The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-07

THE New CABINET-GEN CUSHING, SECRETARY
OF SrATE.-The letter which we lay before our
readers this morning, from a correspondent at
Washington, lets in food Of light on the cabinet
question. The confident tone in which he speaks
of the positive selection Of Gen. Caleb Cushing of
Massachusetts,, for the State Department, we
have every reason to conclude is justified by the
from Concord arriving in this city within the
last few days, and several of our private cor
respondents, North, East and South, sustain the
declarations Of Premier" on this point, speak
ing with absolute confidence of the settling
down of Gen. Pierce upon Caleb Gushing for
the State Department.
Now if this should be the case, the questions
naturally arising, are Who is Caleb Gushing?
What is he? What are his antecedents? What
are his proclivites? Can Gen. Pierce build a
Cabinet which will be unit, upon this founda-
ton? viii Gen. Gushing be satisfactory to the
'old fogies," to "Young America" to the
! hunkers, the barnburners, the "hard Shells
and soft Shells" to the Unionists and the
secessionists of the South? Can they all rally
is to happen?
General Cushing, then. was distinguished
wing member of Congress in the revolutionary
extra wing session of 1871. But he stood fast
by the side Of John Tyler and the democrats on
those bank vetoes, together with Wise and Gil
mer of Virginia. and Profit of Indiana, of the
House. and VIM. c. Rives, of Virginia, of the
Copoto And thnsn mon voro chr;sto,od bv Mr.
Clay as John Tyler's Corporal's Guard. They
were not however. neglected by Captain Tyler.
Mr. Gushing was sent as Commissioner to China
Mr. Profit on mission to Buenos Ayres, Mr.
Wise to Brazil, Mr.. Gilmer was appointed Sec
rotary of the Navy, and as for Mr.. Rives, he
went back to the whig church, was received in
good communion in the campaign of "A. as an
ally of Mr.. Clay, worked hard also, in the cam
pagn of 4S. for General Taylor. and was re-
warded with the mission to France which he
still holds
Mr. Gushing. after concluding q commercial
treaty with China. returned home and, having
taken strong ground with the democracy. he
was appointed by President Polk Brigadier
General in the army Of Mexico. and was first
II
the Rio Grande. He acquitted himself with
credit Of the duties attached to his command,
and we doubt not that his connection with the
army in Mexico has had good deal to do with
the well known favorable predictions of Gene
raj Pierce.
Since the Mexican war. the democracy of Mas
sachusetts have evinced the highest esteem
for General Cushing, in running him as their
candidate for Governor, their candidate for the
United States Senate, and other responsible
Offices. He il fine scholar, an able debater,
and has proved himself bold, active and saga
cous politician. We presume that if put into
the State Department he will not disappoint his
friends but may, perhaps, surprise the country
with his profound capacities for the hard, knot
ty questions of diplomacy with which he will
have to grapple.
With respect to his political proclivities, we
apprehend he is identified with the progressive
school of young America" though not to the
extreme flibustering propensities of the Demo
cratic Reuieu. He is not an "old fogy," we
are quite sure, whatever that dreadful term
may imply. He is not afraid Of Cuba, and not
in the least fastidious about proclaiming the
Monroe doctrine He is believer in the old
Roman practice Of still moving the god
Terminus little further out, instead
Of restricting our boundaries by Chi
nese wall of selfish conservatism He is
firm disciple of Gallilco and believes
that the world moves, while it seems to be
standing still. He thinks, with Bishop Berkeley,
that the I" star of empire' is tending westward;
and that there is something in the maxim Of
that hard old Scotchman Carlyle, that Com
mcrce is King" The atmosphere of the democra-
tic party has expanded his views on the tariff
question into the conviction that the policy of
Robert j. Walker and the policy Of Sir
Robert Peel, have done more for our COM
nerce and that Of the world, than all the high