The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-22
OLD POLITICAL FEUDs.
The Differences Between Hen Wade and
SALMON r. chase-How zach Kept the
Other From Being President.

The pinerences Between Hen Wade and
salmon p. chase-How zach Kept the
Other From Being President.
Washington Cor. Pittsburgh Telegraph
Chase and Wade never agreed In poll
tics, Mthough they were leading mem
bers OF the same party. They were old
time political foes. The fight was first
begun IN 1857, over the gubernatorial
nomination in Ohio, and continued along
fled occasionally by little winds) until
1861, when it opened out in all its bit
terness. Wade wanted the nomination
for President by the Chicago Conven-
ton. SO did Chase; but Chase was the
sLrewuer POLITICIAN vi tne two, and by
far the ablest man, and altogether the
most popular man in his party, not only
IN his own State but outside of it, hence
Chase secured the united support of the
Ohio delegations to the Ohio Conven-
tion Without its support Wade could
do nothing, 80 Chase won the State del
! egation from Wade, and so far defeated
him that his name was not even compi-
mented by presentation, but Wade re-
turned the compliment on Chase. AT
that time he was power to be feared in
Republican politics, so he went to Chi
cago and worked with his utmost strength
to hurt the chances of Chase, and he sue
ceeded at the close of the first ballot,
when Seward was leading his competi-
tors, yet showed plainly that he could
not master enough favor t0 nonin ate
linn, and that the chances were favora-
BILE to long, hard fight. The neutrals
began ut once to concentrate ON
one available man. Chase was selected,
and there can be no doubt but
that he would have secured the
nomination on the third ballot
jority, had it not been for the cold,
stubborn and relentless fight waged by
Wade against him. He was enough of a
pow r to rally large corps of able men
around him, and they at once machin-
ated together for the downfall of Chase,
and they won. From that hour Chase's
star rapidly declined; Seward soon fol-
lowed, and the hosts were mustered I'M
der the banner of Lincoln. Under the
new administration Chase WAS made
Secretary of the Treasury. AT first
Wade. showed signs of fighting the en-
tire line of his financial policy, but the
war-that contest which alienated so
many by its blood-only was the cause
OF the rapid and lasting concentration in
the bonds of union and fellowship of
Salmon p. Chase and Benjamin F.
Wade. He supported the financial adj
ministration of Chase with energy and
alacrity, and often spoke of him as the
Every 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 de-
pressing news from our armies in the
South, that Wade met Chase one morn
ing on the steps of the State Depart
ment, and, stepping before him, he says,
My dear Chase, how are you this morn
ing?" aud the two walked off arm in arm,
evidently in close consultation on i'm
portant matters. Wade was slow to for
get resentment, and the last to forgive
treachery. He never bowed submits
sively, but he frequently compromised.
The compromise between Chase and
Wade was brought about by VIM. H.
Dennison, afterward Postmaster Gen
eral, and Columbus Delano, afterward
Secretary of the Interior.
At the time of the trial of President
johnson, and when Wade was the Presi-
dent pro tenn. of the Senate. and the
consequent successor to the Presiden-
tial chair, he was the cynosure 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 difficulty between VIM. Pitt Fes-
sender, of Maine, and himself during
the heated war discussions. Fessenden
was inclined to be very conservative,
while Wade was red-hot radical. FEES
sender was man of strong passions; he
was like Wade, he never stopped to apol-
ogize, and he never tried to forget So
in discussion one day about the advis-
ability of sending more troops into the
field, Wade strongly favoring and FEES
sender strongly opposing, Wade called
Fessenden - coward. Fessenden
was either too gentlemanly or too fear
ful Of the result to take the insult, so
from that day to the day of death they
never spoke. Fessenden refused to vote
for Wade for President pro tenn. of the
Senate; aud it has been openly charged
thousands and thousands of times that
Fessenden voted for the acquittal of An
drew johnson simply on personal
grounds. There was nothing that ami
mated 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 candidate for reelection to
the Senate, 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 he soon
afterward died cold, acetic man. His
vote kept Wade from being President,
BUTT ushered his star into the horizon.