The New York Herald Newspaper, March 16, 1874, Page 4

4 is SALMON P. CHASE, é. His Lite as Written by > Two Biographers. —_—_—_>-—_— | Analysis of His Life, Character, Career | and Influence Upon America. HIS FINANCIAL POLICY. | Senator, Secretarv and Chief Justice. Inside History of the Legal Tender Measure. publishers. More than a month later we find Waraen writing a birthaay letter to Chase, | marked, “To be opened January 13, 1873, in mem- | ory of January 13, 1808," tn which the purpose of writing his biography is first revealed to the Chief | Justice. Chase replied, thanking Warden for bis platitudes and promising him assistance. This letter was im itself conclusive proof that Warden was not qualified to fulfil the obligation be had undertaken, but Chase declared himself surprised and gratified by it, On the tweilth page of his work Warden declares that Chase “must have been more than once completely self-deluded;” and Warden seems to have understood his subject, for his birthday letter to Chase was the basis of @ delusion worse for the Chief Justice’s memory than any he had pre. viously entertained, This letter, most of which ts printed with the matter now before us, contained the elements of flattery and fairness in almost equal proportions, Success, Warden elaborately proved to Chase, was mo test of merit. In doing this be leit no argument untouched upon down to two transiations, Protestant and Catholic, in three | languages—English, German and French—oi the eleventh verse of Ecciesiastics, That this elabo- ration was only indulged in for the sake of the an- tidote is plain enough, for we dnd Warden saying to Chase “Yet, you are this day, and have been for | more than eight years, Chief Justice,j and you Toe LIFE OF SALMON PorTLAND CHASE. By Robert B. Warden. Cimemnati, Wilstocd, Moore & Co. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SALMON P. CHASE. By J. W. Schuckers. New York, D. Appleton & Co, | In spite of the fact that solemn platitudes upon the uses of biography are no longer allowable it is | not easy to approach tMe discussion of the lives of | such men as Salmon P, Chase without some diver- gence toward What was once a favorite method of composition, It will suffice our purpose in this instance, however, to say that biography ts the | handmaiden of history, and that the annals of | modern States are mostly found in the lives of their greatest statesmen. At the same time | it is true there are few men in any age | whose biography posterity will require. In | our Revolutionary era there were three, perhaps— \ } Washington, John Adams and Jefferson. Hamil- ton was a subject for a paper in the quarterly re- | views, and Burronty @ theme for impassioned | young orators on the lyceum platform. The next | era in our history, the era of American statesman- ship, has but three great fgures—Clay, Calhoun and Webster. Jonn Quincy Adams left us his story in | his diary; Jackson could only be handled by the | panegyrist, and Benton built his own monument in his “Thirty Years’ View in the Senate.” We are | not sure that the era immediately preceding the | rebellion left any really great figures in history. We are doubtful even whether Stephen A. Douglas | Tose to the height of biographical neces- aity. The rebellion left certainly but three— Lincoln, Seward and Chase—and none of them has yet found a worthy biographer. | Ward Lamon’s “Life of Lincoln" was a travesty | upon historical biography. The long promised “Life of Seward’ is still a family matter. | This leaves only the “Life of Chase,” which | 18 in 80 Many hands, and, a8 we shall show pres- | ently, in one mstance at least, in very incapabdie | hands, that we fear his character is to be marred by those who would picture it for posterity. WHO SHOULD WRITE CHASE'S LIFE? Even before Mr. Chase’s death it was a question | who should become his biographer. Immediately | ‘upon the death of the Chief Justice it became a | very grave question; for it was then dis- | covered that Mr. Chase’s diaries were in the Possession of one R. B. Warden, a man who had practised the profession of the law in many Ohio towns, and, while still very young, had sat upon theSupreme Bench of the State. Judge Warden had never given evidence of great literary talent or comprehensive statesmanship, and it was a surprise when it was announced that he was Chase’s chosen biographer. Still Judge Warden | apparently had qualifications tor the task which | could not be easily gainsaid, at least in advance | of the publication of his book. He put himsett | lJorward as private secretary to the Chief Justice, | a3 well as Mr, Chase’s old-time personal friend, and thus seemed, in some important respects, the very | person for the undertaking. Mr. Chase's | more intimate friends knew, however, that during the most important epoch of his liile—while he was Secretary of the Treasury, under Mr. Lincoln—that another person had ofi- | ciated in the double capacity which Judge Warden | claimed, and that the personal relations between the Chief Justice and bis former private secretary | were not broken of till Mr. Chase’s death. It was kKuown besides that Judge Warden had not lived in Wastington more than six months previous to thatevent. It was no wonder then that some sur- prise should be expressed that Warden was Chase's chosen biographer, but it was to be hopea the Chief Justice’s choice was a good one, thougn it was known he had held different views until within a few weeks of his dewise. It must be re- | Membered in this connection that during his life- | time Mr. Chase spoke freely on the subject of his future biographer, and it is said that a year or two previous to his decease he declared to bis family that while he did not know what Mr. Schuckers’ literary qualifications would be, Mr. | Schuckers was of all meu best fitted for the task. Mr, Schuckers is the Man who ,had occupied the Telatious toward Mr. Chase which Judge Warden claimed, and it was not surprising when the Ap, pletons announced his “Life of Chase” as in course of speedy publication. {UDGE WARDEN’S QUALIFICATIONS FOR BIOGRAPHICAL WRITING. We shall give a complete account of the scope and character of Mr. Schuckers’ work in a subse- quent part of this article, but for the present we confine ourselves to a consideration of the qualifi- cations of Mr. Chase’s other biographer. Before we enter upon this part