Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1885 — REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN. [ARTICLE]

REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN.

BY BEN: PERLKY POORE.

Mr. Lincoln’s religious opinions have been the sbbject of much discussion since his death. Eminent, daring a long and eventful life, for bis kindness of heart and generous sympathy for the opinions of all men of whatever station in life, lie listened to the discussions upon religions subjects that were forced upou him, even by zealots, with patient politeness; and because he did not combat them, however extravagant, each one so honored came clamoring before the public to be reoognized as the representative of the President’s personal views on this subject. Hence the contradictory assertions that he was an atheist, an infidel, orthodox, or disbeliever, according to each one’s own peculiar faith. History will little reckon what were President Lincoln’s religions views. The nation, to whom his name and memory are dear, care nothing for what he may have said to presumptions religious zealots, or what such religious zealots may have said to him. The people of this great land of ours, who fondly cherish the recollection of the acts of kindness of him who, “with malice toward none and charity for all,” devoted his life to the interests of mankind, will care little for his sectarian views of religion. His great heart of sympathy for all mankind has won the love of the millions, who have no anxietv as to whether his opinions were heretical’ or orthodox, measured by the standard of religious bigots. That he had faith in the great principles of Christianity, that he exemplified them in his life, that he taught them in his family, that he impressed them on his children, are facts established beyond cavil or question. The appointment of Mr. Waite, a Toledo lawyer, who was only known at Washington as one of the counsel in the Geneva conference, to be Chief Justice, naturally created some surprise at Washington. It became known, however, that it was the result of the inner workings of Ohio politics. When the Whig party in that State was abandoned, its old leaders naturally drifted into the Republican party. Ewing and Corwin were such devoted Whigs that they never fairly and fully became installed in the new organization, but Delano, Galloway, Ben Stan ton, Sclienck, Goddard, Waite, .Horton, and many others less prominent, very heartily entered the new organization, though they did not seek prominence, and, as Chase was Governor of the State, he very naturally became the prominent Republican figure in Ohio. The ambition of Governor Chase to become President led him into the error of calling about him as his confidential advisers chiefly such men as had formerly acted with the Democratic party, while at the s me time he spared no pains to cripple every prominent Republican who had been a leading Whig in the State. A bitter warfare was the result, and Chase found himself powerless to crush out all those men. In their local districts they were popular, and Delano made a strong contest for the United States senatorship against Chase, before the Legislature, in the winter of 1859-60. In the summer of 1860 several of those old Whigs turned up in the Chicago convention, greatly against the wishes of Mr. Chase, and it will be remembered that Mr. Delano seconded the nomination of Mr. Lincoln in a brief speech, which at once blasted the prospects of Chase and gave great encouragement to Mr. Lincoln’s friends. Practically, that closed out Mr. Chase in Ohio, and he was never again before the peop eof this State as a candidate for any position. Schenck became minister to England, and Delano became Secretary of the Interior. The latter, although not intimately acquainted with Mr. Waite, knew him to be a man of eminent legal abilities, conscientious and worthy of any trust and position within the gift of the Government. When the President was looking about for suitable men to serve as counsellors for the Government at Geneva, Secretary Delano at once thought of tho man who had sympathized with him in the fight against the Chase dynasty, and named Mr. Waite to the President., who, having great confidence in the judgment of Mr. Delano, appointed Mr. Waite. All know the highly creditable manner in which Mr. Waite acquitted himself at Geneva. When the President had twice failed to appoint an acceptable person to the position of chief justice, he consulted with his Cabinet-officers upon the subject, and Secretary Delano again recommended, his friend Waite, and the President adopted the suggestion. The burning of the transport steamer Cataline, in June, 1861, at Fortress Monroe, disclosed the fact that although her fiist cost was only SIB,OOO, and the expense of running her for ten weeks SIO,OOO more, making $28,000, she had been chartered for SIO,OOO a month, making $25,000 for the first ten weeks. A provision in her charter secured to her owners $50,000 in case she was lost, and she was also insured for $25,000. The result was that the net profit to the owners was $72,000 for ten weeks.