The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-22
z Z. = washington y News and Gossip.
,WAsHIEGToN, January II

WASHINGTON, january IL.
Desnerate and concerted efforts are being
made in influential quarters to prevent the
Senate from confirming the nomination of Mr..
Cushing for Chief Justice. The extreme Rad
icaIs both in the Senate and House are raising
a perfect howl over the appointment OF Dem
ocrat to the positions of Chief Justice, the
highest Office. in the gift of the President, and
a position which may under very possible con-
tifgencies be of more Importance in party
point of view than that of the President him.
self With a two,th;ras majority in Congress
the President has practically no control over
the legislation. But the Supreme Court has
in its hand the final supervision of all leglsla-
ton. and from its veto there is no appeal.
This being the case all Ralicaldom has taken
Che alarm. IF vote had been taken on MIR.
Cushine's nomination on Friday afternoon he
would have been confirmed by at least two
thirds vote. Now the result is believed by
many to be somewhat doubtful. Yesterday the
President was called on by number of Sena-
tors and Representatives of the advanced Rad
ical type, who ventured to demonstrate against
his appointment of Democrat to the supreme
bench. Those members who were among the
active ones in enacting the reconstruction
legislation profess to have fears that Mr..
Cushing, when once at the head of the Su-
preme Court, would avail himself of the tirst
opportunity to declare it unconstitutional.
Among these, however, is not Mr. Sumner. 1t
has beer said that Gen. Butler was instrument
tai in securing the nomination of Mr.. Gushing.
Whether this be SO or not, it seems to be sure
that he is the only one of the Massachusetts
REPRESENTATIVES who has expressed himself In
approval of it. Mr.. Boutwell,, it is thought,
will 90 with Mr. Sumner in voting for contir-
nation.
The cries against Mr.. Gushing of being, a
Democrat and a secession Democrat seem rath-
er strange in view of the fact that many of
the shining lights of the Republican party
would be compelled to answer guilty to the
same charge Mr. Cushing's course in the
Democratic Convention of 1860 is brought UP,
but as Gen. Butler has long since been forgiven
for voting fifty times in the same convention to
nominate Jefferson Davis for President, it
would seem as if Mr.. Cushing's offence at the
same time might also be condoned. An hon
ored member of President Grants Cabinet Is
known to have been O. secessionist by his out
spoken utterances on the stump in the spring
of 1861 And so are plenty of leading Repub-
licans in and out of Congress, whereas the
truth of the matter is that Mr.. Cushing cannot
be charged with being a secessionist. AS early
as April, 1851, he made in his native State of
Massachusetts the strongest kind of Union
speech, and offered to take the field on that
side. He was complimented with the offer OF
8 position here by President Lincoln, for whom
he voted in 1864, and he voted for President
Grant in 1868 and 1872.
1t is certainly rather remarkable that Mr..
Cushing's Democratic antecedents should be
brought up against him when high honors have
been showered by the Republican party upon
men who fought in the ranks of the Confeder-
acy. AS to Mr. Cushing's States rights ideas,
they cannot be more rigid than the doctrines
in this same connection enunciated last winter
from the supreme bench by justice who was
himself prominently spoken of as the success
sor of Mr. Chase If, as alleged, Mr. Cushing
has expressed the opinion that the reconstruc-
ton acts were unconstitutional there is no ne
cessity for any great alarm on the subject:
There are not likely now to be any issues raised
out of these acts, reconstruction itself having
been accomplished, and so far as is known
there is not now any disposition in any quarter
to revive any dispute on the subject Never
theless, the party objections to Mr. Cushing
will assume great strength in the Senate, as
among those who have declared they would
not vote for him are several of the most infu-
entail administration Senator'S It is also
affirmed tina. some of the Democratic Senators
will oppose his confirmation. An effort will be
rnadss:oyhave the matter disposed of as early
asPossibae:- -
Late tonight the opponents of Mr.. Gushing
express more confidence than ever that ne will
he rejected. A list was exhibited with the
names of thirty Republican Senators VINO, it is
asserted. will vote against him. Senator
Schurz, 1t is said will also vote against him.
There is a vast deal of activity tonight both
amot,g his friends and enemies. Senator Sum-
ner is doing heavy work for Mr.. Cushing. He
says that Mr. Cushing was the next penltent
democrat that came over after Gen. Butler,
and he regards him as entirely sound on the
reconstruction acts and the constitutional
amendments.
- WASHINGTON, Jan. IL, 1874.
Very considerable opposition has developed
itself as to the nomination of Mr.. Gushing as
Chief Justice. That opposition all takes shape
from the allegation that he is not in accord
with the republican party upon the great meas.
Ires of reconstruction and the constitutional
amendments which authorized them, and the
fear is expressed that it may not be safe to
trust him as the head of the Supreme Court
with these cardinal principles of the republican
VIII WIZ or rs republican Senator expressed it,
With the level of the party. The opposition is
fomented largely by candidates with lingering
homes that they may take his place, in case Mr..
Cushing is rejected The animus of those op-
posing Mr.. Cushing may be understood upon
hearing the remarks of candidate for the
Chief Justiceship from Massachusetts, who
came on the floor of the House to-day, and
said to brother member, "Have you heard the
latest news? lis said that the President has
,n;rh5rawn Cushing's name for Chief Justice
and nominated Jerry Black" Still, it is be-
Eeved by thinking men here that when Mr..
% fs,sb;ne's record is fairly put before the Senate
thew Will find that since the breaking out of
the the war land who of the Senate dare 60 back
Of that date p his record has been as good and
firm on the side of his country as the most
prominent republicans from the democratic
partv. such as Logan, Morton and Butler
While Mr.. Gushing has not been as noisy as
some of these especially the last one named,
in his profession Of devotion to the republican