of the subject, however, we wish to say that the re- ports that Mr. Hiram Barney was engaged in a similar work are uniounded, and consequently Judge Warden’s sarcasm upon the daughters of Mr. Chase, which have appeared in the newspapers in connection with “Barney's Life of Chase,” jail to the ground. But if “Barney’s Life of Chase’ exists only in Warden's imagina- tion his own work is, indeed, too much of a reality, We have before us the introguctory chapters to Judge Warden's biography, and we may be par- doned tor saying at the outset that anything worse In the way of English composition has never been written. The s is gawky and obscure. The imagery is abundant, but it bas the same re- lation to literary art that the Cardiff giant bears to Phidian sculpture. Judge Warden mistakes a liberal use of the dictionary for the splendors of | diction, and he prefers the sunflowers to the flowers of rhetoric. He can neither paint @ portrait with distinctness of outline nor state a fact with clearness of expres- sion, Aud yet he hints that this work has been undertaken under @ ‘Special law of composition,” by which bis own language is to blend harmont- ously with that of the late Chief Justice, where. | upon he breaks out into this apostrophe to his own genius engaged in its lofty undertaking:—'so may this work avail itself of superior style and diction, and so may the reader soon begin to see, as in @ faithful giass, the man whose very physing- homy, as well as his distinctive traits and tenden- cles, these pages naturally wish to make familar, just as soon aa may be, to perusers of their rev Jations.”” Perusers of their revelations, will, we fear, find nothing in Judge Warden's pages more astonishing than (his promise, and few persons, we suspect, Will look for the “faithial glass” in which alone they can see Jucge Chase's “very physiognomy a8 well a8 lis destinctive traits and tendencies.’ A man who coud write a paragraph at once so fecbie and so pretentious should be content with his achievement aud die before completing his work; but Judge Ward we fear,|will live to see the full efects of his travesty upon the life of a great man. JUDGE WARDEN’S COMMISSION 48 CHASE'S DIOURA- PuER. Tn view of such astonishing unfitness for a task 80 important it becomes interesting to ascertain how this man came to be commissioned to write a fe of Chase. It is evident that the “labor of love,” as Judge Warden calls it, was not entirely Belf-imposed, for Judge Chase expressly sanctioned it. But when Judge Warden telis us that on the 7th of December, 1872, it became an obligation also. we suspect it was only an obligation to lus , than eight | of their sincere religious spirit. would have been Chief Magistrate more years ago bad you been less im earnest, less devoted to your princpies, less proud aud vainer.” Though Warden was lke the famous Irishman who could not open his month without putting his foot in it, the work of flattering the Chief Justice went on favorably, and we find Chase's biographer saying that the Chief Justice not tong before bis death agreed with him that Buckle’s “History of Civilization in England’’ Was @ most unwbolesome work, and that its ten- dency to disparage the force of individual pre-emi- Nence and to exaggerate the force of the activity that manifests itself in masses of men was far from phliosophical. The philosophy of the agree- ment between the two Judges was thorough!|y un- Gerstood by one of them, and “the force o/ indi- vidual pre-eminence” proved so effective that when Judge Chase died 1t was found that he had given all his diaries to Judge Warden, ava had commis- stoned Warden as his chosen biographer. THE SCOPE OF JUDGE WARDEN’S BIOGRAPHY. Perhaps the most potent flattery in Judge War- den’s birthday letter was his intimation to the Chief Jastice that he bad spent much time in mak- ing a study of Judge Chase's life. If success did not argue merit there were a few men to whom Buckle did great injustice in preferring the work of the masses to their achievements, Judge Chase was one of the few men to whom the masses had not done justice in rewarding their merit wih the fall meed of success, In 8 word, Warden was | teaching the dying statesman that his country had wronged him in not making bim President, ‘hat he might have the Chief Justice’s sanction and assistance in “my determination ! | he selected to grace nis to prepare | for possible publication some account of the | studies I have made of your past life in {ts relation to your country and your times.” Ag @ matter of course, the scope of the purposed work would have to be as artiully presented as the But in this as in all other respects Warden 1s tobe preferred to Chase, and we find four of the subdivisions of the work—those which really tell Mr. Chase’s history—to be as 10)- lows :— Part 2.—The Student, the Teacher and the Writer. Part 3.—The Lawyer, the Political Speaker and the Senator. Part 4.—fhe Governor and the Cabinet Officer. Part 6.—The Chief Justice. ‘The first part, oddly enough, was the deduction | other encroachments upon the enfeebled inteliect | | of this enfeebled giant. to be derived from the other four, but as “The Life | of Solomon Portland Chase, tn its relations to his country and his times,” was to consist of Judge ‘Warden's special studies, it was perbaps right in this instance to give them the first piace in the book, It ts of these studies that Warden offers us a foretaste, the effect of which is to make us fear that tf the rest of the werk is tobe like them Judge Chase’s diaries will undergo a sad and ter- rible mutilation before they appear in the rotundity of Cincinnati type. A GLANCE AT WARDEN’S STUDIES OF CHASE. In his preliminary chapter, besides extracts from the birthday letter, Judge Warden prints some private letters to himself from Judge Chase. They | are published merely as a delicate intimation that the two judges were for years closely allied as friends, but they have no interest beyond the fact Commenting on this, Judge Warden says:—“I believe that the re- iigiousness of the quoted Teal; it was far from superficial. That will be ap- parent as this work proceeds according to its method, more and more inward and inward.” It 1s impossible to respect either the man or the method that would express an encomium seemingly so insincere in letters was not merely | language so terribly disjointed. Atter