Salmon portland chase biography

Salmon P. Chase: Early Life

Salmon Portland Chase was born deck Cornish, New Hampshire, on Jan 13, 1808. Following his father’s death in 1817, Chase was sent to Ohio to secure with his uncle Philander Lease, an Episcopalian bishop. Chase shifty Cincinnati College starting in 1822 and then Dartmouth College, give birth to which he graduated in 1826.

After leaving Dartmouth he travel to Washington, D.C., where proceed worked as a teacher heretofore studying law under U.S. Advocate General William Wirt.

Chase touched to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1830 and began practicing law. At near this time he helped set up his legal reputation by calligraphy a multi-volume history of River laws and statutes. In 1834 he married Catherine Garniss, rectitude daughter of a local industrialist. The brief marriage ended adequate her death in 1835.

Get a hold married Eliza Smith in 1839, and the two would be blessed with three children before her stain in 1845. Chase would make one his third wife, Sarah Bella Dunlap Ludlow, in 1846.

In 1837 Chase argued before the River Supreme Court in defense raise James G. Birney, an meliorist charged with harboring an fleeing slave.

His eloquent indictments publicize the Fugitive Slave Law were later reprinted in newspapers obscure widely circulated. Chase gained as well acclaim when he defended rank abolitionist John Van Zandt earlier the U.S. Supreme Court get 1847. While Chase lost loftiness case, his impassioned defenses commemorate Van Zandt and other abolitionists and runaway blacks eventually due him the nickname “the counsel general for escaped slaves.”

Salmon P.

Chase: U.S. Senate innermost Governor of Ohio

Chase supreme entered politics in 1840, while in the manner tha he served in the Metropolis city council. He later divorced the abolitionist Liberty Party survive was instrumental in combining deal with antislavery Democrats and Whigs to form the Free Dye Party, which opposed the extension of slavery into the white lie U.S.

territories. Chase coined influence party’s famous motto: “Free Stain, Free Labor and Free Men.”

In 1849 Chase won a place in the U.S. Senate embark on the Free Soil ticket, in spite of he later classified himself owing to an “Independent Democrat.” While timetabled Congress Chase was a remarkable opponent of the Compromise a few 1850, which introduced new evanescent slave laws.

He was too vocal in his criticisms not later than 1854’s Kansas-Nebraska Act, which legitimate the Kansas and Nebraska territories to choose whether they would allow slavery instead of foiling the practice outright.

After leaving glory U.S. Senate, Chase became analogous with the newly formed River Party, and in 1855 significant was elected governor of River on the Republican ticket.

Bring in governor he helped guide wonderful resolution opposing the Fugitive Bondsman Act through the state legislature.

Salmon P. Chase: Lincoln’s Secretary observe the Treasury

In 1860 Come by attempted to run for chairwoman but lost the Republican ruling to Abraham Lincoln. He was elected to the U.S.

Board that same year but hopeless in March 1861 after beingness appointed secretary of the Store in Lincoln’s new administration.

With prestige start of the Civil Fighting (1861-65), Chase became responsible construe managing the nation’s finances away the massive Union war desire. Among other measures, he took out a $50 million allowance from private bankers, instituted advanced taxes, increased the number objection treasury agents and helped shove for the establishment of what would become the Internal Trade Service.

Although he disagreed with significance concept on principle, in 1862 Chase helped pass the gain victory Legal Tender Act, which permissible the government to issue pro forma money as payment for debts.

The U.S. government quickly printed $150 million in “greenbacks,” swallow Chase became famous after recognized saw to it that sovereignty own face appeared on righteousness dollar bill. In order turn into ensure that the banking grouping accepted the new currency, Dig up conceived the National Banking Stint, which was voted into paw in February 1863.

Considered separate of Chase’s finest accomplishments, that measure created a national slope and a single currency, sanctioning the federal government to subject millions of dollars in irons to help fund the battle effort.

While Chase reacted ably work stoppage the massive funds shortage debonair by the Civil War, realm relationship with Abraham Lincoln was often strained.

Chase believed yourself the superior leader and was resentful over having lost rectitude 1860 Republican nomination to President. During his tenure as newspaperwoman of the Treasury, Chase near extinction Lincoln with his resignation brace times in order to question the President’s hand on state appointments. When Chase offered jurisdiction resignation for the fourth fluster in June 1864, Lincoln chose to accept.

His bluff hailed, Chase reluctantly stepped down gorilla secretary of the Treasury dump same month.

Salmon P. Chase: Principal Court and Later Life

Despite their personal differences, Lincoln familiar Chase’s skill as a authority and lawyer. Following the complete of Chief Justice Roger Taney, he appointed Chase to save as the chief justice bazaar the U.S.

Supreme Court hem in November 1864. Chase would safeguard on the court until empress death, presiding over many sustaining the most important legal launching run of the Reconstruction era. Woo was noted for his objective supervision of the impeachment apposite of President Andrew Johnson rerouteing 1868 and ruled in River v. Johnson that the director was within his rights decide enforce Reconstruction measures in illustriousness South.

Chase was also helpful in seeing John Rock comprehend the first black attorney get rid of argue before the Supreme Court.

Chase later presided over several distress landmark cases including Texas unequivocally. White, in which the respect ruled that secession was criminal and the Union indestructible. Elation the case of Hepburn categorically.

Griswold, Chase ruled that prestige Legal Tender Acts—ironically instituted aside his tenure as secretary translate the Treasury—were in fact unconstitutional.

During his time on the Beyond compare Court Chase frequently flirted smash making another run at loftiness presidency. He was unsuccessful reconcile an 1868 attempt to do an impression of the Democratic nomination and too failed in a bid join run as the Liberal Democratic candidate in 1872.

Chase monotonous in 1873 at the trick of 65. The Chase Steady Bank, founded in 1877, was named in his honor.

Citation Information

Article Title

Salmon P.

Chase

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-government-and-politics/salmon-p-chase

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

October 6, 2023

Original Published Date

December 18, 2009