Year: 1868

The history Of the Chase move


ment, as detailed by Col. Brown in


his recent speech at Frankfort, KY, is


full Of curious sort Of instruction, as


well as interest. Col. Brown is an


intimate friend Of the Chief Justice,


and was a delegate to the Tammany


Hall Convention, familiar with the


inner mysteries Of that body, and


knowing thoroughly the matter


whereof he speaks. The Chase party,


by his testimony, was 8 combination


Of the more progressive Democrats


with a sect of Conservative Republi-


cans, Of men who believed that the


old Democratic name, and prestige,


and organization, might be used for


the creation of a new political body,


which should eliminate the negro


question forever from political war


fare, and unite the best men ofali par


ties in honest an effort for the peaceful


and righteous reconstruction of the
country. Col. Brown assures us that


Mr.. Chase at the outset had nothing


to do with this movement, and that


when it was laid before him he en-


phatically declared that if he gave


his assent il must be with the under


standing that he in nowise modified his


well-knOwn sentiments on the sub
ject Of slavery and equal rights. But


he was not asked to change his views.


The progressive Democracy were


ready to fOrsake their old standards


and follow him. The formation of
the Chase party was a conversion of a
respectable section of the defenders of


slavery to the cause against which


they had always fought. We should
grieve over the election Of any man


who was not ready to support fully
the principles of liberty embodied in
the Chicago platform, and we feel
that Mr.. Chase would have done his
country far better service by sustain


ing Grant and COlfax than by setting
up an independent standard, however


nearly it may have resembled theirs;


but it cannot be denied that his nomi-
nation at New York would have been
a substantial triumph Of Republican
principles: and very probably it might
have resulted in a regeneration of the
Democratic party. The strength


which the Chase movement speedily
gathered shows how widespread was


the dissatisfaction in the Democratic
ranks with the old violent and revO-
lutiOnary dogmas Of the rebel creed.
There were thousands and thousands


of voters on that side who would


gladly have given their suffrages for
peace and universal justice, if they
could have done so without a formal
surrender Of party fealty.


The strategy by which this move
ment was defeated, just when it
seemed on the eve of success, is ex-
planned by Col. Brown in an interest
ing, circumstantiaI narrative, which


we shall not attempt to epitomize.-
The overthrow of Mr.. Chase was a
signal triumph of the ultra rebel Dem
Ocra IS, represented by Wade-Hamp-
ton, Forrest and Preston. Whether
Mr.. Seymour, who had pledged him
self to forward Mr.. Chase's nomina-
tion, and even had in his pocket a
speech in the Chief Justices favor
which he declared he meant tO'&efiveTs
in the Convention, was sincere or not,
we shall not pretend to say. But it is
very clear that his friends were not
and that when Mr.. Seymour
his honor forbade him to ac-
cept the nomination he said no more
than the simple truth. Well would
it have been for his future reputation
and fortunate for his party if his sense
of honor had been little stronger
Had he persisted in his refusal Mr..
Chase might even then have been
and the Democracy OBJ
tanned a new lease of life. Fortunate,
we say, would it have been for the
Democratic party had Mr.. Seymour
to bis pledges; but that he
acted just as he did will prove in the
end the best thing for the country
His nomination has Widened the
breach between the two Democratic
the COpperhead element
which learns nothing and fOrgets
and hurrahs for Frank Blair
and POmeroy, and the progressive
portion, which was ready to sacrifice
old prejudicesand abandon old wrongs.
Mr.. Seymour has secured the former
Of these factions, and the latter are
fast coming over to Grant and COlfax.
So the treachery of the SeymOurites is
its just reward. The tempt
ing fruit which they sacrificed honor
and fame to pluck turns to ashes on
their lips. With Grant and COlfax to
lead US we should have won in any
event; but thanks to the Chicanery of
The Tammany Convention, our victory
now promises to be more glorious
than we dared at first to hope.-[N.
Y. Tribune.
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