thus man- | | ging tn a single sentence the most sacred aspira- tions of his victim what will any man care what Judge Warden's ‘‘studies” of Chase have revealed to him? Who will stop to ask whether Judge Warden thinks “that the Jove of country and the love of | God in this true worthy were neither bigoted nor sceptical?” It is no longer of any interest to any one that in one breath Judge Warden declares that Judge Chase “never was a demagogue” nor ever “a betrayer of popular regard,” while in the next breath be thinks he does but justice to Mr. Cnase’s memory “in intimating that he some- times acted as if he believed that great success could be commanded by de- sert in spite of public ignorance, and studiediy disseminated prejudices.” Judge Warden's imper- fect knowledge of the construction of the English language leaves him to be interpreted by many readers as meaning that Judge Chase “studiedly disseminated prejudices,’’ but all that he means to say is that the Chief Justice, who was no dema- gogue nor a betrayer of the popular regard, was an idiot who could act like a demagogue in think- ing he could succeed by desert without popular regard, This would be the opinion of a chuckie- head, but that Judge Warden cannot form any opinion at ail—that he would even be ready to NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1874.—TRIPLE scandal and gossip generally, but it ts unfair to- ward one of the most eminent statesmen of his time, THE GOSSIP ABOUT TRE CHASE FAMILY. There ts good reason for believing that Judge Warden's 000k will contain a great deal of gossip about the Chase family, Those who were near enough to the Chief Justice to become familiar with the contents of his diaries know they were largely concerned with family matters. They | contain many things which ought never have been | written and which ought never be told. Mostly diaries give but @ jaundiced vision of man’s life and surroundings, The diaries of Chief Justice Chase were, we believe, no exceptions to this rule. They were not intended for publication, and could be at most only a guide for his biographer. It will require a delicate hand to sift all this matter, that the memory of the Chief Justice may not suffer by hasty jadgments recorded tor no eye but his own. Some things that he wrote in these books, a8 bis differences with Mr. Lincoin on the Emancipation proclamation, are likely to provoke a great deal of discussion. But outside of his personal diaries Mr. Chase wrote much that would have the same effect, He kept, for instance, full notes of the con- versations had with him by public men during his services in the Treasury. These memoranda tell many strange stories. It is not the purpose, we believe, to print them, Mr. Schuckers, in whose Possession they are, only using them to guide him in his work. Their substance is in the biography, wherein they illustrate Mr. Chase’s views, but freed from the explosive force that Judge Warden promises from the diaries; for it is well under- stood that he is to publish them, and bis friends have already taken pleasure in informing the world that many things which Mr. Chase said of himsel! and his family will prove very distasteful to his daughters. Mrs. Senator Sprague is to be morti- fled by the revelation that Mr. Chase loved his first ‘wife better than Mrs. Sprague’s mother, and other mortifications equally unpecessary are in store tor the daughters of the dead jurist. That Judge Warden may see how this gossip about dead men’s deceased wives looks in print we copy for hima paragraph now going the rounds of the press, which evidently was suggested by a hint which first came from him, This ts what some scribbler has vo say of the first wife of Chief Justice Chase :— The world ana society were as necessary to her as Warmth and sunshine to @ bird or butterfly, Fastton was ber clement, and, despoiled of its gay adornment, she found herself without the re- sources which habit had made essential to her betug. Her freedom was as dear to her as lile, Sune could no more bear confinement than a colibri. Liberty was accorded to her in the only way possible under the circumstances—that of an early death! it is not meant by these remarks to throw the alightest disparage- ment on Mr. Chase ar Che bright, ball-room belle home, ‘Their mar- riage was @ mistake on both sides. The very grandeur of his nature (and its consequent inflex- dbuity) was @ bacrter between them. He was an impeudtug cliff above ®& rose, stretching every branch, every bud, for sunlight beyond its shadow. He was Hever conscious, probably, of the obstruc- tons bis cast of character presented to everything like true hope and enjoyment in one who could not brook suck restraint. It was like surrounding @ Banding sountain with Marble walls, and thus con- verting it into a cold and stagnant tarn, Who knows how much of this same influence entered invo the brie! lives and early deaths of the succes- sors of Catherine Garniss ? This story, untrue perhaps in every particular, thoagt aot so terrible as imputations Mrs. Stowe cast upon the memory of Lord Byron, is quite as aad from the want of motive for telling it. It is robbing the grave that slander may wag its foul tongue aver pretended memories. Herndon offended not more outrageously in asserting that his former partner, Abraham Lincoln, was base- born; but he was punished by the displeasure of ali his countrymen. Even John Forster did not escape censure for relating the story, however delicately, of tts (riend Dickens’ incompatibility. Neither can Judge Warden hope to escape, whether he countenances stories like this we have just quoted or attempts to elaborate his foolish chatter about success and merit in Judge Chase’s aspi- rations for the Presidency. JUDGR WARDEN'S RIVAL—MR. SCHUCKERS AND HIS WORK. In remarkable contrast to the part of Judg Warden's book which we have seen is the “Life of Chase’ now in preparation and nearly ready for publication by J. W. Schuckers, Mr. Schuckers entered Mr, Chase’s service as his private secre- tary in the year 1861. been a writer on the newspapers, serving for a considerable time on the Cleveland Leader and other journals. When he entered Chase’s service it was to become the admirer and lifelong friend of his chief, All through the war Schuckers was at Chase’s side. After the Secretary became Uhief Justice every act of the great jurist