In the autumn, the Chief-Justiceship became vacant by the death of Judge R.B.  Taney (October 11, 1864), and the friends of Mr. Chase, who was then in retirement, desired his elevation to that honorable seat.  Congressman Riddle, who was designated to present the matter to the President, says:  “After hearing what I had to say, Mr. Lincoln asked, ‘Will this content Mr. Chase?’ ’It is said that those bitten of the Presidency die of it,’ I replied.  His smile showed he would not take that answer.  I added:  ’Mr. Chase is conscious of ability to serve the country as President.  We should expect the greatest from him.’  ’He would not disappoint you, were it in his reach.  But I should be sorry to see a Chief-Justice anxious to swap for it.’  I said then what I had already said to Mr. Chase:  that I would rather be the Chief Justice than the President.  I urged that the purity and elevation of Mr. Chase’s character guaranteed the dignity of the station from all compromise; that momentous questions must arise, involving recent exercises of power, without precedents to guide the court; that the honor of the Government would be safe in the hands of Mr. Chase.  ’Would you pack the Supreme Court?’ he asked, a little sharply.  ’Would you have a Judge with no preconceived notions of law?’ was my response.  ‘True, true,’ was his laughing reply; ’how could I find anyone, fit for the place, who has not some definite notions on all questions likely to arise?’”

The proposed appointment of Mr. Chase as Chief-Justice was severely criticized by certain friends of Lincoln, who believed Mr. Chase was personally hostile to the President, and could not understand the latter’s magnanimity in thus ignoring personal considerations.  When told of these criticisms, Lincoln said:  “My friends all over the country are trying to put up the bars between me and Governor Chase.  I have a vast number of messages and letters from men who think they are my friends, imploring and warning me not to appoint him.  Now I know more about Governor Chase’s hostility to me than any of these men can tell me; but I am going to nominate him.”  Which he did, and Chase became Chief-Justice in December, 1864.

The withdrawal of Secretary Chase from the Cabinet was soon followed by that of Postmaster-General Blair, who was succeeded by ex-Governor Dennison of Ohio.  Blair received, says Mr. Welles in his Diary, a letter from the President, which, though friendly in tone, informed him that the time had arrived when it seemed best that he should retire, and requesting his resignation, which was promptly given.  Mr. Welles says that the President subsequently informed him that “Mr. Chase had many friends who felt wounded that he should have left the Cabinet, and left alone.  The friends of Blair had been his assailants, and the President thought that if he also left the Cabinet Chase and his friends would be satisfied and the administration would be relieved of irritating bickerings.  The