Sunday, December 19, 2010

Salmon P. Chase

Congratulations to Mathan, winner of yesterday's contest!

Salmon Portland Chase was our Person-of-Mystery.  He's a bit of a historical asterisk as far as I'm concerned (although perhaps more appropriately he should be remembered as a semicolon, as I'll explain later).


There are a few interesting things about his life.  For starters, his name – Salmon Portland.  He would sound more like a fish if the names were reversed, but I digress.  If you think Salmon is an interesting name, his father was named Ithmar Chase, but Ithmar died when Salmon was nine years old, so Salmon was actually raised by his uncle, Philander Chase (an Episcopal Bishop).

(Philander Chase)

Salmon P. Chase fit the early profile of a career politician, good schools, law school, and move to Washington D.C.  In 1830 he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he continued to practice law.  Then in 1835, following the death of his first wife, Chase became more sincere about his religious faith and became involved in abolitionism and the defense of fugitive slaves.  Chase's position was that slavery was a state law and not federally supported, so if a slave left the jurisdiction of a slave state, he was then under the law of whatever jurisdiction he found himself.


His abolition work also found Chase a member of the Semi-Colon Club, a literary circle of writers in Cincinnati.  It was the Semi-Colon Club that inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe to write Uncle Tom's Cabin.

(Harriet Beecher Stowe)

Politically, Chase had a mercurial career.  Elected first as a Whig, in 1841, he became the leader of the Liberty Party in Ohio.  In 1848, he led the effort to combine the Liberty Party with the Barnburners and in 1849 he was elected to the Senate on the resulting Free Soil Party ticket.  By 1854 he was involved in trying to unite the Whigs with the liberal Democrats to form the Republican Party and was elected as the first Republican Governor of Ohio in 1856.  He was a nominee for President in 1860, but could not gain enough votes and eventually swung his support to Abraham Lincoln.  The same year he was returned to the Senate as a Republican, but resigned after three days to join the Lincoln Cabinet as Secretary of the Treasury.  Under his tenure, the first federal currency appeared, and Chase had his face put on the money in an effort to further his political career.  Although ambitious, he is also remembered for suggesting that "In God We Trust" be placed on our money.

(Chase on his $1 note)

Chase kept a diary during the Civil War years and his notes provide some of the best inside knowledge of the events around the Emancipation Proclamation.


(Lincoln Cabinet – Chase standing on left)


During his time under Lincoln, he continually tried to politically best Lincoln by thrice threatening resignation as Treasury Secretary.  Following the 1864 election Lincoln finally accepted his fourth threat, but to appease the Radical Republicans, he nominated Chase to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after Roger Taney died.


Chase made an attempt to gain the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1868, but was again passed over.  In 1870, three years before his death he helped found the Liberal Republican Party.  He died in 1873 while still serving on the Supreme Court.


From 1929 to 1945, the United States issued high-denomination notes - primarily used in bank transactions.  Chase appears on the $10,000 note.  Starting in 1969, these bills were removed from circulation, but 336 $10,000 bills remain in circulation today.  I'm still hoping I accidentally get one in change sometime!

22 comments:

Jules said...

We looked him up on Wikipedia last night - found it interesting that he designed money with his own picture on it to further his political career.

Judi said...

So interesting. My mother's maiden name was Chase & we can trace it back to 1630s when 2 brothers whose names escape me now (Aquinis maybe?)came over & settled Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard. Our most famous ancestor fought with John Paul Jones on the Bon Homme Richard. I've always wondered if we were related to Salmon.... & hoping we weren't related to Owen Chase (the true story that inspired Moby Dick - cannibalism & all).
We are traveling again (Tx to OH), so I missed the Saturday contest.

Unknown said...

It seems that political parties had much more interesting names back then, like The Barnburners.

Nate Maas said...

Rob, my favorite historic American political party name is the Know Nothing Party. Former President Millard Fillmore even ran for office in 1856 on this ticket and carried one state.

Blind Peaty said...

i heres you been sweet on my zarelda. yous bes stop dat now, hyar?

Anonymous said...

Thank you, I have recently been searching for information about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far.

baster said...

I suppose that Chase was one of the most prominent members of the new Republican Party before becoming Chief Justice buy term paper, research paper

Unknown said...

He would sound more like a fish if the names were reversed, but I digress.
academic dissertation

Sarah Saad said...

شركة نقل اثاث بمكة
شركة نقل اثاث بالطائف
شركة نقل اثاث بينبع
شركة نقل اثاث بمكة
شركة نقل اثاث بالطائف
شركة نقل اثاث بينبع

Jaxon Oakley said...

I like your thoughts due to your skills.

Roksy said...

https://www.bloggeymj oca lamination machine |
mobile repairing course in delhi |
mobile repairing course karol bagh |
mobile repairing course raipur |
mobile repairing course in ranchi |
led tv repairing course in delhi |
mobile repairing course in delhi |
mobile repairing course in delhi |
laptop repairing institute in patna |

Darren Demers said...