and his as- sSociates was as familiar to Schuckers as if he had been the Judge’s other self. A thorough acquaint- ance with every trait of Mr. Chase’s char- acter was the result of these twelve years’ intercourse. In the last chapter of his book Mr. Schuckers gives us some insight into this knowledge, showing us, by the incidents he recalls, what we all knew, that Mr. Chase was a very remarkable man, noble and lovable, with some striking foibles and weaknesses—a strong Schuckers had previously | | | last. It was like marching from Atlanta to the sea, But when peace came he would no more continue it than he would have fought Grant's and Sherman's battles over again. War measures had ceased with the war. So from his high place as the Chief Justice of the court of last resort in the land, he solemnly decreed that the Legal Tender act was unconstitutional. It was a noble judgment, and the one upon which his fame will rest. The subsequent packing of the Court, the pitiful occasion seized upon for the reversal of that decision, the pitiful conferences and orders, | now told, and ingeniously told for tne first time in Mr. Schuckers’ narrative, by which it was accom- plished, have become history. Taken in connec- | tion with the legislation of Congress and the ad- character, not to be too closely scrutinized but tobe _ dealt with loving!y and sympathetlcally. Shuckera evidently loved Chase with the devotion of a weaker fora stronger nature, and he approaches his task from an opposite standpoint in every way from that of sudge Warden. His picture is a portrait in outline, often awkward, but always suggestive and never anfaithful, while Warden’s is | @ daub, rich in color, but ivartistic and untrue to the original. Both biographers go over pretty much the same ground, but neither has written a really great “Life of Chase’—the one because his work is almost colorless, and the other because he attempted to paint in iresco, but produced only a | tavern sign. assert that Judge Chase studiedly disseminated | prejudices is apparent from the following ex- tract:— Certainly st that time—during General Jackson’s administration—Mr. Chase did not understand opular favor as he seemed to understand it at a ater period, Certaimly there came a time when he apparently considered that desert alone could not command success—a period when his aspira- tion and ambition apparently acknowledged the propriety of looking beyond actual merit, with the object of acquiring popularity in the direction of the Presidency. Never, indeed, in my opinion, did this man resolve coid-bloodedly to sacrifice the reality of merit to the seeming of desert; but cer- tainly tuere came a time when he appeared much too solicito making the seeming of his popularness—ii that word may be juvented—iully equal to its real weight and meastifé, We shall find him say- ing of a very dear triend in 1820, ‘Mrs. W- isa lady of graceful manners, though at times a little tincture of aristocratic feeling makes @ stranger somewhat uneasy in her society.” In that sense of the word “aristocratic” one could have said of Mr. Chase himself that he was a gentleman o! not u! graceful Manners, though @ little tincture of aris- toeratic feeling made a stranger somewhat uneasy in his society. But as already intimated, there was 4 period when in the interest of an entirely laudable ambition he appeared at least to wish to figure in the eyes of the voters rather more as a plebeian than as a patrician. It is nonsense like this that Judge Warden con- Siders studies of Chase's life. How near the actual truth these deductions may be it is unnecessary to inquire, unless, indeed, it is only the evil that men do which lives after them; for, true or false, the only effect of such feeble reasoning can be to slander the memory of the dead. There is no fault more blamable than the elaboration of the fauita ota friend. The affectation of frankness in writing biography ts such @ fanit. I[t 18 easier to stab a reputation than to paint the glories o! a great career, Judge Warden should remember these tuings before he gives a book to the world in which Chief Justice Chase is to be treated TEE LEGAL TENDER DECISION—SCHUCKERS ON THB CURRENCY QUESTION, In his note to Judge Warden acknowledging the birthday letter, Chief Justice Chase said it was the will of Divine Providence to make him instrumen- talin the promotion of two great reforms, both political; one social, the other financial. Warden gives precedence “‘in point of glory as in time” to | the work done in promotion of social reform, but hopes to ‘display a due appreciation of the work done in promoting a real or supposed financial re- form.” In Schuckers’ book the financial question is the basis of the really remarkable chapters. We have nothing in literature more marked than his history of Mr. Chase’s finan- cial policy, and especially of his action regarding the legal tender issues, There is absolutely no undercurrent in the narrative—noth- ing but a plain statement of facts and events in chronological order, tola with a simplicity that baffles the partisan and disappoints the general Treader, because so much is revealed while so little | apparently has been narrated. The interest that about acquiring popularity by | | dition of according vo tis remarkable measure of justice. in what be has already written he shows that be ls moulding @ Chief Justice of his own instead | of the Chief Justice as he made bimself. Andeven the Chase of the diaries is to be Wardeu’s Chase also, as we bave just seen in the cited extracts concerning Mra, W. All this may be very must be felt in these chapters, slight as they are, cannot fall short of a genuine sensation, Nothing in the invective of the democratic leaders against the national administration; nothing in Mr. Dawes’ great speech, exposing the bankrupt con- the Treasury; nothing that has been said, either for or against resumption, touches 80 completely the core of the disease. This is not owing in the slightest degree to Mr. Schuckers’ views of tne financial question, for Mr. Schuckers has no views of nis own to express, The effect is in the narrative; but it leaves the narrative out of the discussion, | added money given as prizes to be run for at Paris | at the latter on the 14th of Jane. | meeting at Chantili, because Mr. Schuckers’ story is as colorless as | water. Out of this colorless narrative, apparently 