Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-01-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
RumOrs. Public Opinions and Some Facts
About ths chief Justiceship,
Special Correspondence Of the Chronicle
WASHINGTON, d. C.,
January 10, =. n, 1874.

WASHINGTON, d. G.,
January 10, p. n, 1874.
The country has had two great surprises
over the nominations of President Grant
for Chief Justice. The surprise in the first
case was that, in the face of the popular
opinion, which pointed plainly to any one
of half-a.dozen prominent lawyers and
judges, the President should have nomi-
mated Attorney. General Williams. After
five weeks of delay, after uncalled-for and
unmerited personal abuse from the press,
the first nomination was withdrawn, at
the request of the nominee himself. There
were grave objections to Mr.. Williams, and
the country seemed to breathe freer when
his name was withdrawn. Then came tive
days of suspense. Who would be the next
nominee? was a question everywhere ask
ed, but never answered. Yesterday the
public curiosity was satisfied, but tonight
there is greater anxiety than ever. The
dissatisfaction against Williams was mild,
as compared to that now openly expressed
against Cushing.
His learning and great experience is &C
knOwledged but his age, his secession pro-
questions growing out of the war upon
which the people and courts have repeat
eddy passed their judgement, are urged as
objections that should lead the Senate to
reject him. This feeling has gained
strength very rapidly to-day. The New
York journals that came tonight, almost
unanimously disapprove the nomination,
aud as it is believed that they but pioneer
the opposition of the press, it is not prob
able that the opponents of Mr.. Cushing
Will weaken. Unless some new influences
are put to work very soon, an opposition
to confirmation will be grounded, which
will not easily be overcome. Several Sena-
tors are preparing strong speeches against
confirmation and among these are Sena-
tor Brownlow, who bitterly denounces
Cush1ng's secession sympathias.
The situation politically is exceedingly
embarrassing to the Republicans. There
are those who fear that the rejection of Mr..
Cushing would be the beginning of an
open rupture between the President and
the Republicans i'll Congress. 1t is said
that Sumner SchurZ, Fenton, and Upton,
the Greeley Senators, express great delight
at the situation. They say Republicans
will now feel and realize that all they have
said about Grant is true. They all favor
confirmation, but whether to widen the
breach or because of their belief in his fit
ness for the place, / will not say. Sumner
was very anxious to have the confirmation
made yesterday, though he certainly knows
| that Mr.. Gushing has recently openly ex-
pressed the opinion that his civil rights
| bill, If made a law, would be unconstitu-
| tional. Such men as Edmunds and Ere
linguysen and COnkling felt yesterday that
the nomination, though not proper one,
should be confirmed, as the evils that
would grow out of confirmation and OF
| giving the Supreme Court over to the De-
mOCraCy-fOr it now stands evenly d.
| vided would not be greater than the agi-
tation and uneasiness that would follow a
rupture between the President and Con-
| gIeSS. This feeling was shared by many
others yesterday, but how far it will be
overcome by the developments that will
| take place by Monday is uncertain. The
! opinion seems to prevail tonight that
there will be an exciting and acrimonious
contest over the case.
CUSHING's RECORD.
There is some conflict of opinion as to
| the political record of the new nominee The
| Tribune pronounces him an accomplished
| trimmer 1t has been said on the streets
to-day that so consumate was he in tact that
though prominent as lawyer in Wash
ington for many administrations, yet he
| managed to keep in good favor with all OF
them, Lincoln rendered him commits
sion ia the army, but it was Withdrawn
| through the protest of Gov. Andrew, OF
| NldSSdClluStltSt WHO lOuDleu his RODU II.
He was law counsel for Pierce, for Buch-
anan, for Lincoln, for Johnson, and for
| Grant, and it is said impressed each one
! with the idea that he thought his admins
tIation the best the country had enjoyed.
| 1t Is said that in 1860, he introduced Will
| liam l.. Iancy, to Boston meeting, and
| in his remarks expressed the opinion that
the election of Lincoln would Justify the
South in seeding. He coneurred in the
bred Scott decision. 1t is said on the one
1 hand that lac voted for Grant because he
was a better Democrat than Greeley. and
on the other hand his friends claim that
! he voted for Lincoln in 1864 and for Grant
in 1865, and again in 1877. .
You will see from these contradictory
rumors which float about now, something
of the feeling aud excitement that pre.
walls. The expression has been frequently
made tonight that Williams would better
! have been confirmed, or that war Demo-
/ crat opposed on principle to secession and
| States Rights would be acceptable, If the
| President wanted 10 go in that direction,
! The opposition to Cushing il not to his
Democratic principles, but TO his secession
States rights Sympathies,
! II is not believed that the President in
| tended this nomination az defiance to the
Senate, or as inviting "A rupture of the par
ty. Mr. Gushing was originally his second
choice, and knowing his great legal abili-
ties, and the very favorable mauuer in
which his nomination as Minister TO Spain
! was received, he thought the country
would quite as soon see him Chief Justice.
| n. a