Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-18
TWO OLD sTAoERs.
Don Piatt Writes up Caleb Cushing
and Jere Black.

and Jere Bfuck.
Washington cor. Cincinnati Commerciall
While leaving the hotel, yesterday, to
be one of pleasant dinner party, | saw
in the main hall the ancient Caleb Cush-
ing. He had on suit of clothes evi-
dently bequeathed him by some client in
chancery, who had been of size larger,
and of an older fashion They hung
loosely on his legal body, while around
his neck was something that resembled a
pudding. His hat jammed back on his
head was ancient of days; and with
rounded shoulders he shuffied along as il
fearful of lifting his feet and so lose con-
troll of his legs. His face is the youngest
part of him, and yet retains its old clear
outlook. Any one capable Of reading
God s handwriting on the face can see
that Caleb is a born Jesuit. He takes
tea with the design Of deceiving some
one, and goes to bed by stratagem..
/ sat next Mr.. Jerry Black at dinner,
and was struck with the fact that had
thus, in one afternoon, come in contact
with two of the most remarkable men in
Washington of a past generation. Cush-
ing strikes me as man OF powerful
memory and fair mind who has built
himself up through vast stores of infor-
nation that he has arranged so as to use
to a purpose. On the contrary, Judge
Black owes his success more to original
powers, that observation, experience and
study have strengthened. Gushing is
cold, selfish and disagreeable, while
Black is genial and fascinating. The
last named is full of anecdote and fun.
While Cushing seldom, if ever, speaks
we'll of any one, Judge Black is generous
and appreciative. He has the fascina-
ton that comes of listening as well as
talk Men noted in his period had the
disagreeable habit of Grating ] seldom
met one of prominence of his day that
did not resolve me into public assembly
and himself into a bore of an orator.
/ said, Judge, ] have known yon for
many years through our late mutual
frien d, Mr.. Stanton; and with such an in
PRODUCTION / am glad to meet you.
"Did YOU know Stanton ?" he asked,
turning his keen eyes upon me.
almost as well as you did, / replied
"You knew a great man, then, he
continued
Zone of the greatest it was my fortune
to encounter; and | am glad to see that
YOU have the courage to rescue his name
from those who did not know him"
"Yes, he was not easy TO understand.
He was so impulsive and excitabe, that
to superficial observers he gave fonnda-
ton for all they believed. He suffers
more, however, from his professed friends.
This Wilson, for example-if we are to
believehim- makes Stanton consummate
hypocrite and liar. Have you read his
article in the Atlantic Monthly"
"No, Judge, life is too short to read
Wilson. Besides, / knew too well the
contempt Stanton had for the chairman
of military affairs to waste time on any
thing the chairman might write.
Yes, Stanton did not despise a fool
he hated him; and in his impulse he
was often cruel, and more frequently
contradictory, and yet full of kindness,
with the tenderest of hearts at bottom,
with good record of generous acts.
Il wish, Judge, you would give to the
world your knowledge of Stanton. 1t
would be an admirable addition to our
historical literature.
al have prepared such an article, but
| lack a publisher. 1t is too long and
heavy for newspaper, and too personal
and serious for a magazine.
at ought to be a book. But as we
cannot hope for that, you should send 1t
to magazine.
Perhaps | will.
at is important even if friends should
regard it as unfavorable. You give your
opinion not only of great man, but one
whose position and force of character
gave him control in an eventful time.
Yes. he was the Administration. /
was not near enough to the men TO make
up an opinion from personal observation,
but was satisfied from what ! knew of
Stanton and the evidences of his work
after he went into office, that he had
subordinated Lincoln.
And LincolnY
There is historical study for you
If that man s real life could be portrayed
as it was, what astonishment would fol-
low. But all such investigation ended
with his life
"As is our American won't In our
national biography we have two devils
Arnold andBurr-and thousand angels,
the last named being the more incompre-
hensible and unpleasant of the two.
The Judge laughed and gave me seve-
raj amusing anecdotes eulled from a
memory Of some Of the angels, and from
that out he and Senator Nye kept the
table in a roar with their wit and ludi-
o-.,,c ;,,o,loOfc