The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-08-13

William n. Chandler.
A few years before Mr.. Thaddeus Stevens
died, and while the great cummoner " was
still the Republican leader Of the House Of
Representatives, a fellow-member, who was
on the Election Committee of that body, said
to- him; Mr.. Stevens, the Election Com
mittee Is anxious TO get the floor to call MP
the contested election case in ----. The
fact IL, the two contestants are both rascals,
and do not think either Of them ought to
he admitted
&c Oh, never mind" said Mr.. Stevens,
what Is the name Of our rascal Let us
vote him in"
The present Secretary of the Navy, Will
liam Il. Chandler, Is as uncompromsing and
earncsta partisan as Mr.. Stevens ever was.
Tie Is Republican of the Republicans, a
"Stalwart of the Stalwarts," although lie
has never acted with what is called the
Stalwatt wing Of the Republican party. lie
Is able, adroit, courageous, ready in council,
fertile In resource, and n master in party
diplomacy and tactics. II the Democratic
party had In its councils man Of the genius,
the dash, aud audacity Of Chandler, IL would
have control Of the Government in very
few years. II has not, however, and there
Is no man in the Republican ranks to-day
who Is more detested by the Democracy.
This Is only natural. lie did more to keep
Mr.. Tilden out Of the Presidency than any
other man In the country. When the No
vember battle Of 1876 had closed, and the adj
mission Of defeat had been sent out from tho
Republican headquarters in this city, Will
liam u. Chandler was the man who, stand
ing hy the side If his namcsake from Mich
igan, Zachariah Chandler, chairman of the
n -.
defeat, and, with his fingers on the telegraph
instrument in the Fifth Avenue Hotel. set
In motion n political machinery in the
the operation OF which finally brought
forth the Electoral Commission and
the innuguration-am cavalry, artillery,
AMI infantry, ordered from every fort along
the Atlantic Cuast--of Rutherford b. Hayes.
The history Of that stormy and critical
epoch in our party history has never been
written. When II is IL will he found, IL IL
I've written truthfully, that William Il.
Chandler played in IL more important part
than has ever been imagined. As Sheridan
saved the day at Winchester, SO Chandler
put into the field in that crisis of the Re
publican party political forces which not all
the genius of Mr.. Tilden and the manipula-
tions of the Democratic leaders were able to
overcome. Mr.. Chandler was one of the
visiting statesmen He directed the
whole campaign on his side. There were, il
should he remembered, "visitng states
men " on both Sides and the one set was
Just rs INSCRIPTIONS as the other. The ia
nous cipher dispatches prove this fact. And 4,
by the way, IL was Mr.. Chandler who was
the prime agent in giving that interesting
batch of political literature to the country
In. lnttt 1,nl aTta
Hayes has taken the oath of office, and the
Sage of Gramercy Park " had retired from
the public gaze, and set TO work Matching
quo wdrrunto plots and schemes-a Congress
sional investigation was ordered and the
telegraph companies were directed TO di-
vulge their secrets. Before the Democratic
House of Representatives had been able TO
put its machinery in motion committee of
the Republican Senate had in its possession
the dispatches on both sides. This was the
work of the present Secretary of the Navy.
The one set has been given to the world :;
the other has never seen the light.
Mr.. Chandler and Mr.. Hayes did not for
some reason or other get along very well to-
gether, and during that hypocritical Ad-
ministraiion, which he had done so much to
fastep on the country, he was among its
most determined opponents. The Southern
policy of Hayes was distasteiul to him. II
lacked backbone. There was too much Ohio
in the Executive management and the arch
Republican wire puller was unsparinC i'm his
criticism. Mr.. Chandler is not, however, u
man who nurses disappointment, and turn
ing from Hayes audlthe hollowncss, treachcry,
and deceit of his administration, his active,
energetic brain found congenial employment
in the service of the "Plumed Knight"
CbanJlpr fnun1 M flv in tho ayac nf Gan
Grant, and from first to last he opposed the
third-term movement. In season and out of
season he opposed that scheme, and his
position in the party, together with his I'M
tagging industry, his immense knowledge Of
men, and his political popularity, made him
a most formidable opponent. lie contested
every inch of ground with the Stalwarts in
every State in the Union. His hand was
seen at Harrisburg when the convention met
to send delegates TO Chicago, and at Albany
in the spring of 1880 ho made Collector
Robertson write that memorable letter in
which he announced his intention To violate
the instructions of the State Convention.
When the National Convention met it was
his master hand that had emancipated its
members from the machine letters the
bosses " had sought to fastcn on them and
empowered every delegate to vote as he
pleased. He stood Ivy Blaine as resoutely as
MIR. Conklng stood by the candidate from
Appomattox, and went over TO Garfield only
when the order of his chief had been given Ia
unite on the gentleman from Mentor. Oar
field was more grateful than Hayes, and
when he became President offered Mr..
Chadler the position of Solicitor General.
His confirmation was defeated owing TO a
combination of some of the Stalwart leaders
and the solid Democratic phalanx in the
Senate, who had not forgotten the campaign
of four years before.
William Il. Chandler is forty-soven years
of age. He was horn in Concord, N. II. Edu,
Gated ut the common schools aud at small
academy, he was graduated from the Harvard
Law School. In 1868 he was admitted Ia TIA,
bar. Four years later he was made tha ro
porter of the Supreme Court of New lIamp
shire. In 1862, 1868, and 1864 he was
member of the Legislature of that State aud
| its Speaker during twoterms. In 1865 prcsi
dent Lincoln made him Judge Advocate den
eral of the Navy Department, and shortly
afterwards First Assistant Secretary of ia,
Treasury, as the successor of Mr.. Harrington
who was sent 10 Switzerland as Minister. II,
has done admirable service on the Raiiona
Committee of his party in several campaigns
acting as its secretary in 1865 aud In 1872
| iiio i'Nhih 40 NfNlfihl9 ~ lHt fdNl - "
TO be made. lie brings to the office oNecutiy,
ability of the very highest order, a large ex
peronce of men and measures, and thorough
knowledge OF its duties aud deep sense q
its responsibilities. II Is said by his enemie
that he is the tool of Robeson. william Il
Chandler is no mans man. lie is first, last
and all the time Chandler man, devoted 4
his party, loyal TO his friends good fighter
n good hater, aud in private lile one Of TIA
most amiable of gentlemen. lie has bcri
married twice--his first wife being daughte
Of John p. Hale, of New Hampshire. IA
| HlU
nRdifOr EngIish Women,
The Westminster and Chol,,I Nsrs report
a strange state of morals among Euglis
women. II says: +" Again rumors are ia cir
culation as to the want Of common honest
among people OF wealth aud position. Their
are, IL Is true, fewer advertisements this sea
son for Indian shawls carried of from cloak
rooms at evening parties, a cloak lined wit
rahbit-skin left in lieu OF one with sable,
II