80 harmless, but possessed of the explosive force of parlor artillery, two great facts are deducible— the complete justification of Mr. Chase, both as a financier and a jurist, and the thorough condem- nation of his successors in the Treasury and on the Bench. A stigma is put upon General Grant's administration which no administration ought to survive. We find Mr. Chase in the begin- ning of the war the consistent foe of every system Of Irredeemabie finance, He belleved then, and continued to believe till the day of his death, that it Was possible to carry on a great war upon a hard money basis. The Legal Tender act was obnoxious to him when it was proposed, when it was passed and when it was vigorously carried into execution, He accepted tt just as he accepted Bull Run and Big Bethel and the first day’s fight at Pittsburg Landing. {t was to him like pouring out human life as & sacrifice in the Wilderness, at Spottsy!vania, upon Coal Harbor and so around to diverting to Judge Warden and to the lovers of | Petersburg, that Appomattex might be gained at ministration of the Treasury by Mr. Boutwell and his successor, it ts history unfortunately which disgraces the government in its three co-ordinate branches and dishonors the American people. MR, CHASE AS A SOCIAL REFORMER. Mr. Chase's earlier career was chiefly distin- guished or his hostility to the extension of slavery. Though among the first of the freesollers, he was not, at any time, an abolition'st in the full mean- ing of the term, He was, nowever, at all tim outspoken on the subject—a quality which, at a time when the best of meu in the free States were afraid or ashamed to condemn slavery, was calcu- lated to bring him into odium. It was thus that at the very outset of his public career Mr. Chase found himself without a party at the same ume that he was laying the foundation of his subsequent life. He voted for Harrison in 1840, but he was not properly a whig, though still doubtfal waether it was possible to form an anti- slavery party. ‘The attack on Mr. James G. Btrney’s newspaper in Cincinnati, and his unsuc- cessful attempt to prevent a slave being brought into Ohio by her master, which occurred soon after Harrison’s surrender to the “slave power” in his inaugural address, determined him in assisting in the formation of the anti-slavery party in his State. Mr. Chase’s subsequent services, both in and out of Congress, on the slavery question trom this time till aiter the proclamation of emancipa- tion, were earnest and consistent. They were not greater than those of a hundred other men, and fix his rank as a social reformer no higher than that of @ hundred others. No one man abolished slavery in the United States, but its abolition, when it came, came as a necessity. If Mr. Chase’s reputation depended on his rank as @ social re- former it would fall much below the rank of his statesmanship, as it was exhibited in his adminis- tration of the Treasury Departinent and his inter- pretation of his own financial measures as a Judge. Mr. Schuckers gives a very clear and succinct ac- count of this part of Mr. Chase’s career, which is all the better because 1t is not overburdened with detauls of the long and bitter anti-slavery struggie. MB. CHASE IN PUBLIC ESTERM. Mr. Chase was a man of singular power and in- auence in his own State. Few men had warmer friends in his own party or more ardent admirers outofit. He wasan Ohioan planet, with his sat- elites constantly revolving round him. Among the earnest anti-slavery spirits he became a sort of demigod. In manliness and culture he was a fit representative of the proud young State which honored him. Even those who disagreed with him and some of those who hated him could not refuse to praise him. He was more easily forgiven, too, than otner men. These feelings, which took deep root in his own State, at length became common all over the country. What would have been @ sin in other men was not a grievous fault in Mr. Chase. What if he climbed into the Senate in 1$490n the same plan that made Mr. Cameron hated by both whigs and democrats in 1845 and defeated him in 1854? What if he aspired to the Prestdency, after putting WG away as an object of ambition, by assuming the highest judicial functions in the country ? What if he was not always in accord with Mr. Lin- coln, and was as willing to succeed to the Presi- dency in 1864 asin 1868? These things cease to be offences in @ man like Mr. Chase, and, though some men will not be willing to accept these con. clusions, there are few persons who will not re- joice at the modesty ana gentleness with which Mr. Schuckers has treated these episodes 1n his life, As they could not mar him in public esteem while living they should not do hurt to his memory now that he is dead. ST. PATRICKS DAY. poe 8 Soca eae Convention of Irish Socicties in Brooke | lyn—Formation of the Line—Moute of Procession, The final session of the Convention of Irish civic | societies of Kings county was held yesterday after- | noon, at Hibernta Hall, Gold street, near Myrtie aveuue, for the purpose of perfecting the arrange- ments for the grand parade to-morrow, the anni- versary Of Ireland’s patron saint. The President, Mr, Frayne, occupied the chair, and Dr. Thomas Henderson ofMiciated as secretary. It was resolved to attend the divine sacrifice of the mass at the Cathedral, Jay street, at nine o’clock, on Tuesday morning. It was determined that they would pass in review betore the Mayor at the City Hall, | and before Right Rev. Bishop Loughlin in Jay | street. The procession will form as follows:— Ancient Order of Hibernians, on Seventh street, right resting on Grand street. Barouches for officers of tne Irish Convention and invited guests on Grand street, right resting on Seventh street. Father Mathew, No, 1, Roman Catnolic T, A. B. Society, on Sixth street, right resting on Grand street. Father Mathew, No. 2, on Sixth street, right resting on the left of No. 1. | James’ Total Abstinence Benevolent Society, on Sixth street, right resting on leit of No. 2, St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Total Abstinence Benevolent Society, on Fifth street, right resting on Grand street. St. Joseph’s, on Fifth street, left resting on right of St, Paul's. Lady of Victory, on Fifth street, left of St. Joseph's. St. Patrick's Mutual Alliance and Guard or Honor, on Fourth