Daily national Democrat., 1860-10-07
Caleb Cushing.


The Breckinridgers have long been en-
deavoring to make point on the fact that
Caleb Gushing, the President of the Charles
ton and Baltimore National Conventions
retired from his seat and accepted the Presi-
dency of one of the Secession Conventions, -
(for it will be remembered that there were
two, one at Baltimore and the other at Rich
mond) Well, we suppose it will not be de-
MED by any respectable parliamentarian
that, when President of a Convention bolts
the body over which he presides, he loses all
character and authority as such presiding
officer, and becomes as common an individual
as the commonest person in the land. He
cannot take his authority as President along
with him, outside of the Convention, and it
is perfectly assinine assumption to say that
he can.
As our cotemporaries across the mountains
have well said. he took with him to the
Secession Convention over which he was
called no more than his personal character as
a politician. And what was that?
We shall soon see. Why should this man
be so suddenly such a great stickler, for
Southern Rights pretended Rights-that
he was willing TO produce discord and disor
ganization in the Democratic Party, in order
to secure them? His history shows him to
be an arrant hypocrite, and no friend to
Southern institutions at all.
In 1886, Caleb Cushing, as member Of
the House of Representatives from Massa-
chusetts, presented petitions from his con-
stituents, asking for the abolition of slavery
in the District of Columbia and in tie Terri
tories This was one of the first moves in
favor OF Abolition in the Halls of Congress
and paved the way for the subsequent per-
sistent efforts Of that party in the National
Legislature.
On occasion of the presentation of one OF
these petitions, scene of fearful excitement
ensued in the House of Representatives, and
every conservative man in that body was
anxious to bring peace to the national coun-
ellis and quiet the discussion. a test vote was
made for an adjournment, and Caleb Gushing
voted against it.
Subsequently a resolution was introduced
into the House, and adopted, directing that
all petitions of this character be Immediately
laid on the table, as soon as received, without
being debated The object was of course to
shut out slavery ngitahon, but Mr. Gushing
] q, 4 nf hho1,tiNp %
the resolution.
Subsequently a still stronger resolution
was introduced by Mr., johnson of Maryland
the effect of which was to forbid the enter
tanning of any petition at all on that subject
in any shape or manner. Mr.. Cushing voteC
against that. lie was on the side of Abolition
all the time. True, he was for Congressional
Intervention all the time, too, just as he il
now, and so far he is consistent. But, then
he was for Intervention against Slavery
Now he is for Intervention for it.
He opposed the admission of Arkansas into
the Union, because her constitution forbade
the emancipation of slaves, without the con-
sent of the owners, and also forbade the
exclusion of emigrants who should choose to
come into the State with slaves
Such is aportion of the record ofthis great
stickler for the constitutional rights of the
South'-this wonderful Democrat who see:
fit as a delegate from Massachusetts, and a;
President of the National Convention, tC
throw up his position and take the Presidency
of a disunion, secession Convention, in order
to rescue and conserve the endangered rights
of the South This is the man who know.
more about the rights of the South and the
North in their correlative character than doel
the great National Democracy of the Union
Verify, when it comes to looking up the old
line Abolition Wings, (for Gushing assumed
the name of Whig) to define Democratic
principles it is about time for Jackson and
Polk Democrats to retire from the arena
But, thank God, the right of such men to
dictate to the Democracy has not yet arrived.