Evening star., 1919-02-09


were ruined by his failure
In his hour of '''unSpeakable dis
tress.' as ne described IL, he said that
two things have caused my down
fall. One was neglect of business oc-
casioned by my devotion to politics,
and the other was an overzealous desire
TO build up Fostoria, the town in which
he lived
= Really there have been only five or
six great Secreta ries of the Treas
ury. Chase was one of them, and
simply because his service was per-
formed during the civil war Yet he
died in poverty. Not in want. for he
stHl lived handsomely, but with debts
substantially equal to his property.
He left an imposing mansion and
thirtysix acres of weedy land at the
edge of Washington to his daughter,
Kate Chase Sprague, who cut the
briers and mended the fences, and
was helped financially by republicans
and democrats who honored the mem-
ory of her father.
Thomas Corwin. also of Ohio. like
wise was poor when he passed away.
He was Secretary of the Treasury
during the administration of FIJI
more and one of the greatest stump
ers and most brillfant orators OF his
day. II were a Mexican" he exclaiEl-
ed in Congress, II would tell you.
Have you not room in your own
country to bury yotr dead men? II
you come into mine, we will greet
you with bloody hands and welcome
you to hospitable graves,
! That sentence, spoken in speech
against the war with Mexico, de-
stroyed Corwin. Until then men said
that he would be President some day,
Other Secretaries of the Treasury.
like Hamilton and John G. Carlisle,
resumed the practice of law as n
means of earning their living. Stll
others practiced law. even though 1t
was not necessary for them to do
So
Samuel Dexter. the second Secre-
tary after Hamilton reopened his Of
merchant. left him n comfortable
estate, and also willed $40 to a
clergyman in payment for a funeral
sermon, with the proviso, however,
that his name. Samuel Dexter, sr.,
should nowhere be mentioned in the
remarks OF the preacher.
Alexander James Dallas returned TO
his clients in Philadelphia. He did
much to maintain the credit of the
country after the war of 1912. Thomas
Ewing practiced at Lancaster. Ohio. He
was one OF the ablest lawyers In the
United States, aud had he withdrawn
from public life in 1900 instead of 1851,
would have removed probably to New
York and become the counselor OF rail-
roads and Industrial corporations
Several OF the secretaries remained In
Washington and practiced law in that
city until their death. Lot NJ, Morrill,,
once Governor of Maine and senator
from that state. ended his days as col
lector of customs at Portland. George
r. Cortelyou is now president of the
Consolidated Gas Company of New
York.
II is supposed that the Treasury
especially prepares its high officers for
the business OF banking. Oliver VOL
colt. ir., who succeeded Hamilton.
founded the Bank OF North America.
Albert Gallatin. a really eminent and
accomplished tinancier. became presi-
dent OF the National Bank of New
York. Coming to this country from
Switzerland at the age OF nineteen. he
taught French at Harvard for $500 a
year and then opened a country store in
Pennsylvania
Gallatin was Secretary Of the Treasury
for twelve years--from 1901 to 1878.
The public debt during his adn;instra-
ton was reduced from sS6,600,0 900 to
sf5. .0oo. 900 IN his day he was counted
among the greatest rnanciers in the