The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-15

replied Mrs Chase. HE spent most OF his
existence in bachelorhood, and he was mar
ried TO his studies and his profession. He
was a great friend OF Congressman Hoop
CT, OF Massachusetts,. and Ii was at Hoop
er's house that he met the young widow
whom he married She had married Hoop
er's son. and he had died. L used 10 see
He was fathers friend, and spent much of
his time at our house. Father Joked him
about his approaching marriage. and Ia a
testing way cited the examples of prorni-
nent men who had married young wives.
Charles Sumner was happy, however, IN
the approaching marriage. and IL not
until his wedding dav had for some time
gone by that he appreciated the mistake he
had made. He found that instead OF a
helpmeet and companion he had married a
butterfly who cared more for the german
and for the social festivities of the capital
than for her husband and his studies For
time he went with her 10 parties ana re-
ceptiors / have sat beside him on some
such occasions when | could see that ne
was miserable. He had work TO do, and he
felt that he should be at it, and the result
was a separation. He felt the blow terri
bly,. and 1t was this. / believe, that has
What kind OF man was Sumner So
cially?' . 40. .so -.
ply. HE was fun OF anecdotes, and
brilliant talker. He was warm hearted and
SENSITIVE He was man OF w1Ge ba non
of the good, the true and the beautiful"
here spoke to Mrs. Chase of her former
You speak OF my social reign" Mrs.
Chase replied. 'T did not go into society.
! venture to say. half as much as many
cared for society much. My friendships
were strong. and / knew all of the great
up OF dinners. and with the associations OF
such men rather than the common round
Of receptions and calls. AS to entertain
ing, / was thrown upon my own resources
when I took charge of my fathers house
hold, and / continued at the head or IL from
that time until his DEATH"
SHE TALKS OF HER FATHER.
Your fathers face was printed on the
one-dollar bills, was it not?'
Yes; they wanted him to allow 1t to go
on the thousand-dollar bonds. but he said
he preferred the dollar notes, and said that
1t his sole ambition to give the United
States such a currency that the dollar OF
the laboring man and the dollar of the
capitalist would be an honest dollar, from
Maine to Georgia He succeeded in doing
this, and his success as Secretary OF the
Treasury Will be one of the wonders of his
tory. When he had borrowed his first
E5O,OO0.0O0 Of the New York banks, the Lon
don Times said he would not fare so we'll
across the water. Nevertheless, he raised
millions In London, and he was bound that
He succeeded in e getting it in all all so. sorts Of
ways. AT one time when the New York
refused to give him money m t on his
Washington and issue notes. He said at
this time that the war must go on and the
paper TO such an extent that it would take
thousand dollars to buy breakfast"
asked Mrs. Chase as to her fathers BIZ
ography which she was writing. She re-
piled:
''I can't tell how soon it will be done nor
in just what way IL Will be published My
father left a of valuable material.
He was one OF the most methodical men
have ever known. and he kept everything.
His letters are full OF unwritten history,
and they cover more than a generation of
important events and of famous men. He
kept full memoranda of everything con-
nected with his work, and he understood
how to make his secretaries keep things
FOR him. Every night just before he went
TO bed he Jotted down the occurrences of the
day, and he thus kept a record of the i'm
pOrtant conferences that he had while in
public life. All the Cabinet meetings that
be attended while he was Secretary of the
Treasury are thus recorded, and his diary
gives in nut shell the history OF his time.
1t will have to be edited carefully, as will,
indeed. all of his papers. / had a call not
long ago from an old friend of my father s
who lives in Ohio, and ne told me that he
had manuscript autobiography which my
father had given him in trust, 70 be tub
Lished after his death. This, he SAIL he
would send TO me. / don't know lust what
is. but 1 think it might Of great
In what condition are these rapers of
Chief Justice Chaser
They are carefully stored away" re-
piled Mrs. Chase. THE most important OF
them l keep in a fre-proof vault and a
large amount of them nave been sent to
Boston. There IS man connected with
Harvard College, a Professor Hart, who Is
writing biography of my father for the
Statesmens series This will necessarily be
short, and IL cannot go into detail like the
work that have in view
What do you think of your fathers place
In history? Does the world Of to-day know
him as he was?'
1T does not" replied Mrs Chase. "I be-
Ileve the time will come when his work will
be appreciated. He was one of the noblest
and greatest Of men, and he sacrificed him
self, TO a large extent to his country He
has, has been aS called selfish and has been &C
matter OF personal ambition and seif-ag-
grandizement. There was never greater
mistake. The only desire he had to be Pres
ident lay in the thought that he could
serve his country best in that place He
had policy and ideas of his own as TO the
administration Of affairs, and had he been
nominated he would have been elected ne
was. as you know, Democrat, but Unfor
man, and his policy would have healed thu
would have escaped the troubles of recon.
struction, and the kuklux would have never
been known. 1 think am safe in saying he
would have been elected had he been nom.
mated. He stood out as the great civil lead
er OF the country, and his record in this re-
spect was match for General Grants mil.
itary service His position on all great Is
sues had been progressive. His financial
theories had been a success. He was strone
In all branches of the Democratic party and
among the Republicans as well and the con
test would have been an even one.."
THE CONVENTION OF 1868.
You were in New York at the time the
convention nominated Horatio SEYMOUR"
Yes. 1 was there. and stopped with
friends next the Manhattan Club, which
was a great Democratic headquarters il
those days. knew that the men who were
managing my fathers interests were no,
as well organized they should be- and
wanted to be present to prevent any
trouble and TO take advantage of any stu
alton that might come up At first there
seemed to be little doubt but father would
be nominated. The night before the con
vention General Van Buren,, Governor Sew
mour's secretary, came ia and told me tina
Mr.. Seymour would not be a candidate anC
that ne would only accept complimentary
vote and would then withdraw in favor o,
Salmon p. Chase. He told me that Gov
Seymour would come in shortly himself anc
tell me that he intended to do this, but h,
never came. / did not think he would a
the time, as / feared he would not have til,
courage to carry out his resolution. III,
had promised to do something of the kjnt
when he for Governor. but when III,
time came he proved too weak to carry on
his promise. 1t was the same in this con
vention He was, you know, the presidins
officer. When his name was proposed M
said nothing, and he remained In the rae,
until he secured the nomination.
Was your father near being nominated %