Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-03-23

own; and having accomplished the object
of his missions in manner highly credita-
BILE to himself and favorable to our coun-
try, he returned home in 1874 by the way
of Mexico. In 1916 Mr.. Gushing was
again elected a representative of New
buryport to the legislature. And here
we come to the most brilliant and homo
rable epoch in Mr.. Cushing's public ca
reer. The Boston correspondent of the
New York Herald, to whom we are in
deb.ed for the main facts of this sketch,
says:
"He was the most prominent member
ofthat body at the session of 1847, one
of the most interesting ever held. The
Mexican war was at its height at the
time. The executive government OF Mas
sachusetts was at first rather favorably
disposed towards vigorous prosecu ion
of the war, a regiment of volunteers was
called for but the opponents of the contest
soon showed that they had control of the
Wing party in Massachusetts,, and Cover
nor Briggs, had to change his tack. In
the legislature of l847, this feeling of
hostility to the war showed itself in a spirit
as ferocious as that which, four and thirty
years earlier, had been displayed against
the war party in the contest with Great
Britain. Mr.. Cushing set elfresolute-
ly to oppose this unwise an unpatriotie
course, and not without effect. He
brought forward proposition to appro-
p late twenty thousand dollars from the
State treasury to aid in equi ping the
Massachusetts, regiment of volunteers, and
advocated, it with eminent ability. When
| it was defeated he advanced the money
from his own means, and the regiment
was made ready for service. Of that regi-
ment he was chosen colonel, and procee-
ded with it to Mexico in the spring of l847,
being attached to the army under com
mand of General Taylor. Shortly after he
reached Mexico he was appointed briga-
der general in the United States ar
my"
1t was not Gen. Cushing's fortune to
be engaged III any of the brilliant battles
of the war, though it was no fault on his
part. As there was no prospect of a re-
newal of hostilities on the northern line,
he was, at his own request, transferred to
Gen. Scott's army, where he rendered
services as important as those of actual
lighting. But the patriotism displayed
in his gallant resistance of the hostility
lature, his devotion of himself to the Ser
vice, and his patriotic labors and sacrih
ces IN the cause of the country, showed
him to be a t. ue American and an ardent
patriot, and won for him the respect and
confidence of the democracy of the whole
Union. To show their high estimate of
his patriotic conduct. the democracy of
Massachusetts, while he was in Mexico,
and without consulting him, nominated
him as their candidate for governor in
1347 and in the election they gave him
Al 600 votes, when the year before they
had polled only $4,000. In 1848 he was
again selected as their candidate, and du~
ring the presidential campaign of that
year he was one of the most active, zeal
Gus and efficient laborers in the support IF
Gen. Cass, devoting his whole time to the
work for two or three months, making
addresses daily. and often two a day. In
1850, he was again elected to the legisla-
ture from Newburyport, and universally
admitted to be the most able, laborious, and
useful member of the house. He was
one of the tirmest and most steadfast OPP
ponents of the election of Charles Sum-
ner to the United States Senate, was pres
ent at every balloting, voting and using
all honorable means to prevent his cleo
ton. At the same time he was most in
defatigable in his advocacy and support
of all the important liberal measures tf
State legislation adopted at that session.
In 1851, he was rendered the office of at
torney general of Massachusetts. which
he declined; and in 1859, he was appoin
ted one of the judges of the supreme court
cf that State, which Office he held until
his appointment to seat in the cabinet.
ANOTHER Coon D1G.-A rood story is