street, right on Grand street. Tne procession will start at twelve o'clock M. sharp, under the grand marshaiship of Hugh Ward. The line of march will be as follows:—From Grand street to Fourth street; trom Fourth street, along Bedford avenue, to Myrtle avenue ; theuce through Gold street to Front, along Front to Jay, up Jay to Myrtle avenue, through to Fultoh street, up Fulton to the Park, passing in iront of the City Hall; thence to Neison street and Hamiti- ton avenue, to Columbia street, through Harrison | to Hicks; from Hicks, by Atlantic, to Vanderbilt avenue; through Pacific street, Washington ave- nue and Atlantic street to Cumberland, where the arade will be reviewed by the Grand Marshal and ismissed. HORSE NOTES, ae The French Jockey Club has just issued its pro- gramme for the coming season. The total amount of and Chantilly 1s 671,000 francs, spread over twenty- two days. Some modifications save been intro- duced into the order and duration of the meetings. ‘The first is, as usual, that of Paris, which com- mences on the 6th of April, and to which another day has been added, making eight, instead of the five of which it consisted only afew years back. The Chantily spring and Paris summer meeting follow, a8 before, the French Derby being run at the former on the 3ist of May, and the Grand Prix ‘The first autumn | is suppressed, and the racing rt of the season will commence at in the 6th of September instead of ending there, as it did last year, The Paris autumn meeting willopen on the i3th, and will consist of four days imstead of the three of which it has hitherto been composed, and the rupning at Chan- uily, wuich follows, will extend to an extra day, the third, a8 compensation forthe one suppressed in September, as above mentioned. rhe time of the spring meeting of the Louisiana Jockey Cind being near at hand preparations are on foot for the season, Which promises to be one of the most brilliant ever fiven in New Orleans, the track being in finer condition and the prospect tor a large fleld being betver than for many years past, A DEMAND FOR WORK. To Ta¥ Epitor OF THE HERALD :— in the alter Fontamebiea! I) you reaily wish to help deserving workingmen | ing to Work, not soup, I would suggest that you would bring your influence to bear on the Commissioners of Parks to resume the mason work stopped by the excuse of frost, The starting of that work imme- diately would employ hundreds of masons and laborers, and the work 1s to be done and needs no legisiation to authorize it. The men are waiting on it, and are in many cases badly in want. A few weeks’ delay, more OF less, in starting it may not affect the Commissioners, but it is tile or death to some Of the men and their lamilies. hs ONE WHO 18 WAITING AND STARVING, New York, March 15. 1574 SHEET. HUMANITY. The City Poor and the Measures for Their Relief. FOR SWEET CHARITY. Generous Contributions for the Needy— Kind Hearts Seeking Out the Destitute and Helping Them. THE SOUP KITCHENS. In Charge of Mr. Delmoni¢o, Fourth precinct, No. 327 Water strect, Captain Ulman, Sixth precinct, No, 110 Centre street, Captain Kennedy. Seventh precinct, No. 79 East Broadway. Captain Mount. Eighth precinct, No, 114 Wooster street, Captain Williams, Eleventh precinct, No, 285 Second street, Can- tain Murphy, Thirteenth precinct, No. 224 Delancey street, Captain Hedden, Fourteenth precinct, No. 53 Spring street, Cap- tain Clinchy, Eighteenth precinct, No. 302 avenue A, Captain Tynan, Nineteenth precinct, Second avenue, corner of Sixty-third street, Captain Gunner. Twentieth precinct, No. 511 West Twenty-ninth street, Captain McElwain. Twenty-first precinct, No. 218 East Thirty-fourth street, Captain Allaire, Twenty-second precinct, Tenth avenue, between Sixty-second and Sixty-third streets, Captain Ktl- iilea, Twenty-ninth precinct, Thirty-first street, near Seventh avenue, Captain McCullogn. Other Soup Houses. Juvenile Guardians’ Society, downtown relict, No. 14 Dey street, Mr. Orcutt’s soup kitchen, N Street, near Third avenue, Howard Relief Association soup houses, old police station, Leonard street, and No, 61 Thomp- son street, Industrial School for Women, No. 47 East Tenth street, hear Broadway, gives meals and furnishes beef tea for the sick. Fifteenth ward citizens’ soup house, No. 219 Mercer street. Twenty-first Ward Reform Association’s relief house, No. 323 East Thirty-third street. . 17 East Seventh | Twenty-third Precinct Police Soup and Lodging House, Eighty-sixth street, corner of Fourth ave- nue. Bread and beef house, No. 306 West Fifty-second street, near Eighth avenue. Sparta Club soup kitchen, opposite tne Court House, Fifty-seventh street, near Third avenue. Twelfth ward citizens’ soup house, Hariem Mar- ket, 125th street. Manhattanville, 130th street, near Broadway. Twenty-third precinct police lodging and soup house, Fourth avenue and Eighty-sixth street. In Brooklyn. Fourth precinct temporary relief soup house, Vanderbilt avenue, near Myrtle avenue. ‘Yenth precinct soup house, corner Bergen and Pearsall streets. Helping Hand, Atlantic avenue. MUSIC AND CHARITY. Mme. Pauline Lucca’s Sympathy and Aid for the Poor. A HERALD representative called yesterday upon Mme. Pauline Lucca at the Metropolitan Hotel. The fascinating little prima donna, whose fame is world-wide, and whose career has been probably | one of the most brilliant in operatic annals, has just recovered from a severe attack of illness caused by the horrible weather we have been sub- jected to this month. On being requested to give her views on operatic charity, she said that she would cheerfully co-operate with Mme. Nilsson and other artists in a grand benefit performance for the poor. She has never hesitated a moment to offer her services at the call of charity. She has sung in 80 Many charitable entertainments ip this country that it would be impossivle jor her to | remember halfof them. She is now prepared to do all that lies in her power to make the proposed er performance the grandest ever known in this elty. It is Suggested that this musical entertainment for the benefit of the suffering poor take place a@t the Academy of Music on Saturday evening, March 28 Besides the twin stars, Mme. Nilsson and Mme. Lucca, the indications are that Gilmore’s Twenty-second Regiment Band and the chorus of the New York Liederkranz Society will join in the good work, The following ladies have consented to their names being placed on the Ladies’ Com- mittee for this grand benefit:—Mrs, William B, Astor, Mrs. J. J. Astor, Mrs. George T. Strong, Mrs. Paran Stevens, Mrs. Lioyd Aspinwall, Mrs. Robert Cutting, Mrs. Pierre Lorillard, Mrs. Judge Brady and Mrs. Albert D. Hendricks. Many other influ- ential jadies have also signified their entire sym- pathy in this movement in the musical world. ST. JOHN’S GUILD. Donations of Clothing. The following packages of clothing have been re- ceived at the office of the Guild within the past few days, and distributed to the poor :— Mr, Surrell. 