On December 6, 1864, the same day that President Abraham Lincoln sent his annual address to be read in Congress, he named former Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase to become Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, succeeding the recently deceased Roger B. Taney. Although Lincoln had difficulty with Chase during the years he served in the Cabinet due to Chase’s unbridled, interest in the presidency, Lincoln considered Chase as his number one chose for replacing Taney. Perhaps Lincoln wished to permanently sideline Chase’s aspirations. In truth, Lincoln recognized that Chase’s substantial intellectual abilities were well suited to the Chief Justice’s post and that Chase’s appointment would appease the Radicals within his party. Lincoln was right; Salmon Chase served with distinction until his death in 1873.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.