Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-09-28
From tie Boston Palladium.
OBITUARY. NOTICE
OF
The Honorable WILLL4W CUSHING.

and conspicuous by having discharged the
duties of one of the highest offices Of our
government, for series OF years, with no
nor to himself and usefulness to his country,
has paid the debt of nature-there can be
no need of an apology for calling the at'en-
ton of his fellow citizens TO has character
or even presenting it their view as model
worthy olEimitation to. On announcing with
painful sensations, the decease OF the lion.
WILLIAM CUSHING, we believe the
nroprietv of the application OF this remark
to him is fully evinced. 10 offer consola-
ton to his relatives and friends, or to dilate
on those private virtues which have en-.
balmed his memory with their tears, IS not,
however, our present PURPOSE; but to give
few notices of life devoted for halt a
century. to the service of his country.
Judge CUSHING was born at Sclluate, III
,Le, month of March, 1898, OF parents
distinguished for their virtues, and respec-
table by their descent from the hrst settlers
Of the colony. His tath9. and grand father
had been, successfully, Judges OF the SUI
perior Court of this province, and members
Of the Council. Placed under a worthy
private instructor, he discovered a prscocl-
" OF genius which, at that time, In the
opinion of his friends, indicated his future
eminence. Having soon passed thro' the
preliminary studies, be was entered as a
STUDENT at Harvard College, and graduated
there in the year 1881. from this Univer-
sitv he afterwards received the degree ct
n. A. and doctorate OF laws. Destined
for the bar, he immediately commenced the
study OF jurisprudence, under the direction
o! that celebrated lawyer, J. Grldley, ESQ.
and at the expiration OF the usual term was
sworn in an Attorney. In 1862, he was
called to the degree Of Barrlsrcr and
after practising al the bar for number of
wears, with great reputation, he was ap-
pointed Judge of Probate for tae county
of Lincoln; and IN 1872 he received a COM
mission as one OF the lstlcts OF the Su-
peror Court.
During this critical period in our coun-
trv's history, ne alone, among those then
| high in Office in this province, continued
I faithful 70 the interests and rights IF his ma.
! tive land, in opposing The assumption OF
Unlimited power over the colonies by the
| Legislature 81 the mother country. i5ut
| he never suffered this opposition to sway
! his Judgment in the administrator of JUS
! rice; and, without sacrificing his opinions,
! his conduct was always marked by such
! suayity Of manners, that no exception to It
could be taken by the Tory or the !VAig.
The interregnum that occurred between
/ the dissolution of the provincial govern
ment. and the establishment cf g new one
, by the provincial Congress, was OF short
/ duration. The necessity OF fe9rgan7:5lAg
| toe judicial department OF the government
soon became evident TO the membeis OF this
| Congress; and, pursuant 10 aprevious re-
! solution. Judge G. was, with universal sd
| tisfaction, among the first to whom the adj
| minis,ration of justice was -conhded' Mr.
Adams, the late president, declining TO &C
cept the appointment of Chief Justice, the
Office was conferred or the oece ased, inNo-
yember, l777. By the learning and ints.
ori,y with which be presided on the bench,
during the unsettled state of our country
that ensued, the Supreme Court attained a
character for impartiality and knowledge,
that foreigners, as we'll as our own
citizens, resorted to it, with the most per-
feet confidence, for redress Of their
wrongs.
To the energetic conduct of Judge c.
supported by his brethesn, are we, in great
measure, Indebted for the establishment OF
the supremacy of the laws, and the extin-
ruishment of the flames of a rebellion,
which was on the point of reducing to ashes
the fair TempIe,o of Freedom, whose toun
dations had been cemented by the best blood
Of the heroes of the revoluti on.
Averse from political conflicts, and be-
{ Z II