CHASE, SALMON P. 



CHASLES, VICTOR E. P. 



met in New York, this apparently studied reti- 

 cence had confirmed the suspicions of the gos- 

 sips, that at the proper time, when the con- 

 vention had become weary of balloting w ith 

 >oice, the name of Mr. CJnsu would l>o 

 sprang upon them and his nomination would 

 follow. 



There was, however, a failure in propos- 

 ing his name at the right time, and by the 

 right men, which prevented the accomplish- 

 ment of this plan ; a plan which was certainly 

 consistent with the most thorough patriotism 

 and honor on the part of those who desired to 

 make the nomination, as well as on that of 

 the nominee. Chief-Justice Chase did not 

 seem to lay this failure to heart very deeply ; 

 and it is hardly probable that, beyond the feel- 

 ing of momentary gratification that his abun- 

 dant labors for his country were so fully ap- 

 preciated, that in the opinion of a large num- 

 ber of his fellow-citizens he was deemed the 

 man who could most surely avert threatened 

 disaster from that country, he was particularly 

 desirous of the presidency. He continued to 

 discharge the duties of bis high office with in- 

 dustry and marked ability till June, 1870, 

 when he suffered from an attack of paralysis. 

 He bad been previously complaining of failing 

 health, and had been gradually losing flesh; 

 I'tit his attack was no leas unexpected than the 

 second and fatal one. His failing condition 

 was attributed to neglect of exercise more 

 than to any other cause, and, in the hope of 

 staying this apparent waste, at the close of the 

 term of the Supreme Court be made a West- 

 ern trip, accompanied by his youngest dangh- 

 1 his trip extended as far West as Dulutb, 

 Mr. Chase remaining at St. Paul until the 

 completion of the Lake Superior and Missis- 

 sippi Railroad, and going over on the first 

 train to Duluth. It was on his return East 

 that the blow came, and when ho was on the 

 cars in the neighborhood of Niagara Falls. 

 Although completely prostrated, he continued 

 his journey through Rhode Island to Narragan- 

 sett, the residence of Mrs. Sprague, where be 

 remained until winter. In January, 1871, ho 

 came to New York in order to obtain greater 

 conveniences In medical treatment. Leaving 

 herein March, he remained in Washington un- 

 til June. Daring this time, however, his 

 strength did not permit him to go upon the 

 bench, except for a week at the close of the 

 : . 



During tbe rammer and early autumn of 

 he visited some new springs in Michi- 

 gan, from the waters of which he derived 

 matorUl l>m. fit, and during the winter and 

 spring of 187J he was able to perform a part 

 of his duties with nn iitellectnal ability which 

 JW faltered, and with something of his old 

 pbystral vigor. Travel and rest In tbe summer 

 and autumn of 1871 contributed to his resto- 

 ration, and hi* noble, commanding form was 

 ** often absent from tbe Supreme Court room 

 dwiof the winter searion. He had, however, 



been gradually failing, though, fur a week or 

 two previous to the shock which ended Ins 

 life, lio had seemed in better health and spirits 

 than for some time previous. 



Tin- fatal attack came on soon after his ar- 

 rival in New York, and his death followed in 

 about twenty-four hours. 



Chief-Justice Chase had held many offices 

 of honor and trust where tin- opportunities to 

 enrich himself bad been abundant, and for 

 more than three years he occupied a position 

 where his slightest whisper would have com- 

 manded millions; yet he never was accused, 

 by any one who knew him, of the slightest 

 leaning toward fraud or corniption nnd he 

 died poor, or at least poorer than when he 

 first accepted office, notwithstanding his long 

 public career. This, in these days of corrup- 

 tion and dishonesty, is no slight praise ; but we 

 may justly add to it. that in all the relations 

 of life he was in the highest and best sense of 

 the word a Christian gentleman. 



CHASLES. VICTOR EvrnMioN PmiARfcTE, 

 LL. D., a French autlior nnd man of letters, 

 born at Muinvilliers, near Chartres, October 8, 

 17D8 ; died in Venice, August 2, 1878. His fa- 

 ther was originally a Professor of Rhetoric, who 

 supported with great zeal the French Revolu- 

 tion of 1798, was a member of the Republican 

 Assembly, and subsequently an army com- 

 missary with the rank of colonel. His moth- 

 er was a very devoted member of the Re- 

 formed or Protestant Church. The son, how- 

 ever, was educated according to the principles 

 of Rousseau. At the early age of fifteen he 

 became an apprentice in Paris to a poor print- 

 er, who had been a Jacobin during the Revo- 

 lution, and who still adhered to his political 

 convictions. At the Restoration, both matter 

 and apprentice were thrown into prison, on the 

 charge of conspiring against the State. 1 he 

 latter, after remaining in prison for two 

 months, was liberated at the intercession of 

 Chateaubriand, the author and statesman. On 

 bis release he departed for England, where he 

 resided seven years, superintending the publi- 

 cation of Valpy's editions of Greek and Latin 

 classics. Afterward he went to Germany, and 

 finally returned to Paris, when- he aM-i-ud M. 

 Victor dc Jouy in his literary labors. M. 

 cini-l, - had reached his twenty-ninth year be- 

 fore he succeeded in raising himself to any 

 distinction. Then, however, with M. Saint- 

 Marc Girardin, he took the prize offered by 

 the French Academy for the best essay on the 

 history of the sixteenth century. His work 

 Was entitled "Tableau de la Marche et des 

 Progres de la Langue et de la Litterntnre fran- 

 caisesdepnisle Commencement du XVI* Siccle 

 jnsqn'en 1610 " (View of the Course and Prog- 

 ress of the French Language and Literature 

 from the Commencement of the Sixteenth Cen- 

 tury up to the Year 1610). Shortly afterward 

 he was attached to the editorial staff of the 

 Journal df* Dibatt, a connection severed only 

 by his death. His principal articles have been 