Salmon P. Chase fit the early profile of a career politician, good schools, law school, and move to Washington D.C. lawn salwar kameez , ladies lawn suits , pakistani lawn collection , pakistani suits online , embroidered lawn suits , pakistani suits , lown dress , pakistani printed suits , pakistani lawn suits with chiffon dupatta , lawn clothes In 1830 he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he continued to practice law. Then in 1835, following the death of his first wife, Chase became more sincere about his religious faith and became involved in abolitionism and the defense of fugitive slaves. Chase's position was that slavery was a state law and not federally supported, so if a slave left the jurisdiction of a slave state, he was then under the law of whatever jurisdiction he found himself.

Roksy said...

Great info! I recently came across your blog and have been reading along.
mobile repairing tools

iPhone Repairing course

mobile ic price

iPhone IC price

Roksy said...

AK Info is the best repairing institute for chip level laptop repairing courses in Patna. Our courses fee is economical. We have experienced teaching faculty for all courses.

chip level laptop training institute Patna

Roksy said...

Best Institute for Mobile repairing course in Patna, Delhi - Tablet PC repairing, LED/LCD TV repairing, smart TV, smart phone repairing course in delhi, desktop, tablet PC repairing, laptop chip level repairing and mobile repairing courses in Delhi.

led repairing course

mobile repairing courses

mobile repair courses near me

mobile phone repairing course

laptop repairing institute in delhi

mobile repairing course delhi

Roksy said...

Best Mobile Repairing Course in Delhi, Join AK info - No. 1 Mobile Phone Repairing Training Institute in New Delhi, India, Admission Open, Visit Now!
led tv repairing course in patna

mobile repairing institute

laptop repairing course in delhi

best mobile repair in ranchi

laptop repair course

mobile repairing course

Roksy said...

Ak-Info Offering mobile repairing online course in delhi , Learn mobile repairing hand skill and earn.

mobile repairing online course in delhi

mobile repairing online course in ranchi

mobile repairing course online

laptop repairing online course in patna

mobile repairing online course in karol bagh

mobile repairing online course in jamshedpur

mobile repairing online institute in patna

mobile repair online course near me

mobile repairing online course in dhanbad

mobile repairing online course delhi


Roksy said...

mobile repairing course is based on practical learning approach and classes, hence our mobile repairing courses are designed in a way that learner get full exposure to handle all types of mobiles

mobile repair online courses

chip level laptop repairing online course

mobile phone repairing courses online

chip level repairing course online

best mobile repairing institute in delhi

mobile repairing online course in india

mobile repairing online course in bangalore

mobile repairing online course near me

smart phones repair training courses online

mobile training online courses

laptop repair online course in patna

laptop repairing online course in delhi

Roksy said...

mobile repairing course is based on practical learning approach and classes, hence our mobile repairing courses are designed in a way that learner get full exposure to handle all types of mobiles

mobile repairing online course fees


laptop repair courses online


mobile repair course online


laptop repair online courses


mobile repairing online courses


best mobile repairing courses online


mobile phone repair courses online


mobile repairing course online


mobile repairing course fees online


mobile phone repair course online


laptop repairing course online


laptop repair learning online courses


laptop repairing course fees online



laptop repair learning online courses


laptop repairing course online


laptop repairing courses online


computer repairing course online


laptop chip level repairing course online


chip level laptop repairing course online


laptop repair online near me



laptop repair courses online



computer repairing online course


chip level training courses online


Advance mobile repairing course online


mobile course online classes


mobile repairing software online course


mobile software courses online


phone repair training courses online



Roksy said...

mobile repairing course is based on practical learning approach and classes, hence our mobile repairing courses are designed in a way that learner get full exposure to handle all types of mobiles

mobile repair courses online

computer repairing courses online

smartphone repairing course online

cell phone repair course online

top mobile repairing course online

mobile phone repair training online

learn mobile repairing course online



Roksy said...

We provide best mobile repairing courses, hardware & software repair courses on minimum fees.

mobile reparing course online training


tv repairing courses online


lcd repairing courses online


laptop chip level training online


online mobile repairing course


mobile repairing classes online


mobile repairing online courses


mobile repairing online course


mobile repairing online study


mobile repairing online free course


mobile repairing online course free


mobile repair online courses frees


mobile repair learning online


learn mobile repairing online


mobile repairing course online classes



laptop repairing online

Roksy said...

We provide smart TV repair courses with a latest method of teaching. These are courses conducted by an excellent teaching having more than 5 years of experience...

led tv repair training online

led tv repair learn online classses

led lcd tv repair training online

led lcd tv repair online course

led tv repair course online

tv repair online

smart tv repairing course online

led tv repair online classes


iphone repair online course in delhi

laptop repairing course in bangalore

laptop chip level repairing course online


mobile repairing online course in kanpur


mobile repairing online course in gorakhpur