The Portland daily press., 1874-02-11
Chief Justice Waite.

The appointment of MIR. Waite as one of the
counsel for the government in the Geneva ar
bitration, and his subsequent appointment to
the position of Chief Justice, have been sur
prises to himself and friends, not on account of
any want of qualification for those positions on
the part of Mr.. Waite, but for the simple rea-
son that he utterly detested the usual methods
by which men acquire extensive regulations,
and would not even permit his friends to bring
his name before the public in any manner
which was calculated to give him that promi-
hence which is generally esteemed essential to
the securing of important positions under the
government. W
The amDiuIon OF governor Cnase to become
President led him into the error of calling
about him as his confidential advisers chiefly
such men as had formerly ac.ed with the Dem
ocratic party, while at the same time he spared
no pains to cripple every prominent republican
who had been a leading Wing in the State. A
bitter warfare was the result, and Chase found
himself powerless to crush out all those men.
In their local districts they were popular, and
Delano made strong contest for the United
States senatorship against Chase before the
legislature in the winter of 1859-'60. In the
summer of 1860, several of those old wings
tur. ed up in the Chicago convention, greatly
against the wishes of Mr. Chase and 1t will be re
membered that Mr.. Delano seconded the NOM
ination of Va. Lincoln in a brief speech, which
db OuCc UldStcu tuO pIOSpcCtS VI OudSt anu gave
great encouragement TO Mr.. Lincoln's friends.
Practically, that closed out Mr.. Chase in Ohio,
and he was never again before the people in
this State as a candidate for any position.
There is a little secret history connected with
this which there can now be no improperly in
revealing, and 1t dates back several years in
che political history of Ohio. When the whig
party was abandoned, its old leaders in this
State naturally drfted into the Republican
party. Ewing AID Corwin were such devoted
hot fhnu fotr ri and fsrI1xy
INSTALLER in the new organization, but Delano
galloway, Ben Stanton, Schenck, Goddard,
Waite. Horton and many others less promi-
nent, very heartily entered the new organiza
tion, though they did not seek prominence,
and, as Chase was Governor of the State, be
very naturally became the prominent Repub
lican figure in Ohio
Ewing. Corwn, Galloway and Stanton are
now dead. Schenck is now minister to Eng
land, and Delano is Secretary of the Interior.
with Mr.. Waite knew him to be man of
eminent legal abilities, conscientious and
worthy of any trust and position within the
gift of the government. When the President
counsellors for the government at Geneva, Sec.
Rotary Deano at once thought of the man who
had sympathized with him in the fight aga INST
the Chase dynasty, and named Mr.. Waite to
the President, who, having great confidence in
the Judgment Of Mr.. DelanO, appointed Mr..
Waite. All know the highly creditable man.
ner in which Mr.. Waite acquitted himself at
Geneva. When the President had twice failed
to appoint an acceptable person to the position
of Chief Justice, he CONSULTED with his Cabi-
net officers upon the subject, and Secretary De-
lano again recommended his friend Waite. The
President adopted the suggestion, and the peo-
pie of the whole country are to-day exceedingly
well pleased with the choice.
We have narrated these facts to show where
the chain of circumstances originated which
led to the elevation OF Mr.. Waite to the Chief
Justiceship.