The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-22

once to a vote the presiding othcer had ire
quently to suspend all business and bring SEN
ators to their seats and customary attention TO
the matter in hand. Finally, pending mo-
tion of Senator Sherman to get the Senate TO
take up the special order, Edmunds moved an
executive session to bring the long agony over
the Chief Justiceship to an end, when, by a
very w decided vote in the affirmative on Sar-
gents motion to adjourn, the Senate manifested
its positive unwillingness to take up the con-
sideration of the case Of Caleb Cushing. 1t
will be tried again tomorrow and a hot con-
fict is expected, with what results no one pre-
tends to know.
Mr.. Cushing has of late years hailed from
Virginia, but when he found a hubbub raised
over his nomination as Chief Justice he fell
back upon the Massachusetts, Senators tor sup
port. 1t was amusing to see the Washington
Chronicle which only lives by the droppings
from the tables of advertising clerks, paid by
order of the administration, pitching into
Sumner, hammer and tongs, for sustaining an
administration nomination; but Sumner was
not easily scared. His defence of Cushing's
position as to the reconstruction acts OF Con-
gress and his endorsement of him-although
friend of Judge Hoar-had great effect
Neither was Boutwell, inactive IN advocating
the claims, the political soundness and the
WASHINGTON, January 13.
1t was supposed, yesterday afternoon, when
Senator Edmunds moved that the Senate 60 In
to executive session, that it was with the inten-
tion of acting on the nomination of Caleb Cush-
ing as chief justice of the United States. Sen
ator Edmunds, who is chairman of the commit
tee on the judiciary, having reported favorably
on the nomination the same day it was made,
and motion for adjournment being immedi-
ately thereafter made, was regarded as favorable
to the nomination. Some OF the senators, how
ever, voted for adjournment on account of the
lateness of the hour, it being half-past four
O'Clock, while the larger number did not care
formally to enter upon the consideration of the
subject until time should be afforded for further
individual examination into the entire question.
The caucus of Republican senators this morning
was called especially to exchange views relative
to the nomination, when it was discovered that
the opposition was much greater than was sup
posed even by those who made up their minds
to vote in the negative on the question of con-
firmaton. The meeting of the Senate, at noon,
interrupted the further proceeding of the caucus
but after an early adjournment the session of
the caucus was resumed, when Senators Ed
confirmation of Cushing. These were his prin-
other side were far more numerous, and before
the discussion ended it was discovered that the
friends of the nominee were in the minority.
Finally the gentlemen whose names are above
mentioned seemed to yield to the views of the
majority.
]. As the best indication Of the views of the
Senate, it can be positively stated that the
members of the committee on the Judiciary
were requested to wait on the President in
reference to the nomination. 1t was the gene
raj understanding that they should represent
to him the feeling and views of the Republican
senators upon the subject as adverse to the
nomination. The opinion, therefore, prevails
among them that the President, on hearing
the statement, will withdraw the nomination.
The objections urged against Mr.. Gushing did
not affect his legal qualifications for the posi-
ton, but were based principally upon his politi-
cal principles, heretofore declared in his official
acts which were considered as not being in
accord with those entertained by the Repub-
lican party. The Senators expressed their
views with much unanimity and with posi-
tiyeness which showed deep objection to the
nomination.
WAsHINGToN, January IA.
Yesterday afternoon, before the Republican
Senators resumed their caucus session, Senator
Sargent called upon the President and men,
toned to him the fact that he had received an
anonymous letter in which it was stated that
on the 2lst of March, 1861, Caleb Cushing
wrote letter to Jefferson Davis strongly re-
commencing Archibald Roane, clerk in the
ATTORNEY Generald's office, to Davis's favorable
consideration. Roane having strong Southern
sympathies and being an able scholar, was a
contributor to DeBow's Review, and while
briefly alluding to the subjects which then
divided the North and South, Cushing spoke of
them as the course of final separation of the
Union, which he regarded as an accomplished
fact. The President short time thereafter
applied to the Secretary of War for the or 81
nal of this letter. which was produced, it being
found among the captured Confederate archives.
The President on reading the letter, at once
concluded to withdraw the nomination and
caused a communication to be written to the
Senate for this purpose. The President, before
be nominated Cushing, knew that this gentle
man had taken the State Rights view of the
questions which agitated the country, just
previous to the breaking out of the civil war,
but that when Fort Sumter was fired upon,
Cushing made a patriotic speech, and offered
his services in military capacity to assist in
putting down the rebellion. Other gentlemen
had, like Gushing, declared their opinion that
the government had no right to coerce State,
vet when hostilities resulted, they were actively
found on the side of the Union; but now that
this letter to Jefferson Davis had come to light,
stating so broadly dsunion views, the Presi-
dent, Notwithstanding his high appreciation of
Mr.. Cushing's legal attainments, resolved to
withdraw his name, apprehensive that his
opinions, as expressed in the past, might inju-
rtously affect the decisions of the Supreme.
Court in the event of his confirmation as Chief
Justice
The President called an extra Cabinet meet
ing to-day, which continued for nearly two
hours, during which the subject of the Chief
Justiceship was considered. A short time
before the Presidents private Secretary started
for the Capitol, a long letter from Mr.. Gushing,
through Gen. Butler, was received by the Pres.
for his kindness, and particularly for nomina-