Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-02-21
C.fLEB CUSHEFG.

With the single exception Of Mr.. Adams,I /
never met gentleman, in Congress or out,
whose fund of information was so extern
sive, copious, and exact as that of Mr..
Gushing. He writes and speaks most Of
the languages of modern Europe with the
facility, purity, and precision of the most
accomplished native, and he is thorough
classical scholar as we'll. Mr.. Cushing
came to Washington when quite young,
and his appearance was more youthful thah
his years. Although a gentleman of great
personal firmness, his bearing was modest,
subdued and deferential. He spoke readl-
ly enough, and with uncommon accuracy;
but he prepared whatever he had TO say
with great care, and generally wrote his
speeches out at length. He appreciated
the Importance of beng exact in his state
ments, and regular, con eculive, and log
ical in argument. He was superior 10 the
weakness often exhibited by men of dis
tinguished ability of protesting 10 speak
from the inspiration of the moment. In
fact, he was free from affectaton of every
kind, and never denied or concealed the la
Dor bestowed on oral efforts. Sometimes
he read his speeches, and occasionally,
when discussing questions to which he had
given much study, he spoke without notes
or any evidence of preparation. Early in
his first session he read a carefully written
argument on a subject of more than ordin-
ary interest The great ability displayed
and his appearance of extreme youth, at
tracted general interest. 1t so happened
that his views ran counter to those of most
of the Western members, and old Ben
Hardin, of Kentucky, a coarse rude man of
great intellectual vigor, likened By John
Randolph to "kitchen knife sharpened
on brickbat," replied to him in a strain
in which invective was mingled with argu-
ment, and which was intentionally often
sive and cutting. He evidently supposed
Gushing 10 be mere book worm-a man of
the closet-whom he could silence by sar-
casm. He knew Cushing's speech had
been written out, and thought harsh, i'm
prcmptu reply would crush the young
man. But to his establishment the rejoin-
der made on the spur of the moment, turn
ed the tables, and the House, which had
heartily enjoyed the vituperative eloquence
of Hardin, relished still more Cushing's
ttit duu tutCllNe answer. hardin new IN
to passion, intimating resort to the code
| duello, and assuming that New England
man would not respond to demand for
satisfaction, said gentleman who did not
recognize the doctrine of personal respons-
ibility should be specially cautious and re-
served in their language. II their own
principles or the sentiments of their con-
stituents prevented them from according
satisfaction, certainly they should not give
offence. Cushing's reply was admirable in
tone, and unanswerabe in its defiant pro-
testation. He spoke with fuency, with
great animation. and carried the House
with him from the start. He was not re-
| sponsble for the sentiments of his con-
stituents, nor should he be governed by
them in personal matters. He should avoid
giving offence to honorable mem bers, not
from apprehension of disagreeable conse-
| quences, but from considerations CT self
respect and what was due to his peers in
the House. While he should not inten-
tionally wound the feelings of anybody, he
should exact instant reparation when re-
marks were made derogatory 10 his char
acter or injurious to his feelings. From
thattime forth Mr.. Cushing was treated with
marked respect and forbearanae in all per-
sonal discussions. .-Harpe,'s Magazine.