The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-16

se"""si anu soSS'P kcucTdiy, DuJ ~ ~ w
ward one OF the most eminent statesmen OF his
time
THE GOSSIP ABOUT TIE CHASE FAMILY.
There Is good reason for believing that Judge
Warden's book viii contain great deal OF gossip
about the Chase family. Those who were near
enough to the Chief Justice to become familiar
with the contents OF his diaries know they were
largely concerned with family matters. They
contain many things which ought never have been
written and which ought never be told. Mostly
diaries give but jaundiced vision OF mans life
and surroundings. The diaries OF Chief Justice
Chase were, we believe, no exceptions to this rule.
They were not intended for publication. and could
be at most only guide for his biographer. II will
require delicate hand to sit all this matter. tina
the memory Of the Chief Justice may not sufrer by
hasty Judgments recorded Tor no eye but his own.
Some things tina. he wrote in these books, as his
differences with Mr.. Lincoln on the Emancipation
proclamation, are likely to provoke great deal OF
discussion. But outside OF his personal diaries
Mr.. Chase wrote much that would have the same
effect He kept for instance, full notes of the con-
versations had with him by public men during
his services in the Treasury. These memoranda
tell many strange stories. 1t is not the purpose,
we believe, to print them, Mr. Schuckers, In whose
possession they are only using them to guide MIN
In his work. Their substance is in the biography,
wherein they illustrate Mr.. Chase's VIEWS but
freed from the explosive force that Judge Warden
promises from the diaries; for 1t Is well under
stood that he Is to publish them and his friends
have already taken pleasure in informing the world
that many things which Mr.. Chase said OF himself
and his family will prove very distasteful to his
daughters. Mrs. Senator Sprague is to be morti-
fed by the revelation that Mr. Chase loved his first
wife better than Mrs. Sprague's mother, and other
Notifications equally unnecessary are In store Tor
the daughters OF the dead iurtst. That Judge
Warden may see how this gossip about dead mems
deceased wives looks in print we copy for him
paragraph now going the rounds OF the press,
which evidently was suggested by hint which
first came from him. This Is what some scribbler
has 10 say Of the first wife OF Chief Justice Chase-
The world ana society were as necessary to her
as warmth and sunshine to bird or butterfly.
adornmenr, she found herself without the re-
sources which habit had made essential to her
betug. Her freedom was as dear to her as lie.
she could more bear con finement than
colibr. Liberty was accorded to her in the only
way possible under the circumstances-that Of
remarks to throw the slightest dlsparage-
ment on Mr. Chase or the bright. ballroom belle
Rage was was a mistake on both Sides The very
grandeur OF his nature land its consequent inGex-
ibIityl was barrier between them. He was an
lmpeudlug Cliff above rose, stretching every
branch, every bud, Tor sunlight beyond Its shadow.
He was never conscious, probably OF the obstruc-
like true hope and enjoyment In one who could not
brook such restraint. It was like surrounding
vertlng II INTO cold and stagnant tarn. Who
knows how much OF this same influence entered
into the brief lives and early deaths OF the success
sors OF Catherine GarDiSSS
This story, untrue perhaps In every particular,
though not so terrible as imputatlons Mrs. stowe
cast upon the memory or Lord Byron, is quite as
sad from the want Of motive for telling 1t. 1t is
robbtng tue grave that SANDER may wag its foul
tongue over pretended memories. HerndOn
offended not more outrageously In asserting that
his former partner, Abraham Lincoln, was base
born; but he was punished by the dispeasure OF
all his countrymen. Even John Forster did not
escape censure for relating the story, however
delicately Of hts friend Dickens incOmpatiblllty.
Neither can Judge Warden hope to escape. whether
he countenances stories like this we have Just
quoted or attempts to elaborate his foolish chatter
about success and merit in Judge Chase's aspi
ratlons for the Presidency.
JUDGE wARDEN's RIvAL-MR. sCHUCKERs AND HIS
In remarkable contrast to the part OF Judg
Warden's book which we have seen Is the "Life
of Chase" now in preparation and nearly rea dy
for publication by J. w. Schuckers. Mr.. Schuckers
entered Mr.. Chase's service as his private secre-
tary In the year 1861. Schuckers had previously
been a writer on the newspapers, serving for a
considerable time on the Cleveland Leader and
other journals. When he entered Chase's service
1t was to become the admirer and lifelong friend
OF his chief All through the war Schuckers was
at Chase's side. After the Secretary became Chief
Justice every act Of the great jurist and his as
socrates was as familiar to Schuckers as II he had
been the Judges other SELF A thorough acquaint-
ance with every trait Of Mr.. Chase's char
acter was the result OF these twelve
years. intercourse. In the last chapter
OF his book Mr.. Schuckers gives US some insight
into this knowledge, showing u.s. by the incidents
he recalls. what we all knew, that Mr.. Chase was
very remarkable man. noble and lovable, with
some striking foibles and weaKnesses-a strong
character to be too closely scrutnzed but to be
dealt with lovingly and alphabetically. Shuckers
evidently loved Chase with the devotion Of q
weaker for q stronger nature, and he approaches
his task from an opposite standpoint In every
way from that OF Judge Warden. His picture is
portrait in outline, often awkward, but always
suggestive and never uniaithlul, while warden's Is
a daub rich In color but inartistic and untrue to
the original Both biographers go over pretty
much the same ground, but neither has written q
really great "Life OF Chase'-the one because his
work Is almost coloress, and the other because he
attempted to paint In iresco, but produced only q
tavern sign.
TUE LEGAL TENDER Observation-Disclosures on THE
CURRENCY QUESTION.
In his note to Judge Warden acknowledging the
birthday letter. Chief Justice Chase said 1t was the
will OF Divine Providence to make him instrument
tai in the promotion OF two great reforms, both
polltical one social, the other financial. Warden
gives precedence sin point OF glory as in time" to
the WORK done In promotion or social reform, but
hopes to "display due appreciation Of the work
done In promoting real or supposed financial re-
In Schuckprq, no no ri
the basis Of the really remarkable chapters. We
have nothing in literature more marked
than his history of Mr.. Chase's nnan-
cal policy. and especially OF his action
regarding the legal tender issues. There is
absolutely no undercurrent In the narrative-nOth-
ing but plain statement OF facts and events in
chronological order, told with a simplicity that
battles the partisan and disappoints the general
reader, because so much is revealed while so little