St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-01-23
Caleb's Fatal Letter.

We announced last week that MI.
Cushings nomination for chief justice
would he withdrawn 10y the President.
owing to the discovery of Il certain
letter To jeff. Davis III l-Gl which con
tanned rebel sentiments. It i now
said that the discovery ot the letter
was made 10y Judge Alli>. of the
southern Claims commission. about Il
lining some OF the rebel archives pur-
chased from Colonel Pickett. hut WAS
not thought of again until Nh. Gushing
was nominated foI Chief Justice. when
Judge Adds remembering this letter.
obtained Il copy and transmitted it to
the Secretary OF War. who gave it to
the President. Below We give Il copy
of this letter. also Nj. CI>hing'> with
dIawal:
THAT LETTER To- JEFI. DAVIS.
WA>HINGroN. March -. I-Gl.
Hon. jefferson Davis. president OF
the confederate states. Dear Sir: Mr..
Archibald Roanc. for the last six OF
seven wears Il clerk in the attorney gen
erals office. desires from me 4 letter of
introduction to Nnu. and he desires it,
not in the view of anticipating admin
i>tration favor$, but that he m.IN have
the honor of your personal intercourse.
OF this, | take pleasure in assuring You.
he is cmimcutly worthy. \ southern
man b, birth. family and affection, he
has carefully studied. and ably discuss
eel in Mr. DE Bows review. and other
southern works. the lamcntablc works
which have been gradually uudcrmin
ing. and have at length overthrow.
the American Mon. Whilst Il practi-
cal man. he Is also Il ripe and accom-
pishrd scholar. with indeed prcdomi
nant literary tastes and habits. In the
discharge "t his official duties he has
combined. III a singular degree. the
puic>t integrity and the most cnlight-
ened intelligence. with modest content
mtnt in his lot, having more than once
declined offices of more conspicuous
employment in the public service. He
now resigns his present office from sen
timentS of devotion to that which ;llon,
h. can feel to he his country. namely
the confederate states, from one oi
which (TeXas) he was employed.
most heartily commend him us Il gen
tlcman and Il man to Your confidence
and esteem. and | am. with the high
est considerations, Your ohcdicnt ser
want. I. Ct SIZING.
MIR. tUsHINGS LETTER To THE rEESI-
DENT.
WASHINGTON. january II. ISL.
To the President Sir: Animated 10y
il sense of profound gratitude fol the
honor YOU have done me i'll nominating
me to the high office of chief justice of
the supreme court of the United States.
and pcrrciving that the continuance eft
my name before the Senate may he the
cause al occasion of Inconvenience Ia
Yourself al Nour political friends. there
fore respectfully request You to with
draw the nomination. Permit me t"
add, that the charges of disl"yaltN to
the Union and constitution. which have
been brought against me i'll this con
nection. are utterly destitute of t"un-
dation. in truth "r in fact. indig-
nantll rrprl the imputatlom. In all the
time anterior To the commencement OF
act of my political life. i'll whatever re-
lation of parties. wa> governed 10y the
single dominant purpose of aiming to
preserve the threatened integrity OF
the Union. and to avert from my COM
try the calamity of its disruption and
consequent tratrlcidal carnage. How
could such Il purpose Ice promoted 9th
eIwiSe than 10y political association OF
personal intercourse with the citizens
"t the different states. including those
of the STATES prote>scdlN dlSatfected 10
the Union Should the only possible
means of lal'ollng to prevent cINll war
he stigmatined ITS disloyalty to the con-
>titution But Immediately on the oc-
curTencc Of the first act of hostility to
the Union being struck i'll the state OF
South Carolina. | took my stand with
the Union and it, government. pub
licll announced my adhesion To them
i'll the most umequivncal terms. ten
derrd my services to the government.