Chase, Salmon Portland

(1808-1873), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was born at Cornish, N. H. He graduated at Dart mouth. College in 1826, and became a school teacher and finally a lawyer in Cincinnati. From an early period he was profoundly interested in the anti-slavery movement, and was one of the leaders of the Liberty party and of the later Free-Soil party. In 1849 he entered the U. S. Senate from Ohio, having been elected by a coalition of Democrats and Free Soilers, He distinguished himself as an opponent of the Kansas- Nebraska Bill and in 1856-6o was Republican Governor of Ohio. When the Republican convention of 1860 met, Mr. Chase was a leading candidate, and was naturally a member of President Lincoln’s Cabinet. His services in 1861-64 in supervising the finances of the nation during a critical and difficult period have been rated at a very high value, Shortly after leaving the Treasury Department he was appointed in 1864 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and held that office till his death. His name had been mentioned for the Presidency in 1864, and in 1868 it was before the Democratic National Convention; but his position respecting negro suffrage led to the rejection of his candidacy.