Chase sought the Republican nomination for president in the 1860 presidential election , but the party chose Abraham Lincoln at its National Convention . After Lincoln won the election , he asked Chase to serve as Secretary of the Treasury . Chase served in that position from 1861 to 1864 , working hard to ensure the Union was well-financed during the Civil War . Chase resigned from the Cabinet in June 1864 , but retained support among the Radical Republicans . Partly to appease the Radical Republicans , Lincoln nominated Chase to fill the Supreme Court vacancy that arose following Chief Justice Roger Taney 's death
National Convention
1860 Republican National Convention
Salmon P. Chase