The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-13
NewYOrk Letter.

The Chief usticeship-NIr. and Mrs.W will.
iams-A specimen Of our Republican
rank-CaIeb Gushing and why he isn't
nation :nstend of taxation.
NEW YORK, Jan. II, 1874.
The substitution of Gushing for Williams. as
the nominee for Chief Justice will serve at
least one purpose. 1t will show the folly of the
camor which brought about the withdrawal OF
Of the latter's name. The opposition to Mr.
Williams terminated amid the social gossip OF
the Capital. 1t was not directed against him so
much, as against his wife, whose ambition has
subjected her to good deal of i'll natured chatter
il the fashionable circles, of Washington. We
heard, to be sure, considerable childish prattle
about the Attorney Generals Deficiencies in leg
al attachments, but that emanated mostly from
newspaper clique and from laymen, whose
knowledge on the subject was to say the least
limited. 1t had no appreciable effect in the de-:
Gliding the case. The women at court disposed
of the matter. The Senate having calamity al
lowed them several weeks to DO it in inclusive
of a holiday recess, they improved the time in
creating hazy public opinion which led to
withdrawal of the Objectionable name. A bit
of scandal, more's the pity, l. titllating to the
average palate of the unregenerate man or wo-
man and a shrug of the shoulder, or an express
sion of the countenance got up with proper re-
gard to dramatic effect may damage a charac-
ter beyond the possibility of complete repara-
ton.
But the proposition to make Caleb Cushing
the interpreter of the law, at the head of the
rhoct trih oil in ho land 10 cnriOuc affair
In every sense it is a grievous mistake He is
twenty years too old; that in itself is fatal dis
qualification. And yet it is the very least in
gravity of the numerous positive causes which
make the nomination odiOus to loyal Ameri-
cans.
Throughout his whole public life, Mr.. Cush-
ing has been the embodiment of regeneration
and instability. He has belonged not merely
to every party Except the Republican, but in
turn to every wing and faction of parties. He
never has had but one Observation-Disclosures
Massachusetts, cast him off thirty-two years
ago, when he linked his fortune with those of
that poor old Virginian obstructionist, John
Tyler. Ever since then be has kept the breath
of political life in him, by picking up such
crumbs as have fallen from time to time
the filter term to apply to hin, is smart He has
great learning. 1t has been his rule of
life to take the best possible care of himself,
and so has largely mnistered to his mental as
we'll as natural wants. But selfish people are
generally short sighted, and this man for whom
nature and education have done so much has
always been on the wrong side of every leading
question: and Notwithstanding his Protean ca
patty for changing, most of the time on the
losing side of politics. He is man without
convictions. His standard of official morality
is low. He is trimmer, and his style is not
adapted to these modern days when straight
forward dircctness has superseded chicanery
and duplcity.
In personal character and department Mr..
Cushing falls far below the measure which has
/ by general consent been deemed essential to
the candidacy for so great an Office. He lacks
dignity of manner circumspection of behavior
and decorous propriety of speech People
would soon lose their respect for the ermine if
the wearer of it were as little observant of the
niceties of conduct as Mr. Cushing habitually
is in social life.
But the supreme objection to this nexplica-
BILE appointment, is that Mr. Cushing is either
no lawyer at all, or else his law il of the worst
possible sort. He lived sixty years and up
wards without ever having made the discovery
that there was any justice in the constitution
of his country. According to his Interpretation
of it, that instrument gave immunity to man
stealing, and rendered it the duty of any citi-
zen to join in hunting down and remandng to
chains every fugitive from slavery? He abet-
ted the stupid act of bad faith which ruined
Pierce's administration, viz. the repeal of the
Missouri compromise. He presided over the
last Democratic convention held prior to the re-
bellion and was up to the very hour of the
first clash of arms sympathizer with the con-
spirators who plunged the nation into the hor-
rors of civil war;
Over the old heresies of Democratic polHi-
clans in reference to slavery, and then pitia-
BILE subseryiency to their Southern masters
during the decade which followed the enact
ment of the omnibus bill! of 1850, which illus
trated all that was possible of craven coward.
| ice and meanness, there has been thrown by
common consent a broad mantle of charitable
forgiveness "All things have become new''
The constitution, instead of being wickedly in
voked as shield for the oppressor stands for
The new generation which is coming up is no
longer taught that robbery of the labor and
snews of a fellow man is consistent with
patriotism, and in strict conformity to the law
| of God. Indeed, we are trying to blot from
| memory that CHASTITY epoch in the history of
| the Republic when these atrocious blasphemies
! found voice on the rost.um and from the pull
| pit But, if one of the chief apostles of that
! dark creed of shame and crime is at this late
day to be elevated to the post of prime law. Civ
er over forty millions of people, the embitter.
inc recollections of the ante-republican period
will be revived.
The very suggestion is alarming. Suppose
such man Oh the Bench of the Supreme Court
and Democratic restoration brought about by
| some inscrutabe dspensation of providence?
What is to hinder series of measures being
adopted and declared constitutional indemnify
| lug the south for her losses by the war. incud
| ing her alleged property in men and women?
Ihe constitution mas been made to do duty as
a scourge OF innocence and an engine of piracy
| Under the construction that has been. and NAV
| again be given it by such judges as GUSHING.
can we safely assume limit to the outrages
| that may be committed in its name?
AT this Very hour Democratic legislative
| caucus in Virginia is balloting for candidate
| for Senator and r NJ. 7. Hunter leads the poll.
Hunter is the author of u financial scheme'
| which he will vigorously press if he gets into
the Senate 1t provides for distribution to
the old Slave States, of several hundred mill
ions of dollars as a remuneration for the losses
that section sustained by the Emancipation
Proclamation 1t seems just now incredible
that such projects should be urged at all, aim
ing as they do to reverse judgments that are
universally acquiesced in. But these people
know what they are about and understand the
value of persistence in the pursuit of a cher
ished object. If they should succeed in gain
ing tootnold in the Supreme Court, they
would have made a substantial gain in their