Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
c. .rsspondenca OF the Bulletin.

Judgment, in nothing more clearly
than in the various appointments
which he has made. His first cab
met was composed of men whom no
one had for moment supposed
would be choscn-some of them
were almost unknown-and yet on
the whole it was good and eff
cient cabinet. So with the nomina-
tons for the position of Chief JUS
tice; great was the surprise
when Attorney General Williams
name was proposed, and equally
great was the general expression of
disapproval. The nomination was
received everywhere with dissatis-
faction and it was so very doubtful
whether the Senate would confirm it
that Mr.. Williams Withdrew from
the field.
Hon. Caleb Cushing was next Sc
lected and it is highly probable will
meet with but comparatively little
opposition. His ability is unques-
toned, and it is generally admitted
that he has one Of the finest legal
minds in the country, but, (of course
there is a'"but"-therc always is a
"but'o his political record is not the
best it is said. He is charged with
being and having been an ultra
Democrat, and, worse than all, an
anti-war Democrat.
1t seems on looking into the mat
ter, that Mr.. Gushing voted for both
Lincoln and Grant, and that so far
from opposing the prosecution of
the war, he urged it, as is shown by
the following extract ola speech de-
livered by him at Ncwburyport,
Mass, on the 2lst day of April, 1861
which is taken from Moore's Rebel
lion Record:
General Gushing said that he cordial
ly participated in the present patriotic
manifestations. Long may this glorious
| flag wave above our heads, the banner of
victory, and the symbol of our national
honor! Our dear country now indeed
demands the devotion Of all peoples the
| dire calamity of war Is upon us. He had
labored hitherto for many years earnest
ly and in good faith at least, first for the
conservation of the Union, and then to
| avert the evils fratricidal war; and of
what he might have said in that relation
he had nothing now to retract. But the
day of discussion had. passed, and that of
action had arrived He had before hin,
the question which had occurred to pub,
lie men in other countries, where politi-
Cal convulslons divided friend from friend
and brother from brother, and sometimes
arrayed them against one another in los
tile camps and in deadly strife. What in
such case is the dictate of dutys Should
we retire into safe seclusion IN a foreign
country, return in better times to wear
the honor Of freedom, like Hyde? Or
should we remain to confront the perlls
of our lot, like Falkland or Vane? The
latter course if not the safer one, is at
least the most courageous one He (Mr.
o. chose so to act. He was citizen of
the United States, owing allegiance to
the Constitution, and bonnd by con stitu
tional duty to support its government.
And we should do it. He was son of
Massachusetts, attached to her by ties of
birth aud affection, and from which Meth.
er friend no, foe should sever him He
would yield to no man in fai,hfulness to
the Union, or in zeal for the maintain
ancc Of the laws and Constitution of the
Union; and to that end he stood prepar
pared, if occasion should call for it, 20
testify his sense ofpublic duty by enter.
ing the field again at the command of the
commonwealth or of the Union"
Subsequently Gen. Cushing asked of
Gov. Andrew commission in the Massa
chusctts volunteers. Gov. Andrew de-
clined to grant it on the ground of his
having been Democrat. After that he
served several terms in the Massachusetts
legislature during the war, and was fore
most in the advocacy Of the various war
measures presented. President Lincoln
desired to give him commission, but |
again Gov. Andrew opposed it. In 1864 |
President Lincoln sent to him by tcle |
gram TO come to Washington and receive !
the appointment Of counsel and agent of
the United States before the British and
American joint commission about being
organized in this city, expressing the dc.
sire, since it was inexpedient to give him
a military commission, that he Gen CT
should act in civil capacity, in testimo.
ny of his loyalty to himself and the Un-
ion. Gen. Gushing accepted and subsc-
quently was employed by the government
as counsel in number Of suits for the
recovery OF confederate property in Gu
ba, Great Britain and France, which pro
duced the result of his continued resi-.
dence at Washington. He cast his vote
for Lincoln in 1864 and for Grant in 1867
and 1871. His services as counsel before
the Geneva tribunal are too well remem-
bcred to need recapitulation.
The New York Tribune, Herald,
World, Times and San of yester.
dag, agreed in considering the NOM
ination poor one, and it may meet
with more opposition in the Senate
than was at first expected; but at
present, however, it seems most
probable that it will be confirmed.
That Caleb Cushing has tho abil-
ity to fill the position of Chief JUS
tice in manner creditable alike to
the country and himself, is scarcely
to be doubted; but whether his opin-
ions concerning the constitution
and those questions which have so
vitality divided the Republican and
Democratic parties, are such as the
exigencies of the nation require, is
subject for very grave considera-
ton. S. T.
TIE House of Representatives on
Monday put an effectual quietus up
on Secretary Richardson's PROPOSE
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