competition.  The truth was that the facts of the situation lay with the President, and that the enterprise, which was supposed by its friends to be only in its early stage, was really on the verge of final disposition.  Mr. Chase had said decisively that he would not be a candidate unless his own State, Ohio, should prefer him.  To enlighten him on this point the Republican members of the Ohio legislature, being in much closer touch with the people than were the more dignified statesmen at Washington, met on February 25, and in the name of the people and the soldiers of their State renominated Mr. Lincoln.  The nail was driven a stroke deeper into the coffin by Rhode Island.  Although Governor Sprague was Mr. Chase’s son-in-law, the legislature of that State also made haste to declare for Mr. Lincoln.  So the movement in behalf of Mr. Chase came suddenly and utterly to an end.  Early in May he wrote that he wished no further consideration to be given to his name; and his wish was respected.  After this collapse Mr. Lincoln’s renomination was much less opposed by the politicians of Washington.  Being naturally a facile class, and not so narrowly wedded to their own convictions as to be unable to subordinate them to the popular will or wisdom, they now for the most part gave their superficial and uncordial adhesion to the President.  They liked him no better than before, but they respected a sagacity superior to their own, bowed before a capacity which could control success, and, in presence of the admitted fact of his overwhelming popularity, they played the part which became wise men of their calling.

However sincerely Mr. Chase might resolve to behave with magnanimity beneath his disappointment, the disappointment must rankle all the same.  It was certainly the case that, while he professed friendship towards Mr. Lincoln personally, he was honestly unable to appreciate him as a president.  Mr. Chase’s ideal of a statesman had outlines of imposing dignity which Mr. Lincoln’s simple demeanor did not fill out.  It was now inevitable that the relationship between the two men should soon be severed.  The first strain came because Mr. Lincoln would not avenge an unjustifiable assault made by General Blair upon the secretary.  Then Mr. Chase grumbled at the free spending of the funds which he had succeeded in providing with so much skill and labor.  “It seems as if there were no limit to expense....  The spigot in Uncle Abe’s barrel is made twice as big as the bung-hole,” he complained.  Then ensued sundry irritations concerning appointments in the custom-houses, one of which led to an offer of resignation by the secretary.  On each occasion, however, the President placated him by allowing him to have his own way.  Finally, in May and June, 1864, occurred the famous imbroglio concerning the choice of a successor to Mr. Cisco, the assistant treasurer at New York.  Though Mr. Chase again managed to prevail, yet he was made so angry by the circumstances of the case, that he again sent in his