 attend tho decoration of tue graves Of
the Federal dead near that city the late Chief
Justice Chase used the words, "And may We
not indulgs the hope that ere long we, who ad-
herod to the national cause, Will bo prompt also
10 join III COMMUNICATING the herosm oil our
countrymen who fell ON the Othor side ". This
phrase was so objectionable TO Mr.. =. 4. VII
llams, PRECEDENT of national bank in NeW York,
that he wrote n letter TO Mr.. Chase expressing
bis "painiul dissatisfaction" with the sentiment.
Ar. Chase replied Immediately, and his letter,
which is as follows, has just been made public:
RALEIGH, n c. June 10, 1868. Dear Sir re-
gret that the peruSal OF my letter TO Cap
tain Manning caused "paiuful dissatisfaction 10
you, for am sure that you are patriotic, aud not
Intentionally unjust Doubtless you remember
occasions upon which your active host NY TO
measures of finance which, rs Secretary OF the
Treasury Thought Indispensable to the success
OF the National arms, and to the permanent wei
ARE OF the country, caused painful d'ssatisiac-
lion TO me.
The present name of the institution which yOu
manage with 30 much ability aud success shows
that you have abandoned your opposition to one
at least, OF those measures. 1t is perhaps not
impossible that you Will change your mind rs TO
Inc sentiment you censure. Ii seems 10 me that,
taken i'll connection with the context from which
your quotation separates it, It's sense cannot bc
mistaken. II is, that true patriotism requires
that the close of a"grcat CiVh war should be
marked, not by prescription or dislnanchisement,
hut by mani lesiations Of sincere good will, es-
pecaily from the successful 10 the unsuccessful,
and by generous recognition of whatever was
really brave aud earnest and noble in those who
iodght on the falling side. | have sympathy
with the spirit which refuses to strew flowers
upon the graves of the dead soldiers who fought
against the side took aud am glad to know
there was no such spirit among those who joined
IN decorating the graves of the soldiers OF the
Union who lie buried in Magnolia Cemetery.
The n 2guolia lavish its perfume As freely, |
the plessanta breathes as softly, and the warm
sun shines as brightly over Confederate as over
Union grave IN the letter which has inouTr |
yolr cen auIc, sought 10 put INTO the helrls Of
lay countTymen something Of the Divine charity !
laught 10y the tree the air and the sur, as we'll |
"a bv the pTCcepts Of our Saviour. i believe il |
hea done some good and | believe il will do |
more.
have read your extract from the speech of |
lone of our brave Generals" whom you do not |
name. There arc some good sentiments in il |
aud some moi % good On the whole, prefer |
Inc letter to the speech. and am sorry TO differ
from you 30 far as to think that of the two, the
letter sis most becoming "the position which l |
hold. The Chief Jrstlce i, ! think, not lily
employed when he inculcat good will among |
men. l no.ice that you more than intimate
hat my letter was prompted by ambition. II
certainly wrs not.
do not think ever was SO ambitious as some
ople have represented me. AT
my rate, ! ana now unconscious Of a1y other
ambition than that Of doing as much good and
'S little harm as possible. ] have no conn c. ''on
with Tolitics- l neither seek nor expect cny
rolitical position, content 10 leave to younger
men all the contentious aud distinctions of po-
itical life. shall be fully satisfied with my
hare of the general welfare which it may
hoped wise and generous statCsmanship with
Gods bl- eing, will secure for our country. Vely
spectfully yours S. z. CHASE.