1 bundle clothing. Mrs Dewsnap, 123 East Thirty-fourth street, 1 bundle el % Mrs. A. Friend, 1 bundle clothing. Mrs. A. Sharp, 1 bundle clothing. Mrs. Adams, I bundle clothing. “R.""1 bundle clothing. Mrs. Varrian, 1 bundie clothing. Mrs. John Atwell, 1 bundle clothing. Mrs. King, 1 bundle clothing. Mrs. Jackson, | bundle clothing. For St, John’s Guild, 2 bundles clothing. Mrs. Sherwood, 1 bundle clothing. From Jessie, the proceeds of @ party, 40 yards muslin. From 1., 1 pair shoes. w. Methotl’ tsq., 1 Rares clothing. tamily, 1 trunk clothing. Adas, 1 bundie clothing. From Flushing, for composer's Mr’. White, I package clothing. ©. B., 1 package clothing. For charity coats. » C.,1 bundle clothing. J. W. W., 1 basket clothing. Fred Quick, | package clothing. Anonymous, 1 package clothing. 5. H.G., 3 packages clothing. Mrs. Woodhull, 1 package clothing. Jersey ity, | package clothing. By Oscar Tibballs, trom Heipiug Hana Soclety, cunew garments. L., 1 bunale clothing. Mrs. C., 1 bundle clothing, A lady friend, 3 bundles clothing, Per express, I bundle clothing. ‘8. J.T. B., Lbundle clothing. ‘ile, for poor children. 1 bundle clothing. A. Wjliigins, 1 bundle clothin No. 13 West Fooricenth street, 1 bum hothing. A. H. H., 2 bundles clothin; Mrs. Leroy, 1 bundle clothing. Henry Crofut & Co., L bundie clothing. . Hunter, 1 trunk clothing. rs. J.T. K City, 1 package clothing. 6: Ktiap, Je J. W. Cuiver, { package clothing, A Fricnd, 1 box clothing. Charity. | box clothing. No Naine, | package clothing. From Poor Family in Brooklyn, 1 package clothing. Mrs. E. M. Colman, 1 package clothing, Mrs. 8. Wagstatf, | package clothing. Anonymous, | package clothing. R. Hi. Storely. 1 package clothing. ©. 3., [package clothing. & WW. Chamberling, 1 package clothing, Miiler & Co., 1 package clothing. Miss L. 8. Reeder, Br., 1 bundle clothing. Mrs, Josqup,1 package clothing. Mrs. J, W. u., Jersey City, N. J., 2 packages clothing. Mrs. H. 0. W.,2 packages clothing. 8. J. 8.1 package clothing. From a Lady, K. M. 0.,1 package clothing. €. B.,1 package clothing. Mra, Swords, I coat. R. G., Jr., | bundle clothing. Mrs. Ludiow. ig. helle, | box clothing. t bunile clothing. Mra. Dr. sug, 1 bundle clo Li akin H ‘i ad Jedi fs. Densiap, 1 bundle clothings Froin a lady, per Mrs Ryat, ot Mulberry street, 2 bunule clothing. jasket of clothing from Brookiyn. ‘J. N. GL box of boots and clothing. bundle ch . Bali, t Bande oe tothits om Bro un ; Lady from Brooklyn’ Girs. Campion), 1 bundle cloth- n dirs. Newcome, V. Brown. 7. W., Brookiyn, | bundle clothing. Mr. H.W, B., 1 bundie clothing. One box and trunk of clothing. La a Brooklyn, 1 bundle clothing. pet sanson, i bundle clothing. i MO SLE ing lothing (14 garments), nd Mra, vans, City, 1 bundle n's garments. jersey iJ ©. Jaffery and Misa Seymour, 1 bundle clothing. Van Buren, | bundle clothing: Charles Lange, | bundle clothing. T. Thompson, I’ bundle clothing. ious, { bundle clothing. 1 bundie clothing. 1 bundle clothing. .. 43 garments and easy chair for Mr. Volks, Stok Windsor Hotel, | bundle of clothii Sicklin, t eof children’s clothing, Felothing and 1 ni mid pack of clothing. pacl e of clothing. box of clothing. : Andrews, | box of clothing Reid, 1 box of clothing. hildren, 2 boxes of clothing. nth avenue, 1 box of clothing. Mrs. Schroder, 1 package of clothing. Mrs. [1 package of clothing. Mrs, Winslow, l-package of clothing. M. L. ©. 1 trunk of clothing. H.C. Wicker, t package of infants’ clothing. From A. tor the young mother in Mott street, | pack: age of clothing. . Litchfield, 1 bundle of shoes and cjothing, R pray vesant, l package of new oaby clothes. «i, B+» Epieoe “of calico and 1 piece of unbleached . 0., L package of clothing. . C. aed tree cy fo of clothes, -, 1 pac! fe of clothes. VG. package of clothes. Lpackage of clothes. jack & Co., | package of clothes. J. La. package of clothes, ‘A friend, | package of clothes. Mrs. Gevrge Heury, 1 package of clothes. Through Mrs. Judge Brady, | package of clothes. Governor's Island Barge office, 1 package of clothes. A frien undies clothing. No name, | child's clothing. ‘Miss Valentine, | package clothing. Friend, | package clotht: Montague, 1 package cloth: No, 71} Lexington avenue, 1 package clothing. Snonsmous, ox of clothing. sf. From Firth avenue, | packaze clothing. T. H. Walter, 1 package clothing. . James B. Beatine, clothing of every description, Mrs. J. Spencer, I' package clothing. Mrs. Kadway, t package clothing. Mrs. Henry Faito, 1 package clothing. Mrs. i. | ounslow, I package clothing, Auonyinous, I package clothing. ©. Martin, I’bundie bedding ana 8 pleces of pi, G; dishon, 4 bundles clothes and I feather, ped. Pierrepont Heuse, Brooklyn, ol e clothing. Miss Peck, Brookiyn, | package clothing. Anonymous, 1 package cloth! Mrs. denning, | package clothing. Pitcher. | package clothing. ‘kage clothing. ikem, 1 package clothing, 1 package clothing. Pou ane I EEO Tice ac ot kage clothing. ge clothing. . D, J. Brothers, | package clothing. Anonymous, Westcott Express, | package clothing, A friend, | package clothing. A friend, 1 package clothing. Mrs. A. 8. Dick, | package clothing. &. Bt package clowning. ! 8.1 com Anonymous, from New Rochelle, 1 bundle clothing. Col. G. A. Williams, Newburg, N: ¥., 1 bundle cl E. Anderson, l bundle eas 8 Mrs. Union Adams, 1 bundle clothing. _ 1 bundle clothing, G. H.'Courose, | bundle clothing. Mrs. "Tagget, I'bundle bedguilts. C. Roun: andle X, edquilts. F. W. Sattesler, 1 bundle bedguilts. F. Drummond, 2 bundles for Mrs, Miller. A friend, | bundle of clothing. Anonymous, for Mrs. Campian, 1 bundle clothing. For deserving poor, 1 bundle of clothing. H. K., l bundle of clothing. From ‘Sowers and Reapers, 1 bundle of clothing €. A. 3. 