Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-03-29
b. f. WADE 8 S. p. CHASE.

politics, although they were leading
members of the same party. They
were old time political foes. The
fight was first begun in 1857 over
the Gubernatorial nominations in
Ohio, aud continued along fed occa-
sionslly by little winds) until 1861,
when it opened out in all its bitter
ness. Wade wanted the nomination
for President by the Chicago Con-
ventIon, so did Chase; but Chase
was the shrewder politician of the
two, and by far the Oldest man, and
altogether the most popular man in
his party, not only in his own State,
but outside of it, hence Chase secur-
ed the united support of the Ohio
delegations to the Ohio Convention.
Without Its support Wade could do
nothing, so Chase won the State del
egation from Wade, and so far de-
feated him that his name was not
even complimented by a presenta-
ton, but Wade returned the compll-
msnt on Chase. At that time he
was power to be feared in Repub-
lican politics, so he went to Chicago
and worked with his utmost strength
to win the chances of Chase, and he
succeeded at the close of the first
ballot, when Seward was leading his
competitors, yet showed plainly that
he could not master enough favor to
nominate him, and that the chances
were favorable to long, hard fight.
The neutrals began at once to con-
centrate on one available man, Chase
was selected, and there can be no
doubt but that he would have secur-
ed the nomination on the third bal
lot at least, by handsome majority,
had it not of been fol the cold, stub
born and relentless fight waged by
Wade against him. He was enough
of power to rally large corps of
able men around him, and they at
once maehinated together for the
downfall of Chase, and they won.
From that hour Chase's star rapidly
declined; Seward soon followed, and
the hosts were mustered under the
banner of Lincoln. Under the new
administration Chase was made Sec
retary of the Treasury. At first
Wade showed signs of fighting the
entire line of his financial policy, but
the war, that contest which aiienated
so many by its blood, only was the
cause of the rapid and lasting cemen-
tations in the bonds of union and
fellowship of Salmon P. Chase and
Benjamin F. Wade. He supported
the financial administration of Chase
with energy and alacrity, and often
spoke of him as the every best man
for the place" and as the greatest
minister of finance of the age" Their
intercourse was frequently marked
by intimacy. l remember one time,
during the course of the war, when
our kilograms were hourly bringing
depressing news from our armies in
the South, that Wade met Chase
one morning on the steps of the State
Department, and stepping before
him he says, eMy Dear Chase, how
are you, this morning." and the two
walked off arm in arm evidently in
close consultation on important mat
ters Wade was slow to forget re-
sentiments, and the last to forgive
treachery. He never bowed sub
misSively, hut he frequently compro
missed. The compromise between
Chase and Wade was brought about
by VIM. H. Dennison, afterwards
Postmaster General, and Columbus
Delano, afterwards Secretary of the
Interior.
AT the time of the trial Of PreSi-
dent johnson, and when Wade was
the President pro TEN. of the Senate,
and the consequent successor to the
Presidential chair, he was the syno-
sure of all eyes, and he came nearer
reaching the Presidential chair than
any other man that ever lived. In
this respect he beat Chase, and he
could have been President but for
one personal matter, and that was a
difficulty between VIM. Pitt Fessen-
den, of Maine, and himself during
the heated war discussions. FssSen-
den was inclined to be very conSsrva-
tive, while Wade was a red hot radi-
cal. Fessenden was a man of strong
passions; he was like Wade, he new
er stopped to apologize and he never
tried to forget. So in a discussion
one day about the advisability of
sending more troops into the field.
Wade strongly favoring and Fessen-
den as strongly opposing, Wade call
ed Fessenden a d-n coward. Fes-
sender was either too gentlemanly
or too fearful of the result to take
the insult, so from that day to the
day of death thev never spoke. Fes-
sender refused to vote for Wade for
President pro. TEN. of the Senate, and
it has been openly charged thousand
and thousands of times that Fessen-
den voted for the acquittal of An
drew Johnson, simply on personal
grounds. There was something that
animated Fessenden to this course,
for he was one of the most bitter
enemies to Johnson that was in the
Senate; his State was strongly in
favor of impeachment and he was a
candidate for reelection to the Sen
ate and he knew it was death then to
disobey party dictates, but it seems
he preferred individual defeat to the
success of Wade, and he received it
for he was not returned, and soon
afterward died a cold, acetic man.
His vote kept Wade from being
President but it ushered his star in
to the horison. CHASE.
Restoration of the Income Tax.