The New York herald., 1874-08-31
LITERATURE.
CHIEF JUSTICE CHASE.

United States. BY j. w. Shuckers. New
York, d. Appleton & Co.
The admirers OF the late Chief Justice, who com.
prise large proportion Of the American people,
VIII welcome this fair, friendly authentic record
OF his private life and public services The publ-
cation in the early part OF the present year OF
warden's gross and malignant caricature-a
vOluminous biography. every page OF which Is
colored by vulgar sneer and exhibits the career
OF the distinguished statesman with spurious
truthfulness resembling that OF waiting woman,
who should dress her mistress for ball by putting
on her satins and laces wrong side out, Will cause
Mr.. Shuckers book to be sought with eager in
terest by public wishing to know the real char
acter OF this distinguished man, who played so
conspicuous part in mis- country's history during
its most memorable period Some time since we
gave q brief notice Of the present work. and we
now cheerfully add another and final chapter TO
the criticism then commenced.
Mr.. Shuckers possesses some valuable quafca.
tions ior his task, accompanied with some draw
backs. He was for long period the trusted pri-
vate secretary Of Chief Justice Chase, enjoys the
full confidence of the surviving members OF the
family, has written his book with their approba-
ton and assistance, and has been allowed free ac-
cess the correspondence, diary and other private
papers Of his iustrious subject. With these great
advantages no other biographer can compete
with him in the value OF his materials. He was
treated by the Chief Justice rather as an attached
intimate friend than as dependent subordinate,
as is abundanty shown by some of the letters
printed In this volume with another purpose. His
literary competency Ior such task is also respect
able mis- long habit OF writing under the guidance
OF a person Of Mr.. Chase's taste for chaste. con-
else composition and contempt for rhetorical
1ourisnes and verbiage having pruned his style Of
oil nrh n a
clearness and simplicity. Mr.. Shuckers' detects
are such as are incident to these advantages. He
fails in breadth OF view and independence
OF Judgment. He has been so long accustomed to
look at all subjects in suDservience to an INTELLECT
that dominated mis- own, yielding himself as mere
vehicle for the expression OF Mr. Cnases IDEAS, as
to 1ncapacitate him for discriminating criticism,
and in the preparation OF this work he has been as
completely under the influence OF Mr.. Chase's fam
fly as ne was under that OF Mr. Chase himself In
assisting him In the preparation of his papers.
The biography OF this statesman, to be htly writ.
ten, should be undertaken by person who, If not
his peer in ability has at least the free use Of his
own faculties in estimating public measures
and the comparative services OF public men.
The work before US has the merits and defects
OF an autobiography, being substantially such
an account as Mr.. Chase himself would have given
of his own career If he had seen fit to initiate
many other statesmen who have written their
memoirs 1t lacks, indeed, the prestige of such
an authorship ana that freedom OF seE.criticlsm
which candid high minded photographers some
times practse but 1t is nearly akin to that species
Of literature.
Alter this general description it is, perhaps,
superhuous say that the best portion OF the con-
tents OF this volume consists of the copiOus ex-
tracts from Mr.. Chase's private papers with
which its pages abound. The authentic INSIDE
views OF important public transactions Is often OF
surprising interest as well as great historical
value Among the subjects which receive new
illustration from this source are the differences
which arose between President Lincoln and
Secretary Chase while the latter remained in the
Cabinet and which finally led to his retirement; |;
his strong repugnanCe to the issue OF legal tender
notes and the reluctance with which he yielded
his opposition; the light thrown on the secret his
tory of the war and especially on the causes
which destroyed confidence in General Mcclellan;
the play OF motives IN the impeachment of Andrew
Johnson end-thougn last not least-the connec-
ton of the Cher Justice with the movement to
make him the democratic candidate for the Presi-
dency in 1868. Our space does not permit us to go
into all these topics with the fresh light shed upon
them by Mr.. Shuckers book, but we will select
one or two on which the motives of Mr.. Chase
lent assaults by the political party that mad rec
ognized him as one Of its most distinguished lead
ers.
Reversing chronological order, we will begin
with his avowed willingness to accept q demo
cratic nomination for the Presidency. It is abun
dainty proved by the documents Incorporated IN
TINS volume that Mr. Chase never sought such q
nomination. that the popular movement for ten
dering 1t to him was entirely spontaneous, under
the leadership OF the independent press that there
were no bargains and next TO no consultations
between him and the democratic magnates; that
he main tanned an answering fidelity to his life
long principles when this seductive prize was
displayed before his eyes, steadily refusing to bate
an iota from his innexible devotion to negro
suffrage or in any way compromise his
convictions. The truth is that the Chase
movement OF 1868 was set on foot by the HERALD
without consultation with anybody. The HERALD
acted on the same prompt perception of popular
tendencies and political possibilities which has so
often impelled 1t to give good advice to parties
who did not perceive their opportunities. That
it counseed the democratic party wisely In start
ing the Chase movement Is now generally admit
ted the most judicious democratic statesmen re-
garding 1t as capital mistake that Chase was not
nominated in 1868. That the ball was set in mo-
tion by the HERALD, is correctly stated by Mr..
Shuckers in the following passage:-"The Con-
vention assembled in the city OF New York on
the Fourth OF July. II the friends OF Mr..
Chase had been left free to choose the
place OF its meeting, with view to
outside pressure, they would have chosen New
York. The public sentiment OF that city was
Overwhelmingly IN his favor. It was not noisy and
demonstrative, but was everywhere apparent, and
was largely owing to the powerful and persistent
advocacy OF his name by the HERALD. For months
that paper had urged the nomination" No public
journal ever gave u political party more timely
advice, and no political party ever so signally
failed to take advantage Of q tide which would
have led IL on to fortune. The most sagacious OF
the democratic leaders saw that the HERALD was
right, and cautiously tried to have its advice
adopted. About a month before the assembling
Of the Convention, Mr.. Belmont, chairman
Of the Democratic National Committee, wrote a
private and confidential letter to Mr.. Chase, with