Wilmington journal., 1874-01-16
CALEB GUSHING.

ney General Williams was nominated
by President Grant as Chief Justice OF
the United States, md how they howl
now that Williams has been forced to
back down, and Caleb Cushing nomi-
mated II his stend. Mr.. Williams is as
notoriousiy incompetent for the posi-
tion as Mr.. Cushing ia competent, but
the difference IS all in the political as
pect Of the affair Williams is n much
better Republican than Mr.. Gushing;
tho latter hss not been quite so pro-
no:1nced Il blind supporter Of the cor
rnpt administration. and hesitated be-
fore giving in his fealty to the 40 1ers
that be, VIE the Attorney General
has nor c1]y been q sutserrient tool in
the hands Of his masters, willing and
plant in all things, but he mas even
shown himself still mole thoroughly to
be one Of them by tha( little irregular
ity Of his out West.
The Gist Of tho matter il probably
to be foH,d IN the fact that Caleb
Cushing has been sort OF political
WaatI;efcQl:k, while there Is 10 eyi-
dencc to provo tina. he has ever yet
sacrificed his personal honesty to the
behests OF any party-a something that
appears to tell ver.J strongly against Il
man when he is urged for office i'll
these days.
Tho New York Times, generally ac-
credited as the especial upholder OF
all acts OF the Administration, and
called by some president Grants
Organ" goes back on the big boss ct
the White House with a vengeance
The Y!35acs Is really mad about it aud
does everything but quote Scripture
lin which, as is well known, the Times
is not very proficient over the devoted
head OF the President. 1t says:
Mr.. Caleb Cuahing's fortunes seem
to be III the ascendent. A few days
ago he Was nominated as Minister to
Spain. Now he receives the nomina-
ton as Chief j ,istice. AS a supporter
Of the Dred Scott decision, as an advo-
cate of the slave power, as Wing
who became Democrat, as Il potiti-
clan whose place WAS never fixed from
one week to another, as a gentleman
who strongly objected to hear the
patriotic tunes of the North during
the war, as q partisan of the cause
which the Northern people detested-
in all these capacities Ir. Gushing has
distinguished himself. 1t can scarcely
be his achievements III these directions
,y-I;a:, ,,,ov-nl fi,a !>r..i1or,& ~,
him rs Chief Justice. When we get
Chief Justice OF secessionist pro-
clivities in the supreme Court, 1t may
fare badly witt. General Sherman
perhaps even with General Grant
himself. The entire proceedings OF
Congress since the war may be called
in question. 1t is said that Mr.. Cush-
ing will be acceptable to the Bar. We
do not suppose the Democrats will
oppose him. There Is no reason why
they should do go. But for our own
parts, we are unable to explain or
Justify Mr.. Cushing's nomination, aud
therefore We shall not attempt TO do
either. We can only regard the
present game otablindnan's buff in
reference to the Chief Justiceship with
surprise and modification.
The New York Tribune also pours
ont its yials OF wrath in an editorial
leader. It doesn't like the flavor Of
the thing at ali, and gives ful! vent to
It's feelings. II viii he observed that
the tvxt OF the 7ribtnie5 discourse is
founded upon the fac: that Mr.. Cush-
ing has not always been ii accord With
the Republican party. We Civ" et-
tracts from its editorial:
This nomination goes beyond the
line Of iustifable tolerance. Coming
from an Administration which has been
kept i'll power solely because lis sup
porters believed that any change
would endanger tho results of tie war,
this is an extraordinary choice. Sim
ply because he is familiar and SER
viceable friend, ticn. Grant proposes
to place at the head Of the Supreme
Court, to decide upon questions i'll
volying the national sovereignty and
the civil rights acquired by the var
and consecrated by ti.-; late alEeru-
mcnts to the Constitution, pro Slave
~ Dem ocrat, whose last public func-
ton was that Of Franklin Pierce's At
torney General, and whose views have
been notoriously IN opposition 10
those by virtue Of which the war WAS
carried On.
! Mr.. Gushing is not our greatest law
yer. He has not frst-ratc reputation
as man OF fixed and conscientious
convictions. Ho docs not possess III
| tho country the high prestige and
public confidence which should never
be absent from exalted judicial station.
| He has always been unfrieEdiy to
! those great Fundamental principles
upon which tho national integrity was
preserved through four years Of war,
and he has never given his adhesion
to those constitutional guarantees by
which the results of the war were Sc
| cured. He is, therefore, not the man
whom the President should appoint
and the Senate confirm as Chief-Jus'
tice Of the United States.
4 voice from the Hub reaches us IL
the Boston Advertiser. Strange to
sly i. i lca5 hare,, ard discordant
than those emanating from tie New
York press, for, with a little more
policy at its back, the advertiser
claims that Mr.. Gushing is too old for
the business. We never heard it called
by that name before. But, let the I'D
re-tfeer speak foritself:
| In other respects Mr.. Gushing has
great disoualifications, not the least OF