1 bundle of clothing. Anonymous, 1 bundle of clothing. Anonymous, 1 bundle of clothing. Calbenhaus, 1 bundle of clothing. Anonymous, I bundle of clothing. A friend, 1 bundle of clothing. N. M., 1 bundle of clothing. Mr. Butler, 1 coat. From a frend, | bundle of clothing. Z. A. Wood, 1 bundle of clothing. Mrs. Jackson, 1 bundle of clothing. 1 bundle of clothing. ©. B., 1 Bundle of clothing. A lady friend, 2 bundles of clothing. No. 541 West Twenty-seventh street, 1 bundle clothing, Mrs. Lewis V. Brown, 2 bundles of clothing. From West Point, 1 box of clothing. Charles M. Harman, 1 bundle of clothing. Mrs: ¥., 1 package of clothing. r package of clothing. TENTH Liberal Donations for the Destitute. New York, March 16, 1874, To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— I wish to return my sincere thanks to the follow: ing persons for their generous contributions fot the reliet of the poor of the Tenth ward:— Mr. Jose, of No. 185 Bowery. 10 barrels of potatoes. Hoitatatier Bros., No. 39 Kivington street, 9Y) loaves ot woh G. Hey & Co., No. 105 Orchard street, 125 loaves ot ‘A. FE, Hegeman, No. 75 Mester street, 100 loaves ot bread, J. N. Reynolds No, 182 Suifolk sirect, 100 loaves of a ead. pre Salomon, 28 loaves of bread. Martin Wetterau, No. 63 Canal street, 5 tons of coal. A. Swart, Washington Market, 25 pounds of meat J. Bauinn, No, 101 Delancey street, 15 pounds of meat BW. smith, No. 70 Stanton street, 2,000 paper bags. An Unknown Friend, $1. All contributions of provisions will be thankfully received at the stores Nos. 154, 156 aud 158 Chrysti¢ street, where they will be distributed to the de serving pe of the Tenth ward. 3. J. WARD, Captain Tenth Precinct Police. THIRTEENTH WARD. SEE SE New York, March 15, 1874. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— I have this day received the tollowing contribu. tions of bread for the poor of the Thirteenth pre cinct:— WARD. Loaves. Matthew Patten, No. 878 Grand sirect....... woes SE Ebehalt Brothe . 67 Willott street. . ees Louis Levv, No. henry Millér, No. Total... + 6s Total number of loaves contributed to date, 8,120, HENRY HEDDEN, Captain Thirteenth Precinct Police. TWENTY-FIRST WARD. Citizen Contributions to the Reform Association and Its Results, Since the organization of the Reform Associm tion, which has for its object the relief of the aged and destitute poor of New York city, 7,186 persona have been served with warm meals, prepared in the kitchen of the association building; sixty dea titute families, averaging about five persons in each family, have been served with provisions and groceries, making in all a total of 7,486 persons fed from February 19 to March 14. The clothing ree ceived has been distributed to these families; alsa delicacies for the sick members. ‘The folowing residents of the ward have, un+ solicited, contributed generously to the support o! the association :— T. W. Decker, No. 309 East Twenty-seventh strect. David M. Kotiler, No, 120 East Twentieth street. C. E. Henberer & Co., foot of East Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth streets. Herman Masemann, No. 466 Fourth avenue. Wit not others in the ward emulate thelr good example and go and do likewise? The destitutuuon in this ward is great. Aithough much has been done, it falls tar short of what could be done if we had more donations, Money, 100d, coal, clothing, &c., are lacking to supply the wants of the needy. We again appeal to the benevolent to call aud sea us and leave their donations. We assist the poor without regard to race, religion or politics, Our doors are open daily from nine A. M. to 5 P. M. ta all who wish to see the workings of the institution aud eurol their names as helpers in the good cause of relieving the wants of suifering humanity. ‘The soup house of the association is open from ten A. M. to five P. M., where hundreds are served daily With soup, bread, coffee, meat and vegeta- bles. Every Saturday, from two to five P, M., is | distributed a weekly allowance of provisions; also delicacies for the sick. The number of worthy | destitute families that receive relief has increased to such an extent that we will be unable to pro- | vide for all of them upless we discontinue the soup kitchen, which we consider it advisable to do, | Therefore alter Thursday, the 19th, the door of the soup kitchen will be closed, and the bread, provis- | tons, &c., given to families only. jassau street...... Delancey street. He We tuank the tollowing persons for their dona- , ttone:— No. 37 Park place, $1 Bible, $15, He & Goodspeed, No" ar Park pince. 1 Dox pes, $2 Mr. Bloorfleld, No. 623 Eighth avenue, 2 pairs shoes, $2. Mrs Kellogg, No. 003 Eighth avenue, socks, buttons and thread, nd threwdastein & Co, No, 83 Barclay street, 1 barret bag td No, $7 Dey street, 1 box cranberries. peru Fe 73 De seeet, 1 bag rice. APE eon No. 284 Fulton street, | barrel apples. Eb. aN. H. Loomis, No. 77 Barclay street, 1 barret potatoes. poyce, Nos. 27 and 29 Country row, cabbage and turDiDs. Bowne, Nos. 199and 190 Merchants’ row, 1 barret turnips. ‘dney, No. 443 Fourth avenue, meat. Ba T Walker, ‘No, 306 Fitth avenue, 2 hams. Thomas Hope, No. 44 Third avenue, 1 lamp, Myhon & Schenck, No. 8 Dey sired fish worth $2 50. Pitlip Pye, No. 191 Merchauts’ row, 1 basket turnips . 't. hit, Washington street, 1 box soap, worth $3. W. Lebourvean, corner Forty-seventh street and Third avenue, lot tinware. Philip Stiner, tea merchant, coffee and tea, worth William Leavers, No, 341 Third avenue, 1 bag flour. C. BE. Henberer & Co, foot of Kast iwenty-third and Twenty-fourth streets, 50 pounas corn meal. David M. Koller, No. 120 Kast Twentieth street, 500 loaves of bread. T. W. Decker, No. 309 Bast Twenty-seventh strect, 500 loaves of bread. R. O. Frost, No. 395 Fourth avenue, 4 barrels turnips. Mrs. Potorsaiia, No, 12) East Tenth street, one bundle clothing. Three Friends of the Poor, 3 bundles clothing. Mrs. Taylor, No. 549 Third avenue, | bedquilt. Mrs. Phillips, No. 237 Twenty seventh strect, ladies’ gar. ments and 1 bedquilt. . A Friend of the Poor, $1. J. 6. Wand, 10 quarts milk. Coal, provisions, clothin the associauon building, street; if au order be sent @ messenger wil call for any paccuges. Money should be sent to Dr. M,N, baker Treasurer, No. 303 East Eighteenth street; to Marcus ©. Briggs, No. 10 Wall street, and to Leonayd & Lynn, No. 1 College place, cor- ner of Barclay atraet. &¢., should be sent to 323 Kast Thircy-third