The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-03-21
THE BIOGRAPHIES OF CHIEF
,~J JUSTICE CHASE.


Tho New York 'Heral 2 of the sixteenth
inst. contains an elaborate criticism of the
two lives o: Salmon Z. Chase, now In
pres and shortly to be Published, one by
Judge X. b. Warden, of Cincinnati, and
the other by j. W. Schuckers, of New
York city. The first is published by Viii
s.Ach, Moore & Co, of Cincinnati, the
latter by the Appietons, New York. Of
Judge Warden's book, tho Herald critic
says;
We have before US tho Introductory
chapters TO Judge Warden's biography,
and we may DO pasdoncd FOR say ing nj the
outset that anything worse in tho way of
English composition has never boen writ
ten. The style is gawky and obscure.
The imagery n abundant, but it has the
same relation 10 literary art that the Car
dill giant bears 20 Phidian sculpture.
Judge Warden mistakes u liberal use of
the dictionary Tor the splendors Of diction,
and he prefers the sunilowers to tho flow.
ers OF rhetoric. He can neither paint II
portrait with distinctness OF outline nor
state fact with clearness of expression
And yet he hints that this work has been
undertaken under especial law of COM
posit,op,' by which his own language is
70 blend harnoniously with that of the
lase Chief Justice, whereupon he breaks
out into this apostrophe TO his own genius
engaged In lie lofty undertaking =" Sc
may this work avail itself Of superior
style and diction, and So may tho reader
soon begin 10 see, as in u faithful lass, Tho
man whose very physiognomy, as well as
his distinctive traite and tendencies, these
pages naturally wish TO make familiar
Just - soon "a may bs, " perusers of their
revelations" Perusers of their reyela
lions, will, VIC fear, find nothing 10 Judg,
Warden's pages more astonishing thar
this promise, and few persons, we suspec,
will look for the faithful glass in whicl
alone they can see Judge Chase's EVER,
phyeiognomy, ~ well as his distinctly
traits and tendencies" A man who coul
write . paragraph at once SO feeble an
90 pretentious should be content with hi
achievement and die before completing
his work; but Judge Warden, we fe.r
will live 70 SEQ the full effects of his tray
esty upon the life Of great man.
9 2 2 2 q ..
THE GOSSIP ABOUT THE CHASE FAMILY
~, There is good reason for believing tina
Judge Warden's book will contain a grea
deal Of gossip about tho Chase tamil,
Those who were near enough 10 tho Chic
Justice 70 become familiar with the con
tents Of his diaries know they were large
ly. concerned with family matters. The
contain many things which ought peye
70 have been written and which ough
never be TOLD. Mostly diaries give but
jsundjced vision Of mans life and sur
roundlngs. The diaries Of Chief Jus.ic
Chase were. We believe, no exception tt
x this rule. They were no. intended To-
publics.ion, and could DO at most only ,
guids for his biogrspher. 1t will requir
ASlicats hand 10 sift oil this matter, tina
thslnasnory Of the Chief Justice may no
sufEes by hssty Judgements recorded 70
noeye bus bis own. Some things that h
vssSs In these books. as his difference
with NJ. Lincoln on tho emsncipstiol
proclamation, are likely 10 provoke grea
deal Of discussion. But outside Of hi
personal diaries Mr.. Chase wrote mucl
that would have the Same effect. Ill
kept, for instance, full notes OF the con
vssstions had with him by public mer