The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-22
The Youth Of Chief Justice Chase.

Mrs. Stowe, in pleasant sketch of Mr..
Chase, contained in her book entitled ''Men
of Our Times" published few years ago,
says that he received his name, Salmon Port
land, from an uncle SalmoC Chase, dsting-
uished lawyer Of Pc tland, who die sudden
ly while pleading in court. She also gives
the following incidents OF Mr.. Chase's early
years:
'ID regard to Chase's early education, we
have not many traditions. lis parents were
of the best class of New Hampshire families;
Bible-readiDg. thoughtful, shrewd, closely and
wisely economical. 1t is said that in that re-
gion literary material was 30 scarce that the
boys first writing lessons were taken on
strips OF birch ark. When his father diei,
there was found 10 be little property for the
support of the family, and only the small sepa
rate estates Of his mother was left. She was
of Scotch blood that blood which Is at once
shrewd, pious, courageous and energetic, and
was competent to make little serve the 20
OF great deal. But an education, and college
education, is the goal toward which such
mothers in New England set their faces as a
| iint-and by infinite sayings and unknown
| economies they compass it. When Chase
was fourteen years old, his uncle, the bishop
| of Ohio and Illinois offered to take. and edu-
cate him. and be went to Ohio along with N
CasS's expedition to the upper waters OF the
Mississippi. While al Buffalo, tue seniors of
the party made an excursion to NIaea-
ra, but had no ruom. n their
vehicle for the boy. Young Chase
upon this, with characteristic energy, picked
up another 10y who wanted TO see the falls.
and the tive enterprising young gentlemen
footed it through the snow ior twenty miles.
and saw the falls in company with their
elders. BE remained two years with the
bishop, who was a peremptory man, and used
his nephew as he did himself and eve ybody
else about him; that is, made him work as
hard as he could. The great missionary
bishop bad SO much to do, and so little 10 do
it with, that be had to make up for lack of
money by mcessant and severe labor. and
with such help as he could get. H-s nephew
being his own flesh and blood, he felt perhaps
at liberty to drive little more sharply than
the rest, as that is the form in which the
family instinct shows itself iu people of his
character The youth was near sighted, ard
troubled with an obstinate lisp. The former
disability was incurable, but the latter he
overcame by means Of a long and persevering
course OF reading aloud. On the whole the
bishop seems to have thought well of his
nephew, tor one day refusing him leave to
go In swimming, he did so with the cumpli-
mentary exclamation: why, Salmon, the
country might lose its future president, W re
! to let you get drowned Afer being fitted
under his uncle, Chase entered Dartmouth
college. One anecdote OF Cha.e's college life
is characters ic as showing that courageous
and steady sense of justice which formed q
leading feature OF his after life One of bis
classmates was sentenced by the faculty to be
expelled from college on .harge OF whicn
| Chase knew him to be wholly innocent.
| Chase, after in vain sguing the case Win the
| president, finally told him that ne woulu 80
| too, as he would not stay IN an lnsttution
| where his friends were treated Win such
Injustice. The two youths packed up their
goods and drove of. But the faculty sent
word to them almost before they had got out
OF the village, that the sentence was rescipd-
ed and they might come back. They said.
however, that they must take time to cousid-
er whether they would do so, and they took
week, having piea. ant vacation, after
which they returned. 1t win be seen from
the following tina: Mr.. Chase, like some 9TH
er distinguished lawyers, did not burst upon
his profession with any extraordinary brill
fancy: His early days of legal practice were
days OF waiting and poverty. The Only pro-
fessior al work he did for considerable time
was TO draw an agreement for man, who
PAID MIN half dollar, aud week afteIward
came and borrowed II back. Mr.. Chase's hrst
argument betoie a United States court was
at Columbus, o., in 1884. The case was 70
him We impo,tapt one. and when he arose
to make bis arpument he found himself so
agitaied that he could not ut,rr " wold !; HI. He
had therefore to sit down, and amer ls anew A9Sr mo
ments tried again, and msae se iudaes u,i % came to
him. and shook hands with Nun,
congra.ui,sagI ,nsIgo No very disagreeable, inquired
WITH WITH surprise ~ What he was cUIgra;ust.d , iors
added: "a person of ordinary temperament
and ABILITIES would have gone through his
mart without any such symptoms OF nervous
ness. But when see a man break down
once or twice in that way, conceive the
highest hopes for him."