Salmon Portland Chase. brought about this situation, which was so pregnant of results. In 1851 his assertions of his Democracy somewhat separated him from the Free Soil Party. But in 1852 he was compelled to return to it by the nomin ation of Pierce to the Presidency by the Democrats. In the next year Chase made a strenuous campaign in Ohio, but the Legislature returned had a clear Democratic majority, and Pugh was elected to his seat in the Senate. Unlike Clay, Webster and Seward, on no phase of the slavery question had he yielded of compromised. He had made himself a power in the Senate. There was no one to take his place. Immediately upon the passage of the Kansas-Xebraska bill steps were taken to organize a new party. In this great move ment Chase had a large share. In Ohio the State election showed a majority of eighty thousand for the Republican ticket. In the following year Chase was nominated by that party for the governorship and elected. Ohio had now become a pivotal State in nations 1 affairs, but its chief magistrate had very little power and no right of veto. With very few appointments and hardly any official prestige the Governor had small opportunity to affect the destiny of the State. Yet he was certain to be held responsible for the faults of subordinate officers over whom he had no control. Chase was not a popular Governor. He did what he could with his accustomed efficiency. He said of his administration : "I sought to promote all practicable reforms; . . endeavored to reorganize the mili tary system of the State, and omitted no opportunity of making the voice of Ohio heard on the side of freedom and justice. At the same time I endeavored, as far as prac ticable, to conciliate opposition founded on misapprehension, and succeeded finally in organizing a compact and powerful party, based on the great principles of freedom and free labor." Meanwhile he began to look for a wider field. His position in national politics was eminent. He already saw the
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triumph of the cause for which he had so long and so ably fought. He believed that he had the qualities of a President, and that he stood for the principles of the Republican Party. He entered upon a personal canvas for the nomination in 1856. The result is known. Again in 1860 he sought the Re publican nomination to the Presidency, and it seemed to be within his grasp. In 1857 he had been triumphantly re-elected Governor of Ohio. In 1858 he went to New England and to commencement at Dartmouth. This tour was apparently for political purposes only. He stirred up his old friends to work for him. He beguiled his old rivals to take the field for him with enthusiasm. It was important for him to keep his standing as a public man by showing his strength in Ohio, and on February 3, 1860, he was elected for a second time to the Senate of the United States. All his activity was in vain. Lincoln was nominated and elected. Chase was one of the commissioners from Ohio to the abortive peace conference at Washington in February, 1861, and in March was made Secretary It is impossible of the Treasury here to by more the than President. refer in the barest generalities to Mr. Chase's administration of the Treasury. The re sponsibilities of that position at that time were enormous, the work stupendous, the problems novel. He ably met them all. To the great Secretaries of the Treasury, Morris and Hamilton, must be added the name of Chase. Previously unacquainted with finance, unlearned in political economy, his success was marvellous, his judgment un erring. What mistakes he made were forced upon him by the exigencies of circum stances, not because he had faith in the measures adopted. For three years he worked incessantly, unsparingly. He seem ed almost to extort bread from stones, and turn water into wine. He provided funds for the government with which to carry on the war. He reorganized the whole Treas ury department. He evolved and forced
