The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-19

cate general Of the navy department.
Gideon Welles and he got on i'll togeth-
er, and on June II, 1866, he was made
first assistant secretary Of the treasury.
Andrew Johnson's administration was
not a happy one for him, nor was
Chambers influence happy for it. His
resignation was accepted and he did
not again figure in federal affairs until
the Tilden-Hay contest.
He was sent to Florida to nullify the
democratic majority and nurse the re-
publican returning board on its way to
a reversal of the vote of the state.
That he accomplished. Mr.. Hayes
owed his accession to office to Mr..
Chandler's feats in Florida. But Mr..
Chandler was soon denouncing the
president he had made, and Mr.. Hayes
found a cause for happiness in Mr..
Chambers denunciations. Mr.. Chan.
dler then long figured as an attorney in
Washington, but was not nominated
for anything until Mr. Garfield named
him to be solicitor general in the de-
partment of justice. The senate reject
ed the nomination.
When Garfield died, the gradual
changes which President Arthur mad
in the cabinet led him to nominate Mr..
Chandler to be secretary of the navy,
in the spring of 1882, He held that
place for a longer period than he ha
occupied others, but he retired on the
incoming Of Cleveland in 1885.
Two years afterWard New Hamp-
shire chose him for the United States
senate. There he remained for two
terms with some distinction. He dis
played the activity of wasp and the
penetrating power of a bent pin. No
man was more bitter of speech, or more
skillful in being a cause of discomfort
to others. He had friends, among his
kind, and he made enemies by an acid
| ity of tongue and of temperament. In
| accounting for them to his constltu-
ents he was slSillful. They were either
| unreconstructed traitors Or disobedient
republican ingrates who had wickedly
| differed from him. New Hampshire,
however, got tired of Mr.. Chandler, in
spite of the habit of the state to con-
tinue its senators indefinitely In office
1t elected a duller and a better man to
be his successor.
His term expired, when the second
term of President Mckinley began
That amiable and loving man pre-
served Mr.. Chandler to public service
by making him president Of the Span
| jsh treaty claims commission Within
the quietude Of that virtual slnecure
: Mr.. Chandler escaped criticism by es'
Gaping observation, until the recent de-
notement of him as an Intermediary OF
| GO between, establishing confidential
| relations with the president on the one
hand, and with democratic senator's, on
the other His principals for admit
tedly he has had two sets, agree in say
ing that to each he declared he spoke
for the other, and now 9th find them
selves at variance on account Of his IA
ellie versatility, which has been the en-
barrassment Of all presidents and the
| comfort Of none.
We are not accusing him, we are only
recalling him and the several unhappy
experiences in which he has been pre-
emintly agile as the imp of the per
verse. We are not surprised that Mr.
Roosevelt believed he represented the
democrats or that the democrats be-
lieved that he represented Mr. Roose'
welt. He is a man of Ingenuity ant
mutabiity, to whom versatility is
virtue. He is an interesting personality
whom it is impossible to classify, but
without whom the gayety Of parties
would be less and the formation ant
the collapse OF unnatural coalitions diff
ficult and few. Brooklyn Eagle,