National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-12
THE ATTACKS UPON THE ADMIN
LSTPI TON

We had supposed that it would have beer
difficult to find any objection to the nomi-
nation by President Grant of Mr.. Gushing
as Chief Justice, except on the score of age,
and that we have answered. Nor do We
believe that any would have been made
save by aspirants to the office and their
immediate friends, who were so busy in
opposing the nomination and confirmation
of Mr.. Williams as to make themselves quite
conspicuous and whose doings inthis behalf
it may become our duty to bring to public
notice.
1t is only ignorance on the part Of tie
detractors of Mr.. Cushing and the forget
fulness of the good that men do in the past
for Shakespeare says the evil that men do
lives after them, the good is often inferred
with their bones-that has given any point
to the opposition to his nomination as Chief
Justice. 1t is said by some men who did
nothing in the war except to occupy the
soft cushion of a judicial seat or an easy
chair in some luxurious lawyers office, that
Mr.. Gushing is Objectionable because of his
want of war record actively on the side OF
the country. Let us remind those gentle
men that Mr.. Gushing, as Democsat,
had written for and voted for the Union of
the States and to prevent the fratriciial war
which followed. During his whole life. up
to the firing upon Fort Sumter, for what he
had done in that regard, we do not believe
he has ever made or needed an apology.
But when the war commenced, on the
first raising of the United States flag
at his home, he made patriotic
speech, and offered his services in the forum
or in the field to his State and Government
as loyalty as any man in the Union. And
when circumstances of personal hate IN IN
official prevented his ripe experience from
aiding in the conduct of a portion of the
forces of the United States, while callow
fledglings from West. Point were appointed
generals in the army, he was elected by an
Overwhelming majority of the patriotic citi-
zens of Newburyport, of all parties, to rep
resent them in the Legislature of Massa
chusetts, and there stood foremost, by vote
and speech, in advocating all the war meas
ures proposed by the Governor of that State
and sanctioned by its Legislature fact,
through Mr.. Cushing's influence, thus
burying private resentment, If he had any,
to the call of patriotic duty.
Soon afterwards. by q Telegram from.
President Lincoln, without solicitation, he
was called to take civil Office of the high
est importance, and remained the confiden-
tial adviser of the Government from that
day till now upon the great and difficult
problems of reconstruction. He voted for
Lincoln in 1864. for Grant in 1868 and 1872,
and contributed literally of his means to
sustain the Republican party at that cleo
ton.
We have by no means attempted here to
give any resume of his public services dur
ing this evcntful period, but only to silence
his slanderers by sketching the direction
which his mind followed as statesman in
the rebuilding Of our political fabric. Who
ever desires to impugn Mr.. Cushing's re-
cord as a patriot and a Republican, let him
show his credentials of better, purer and
more consistent one before he speaks.
We have heard il said, as an objection to
Mr.. Gushing, that the Republican party
cannot trust him upon the bench in dealing
with the great measures of reconstruction.
Well, we trusted Mr.. Chase. and the time
of Andrew johnson he faltercd The Re-
publican party have trusted other judges,
and yet, in the discussion of the civil rights
bill, the other day in Congress. all the ANU
milton expended by the opposition was
drawn frcm declarations of Republican
Judge in giving the opinion Of the court in
the slaughter-house cases, sustained by
majority OF the Republican members of that
court, which declarations were mere obiter
dictd, and not convenient or necessary TO
the decision to all. If this IL the result of
appointing Republican judges to the Su-
preme Court, we for one would suggest
trying Democrat, for he cannot do worse,
and he may do better. But Mr.. Gushing
does not come within that category. ri