Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-16
THE CUSHING AFFAIR.

THE CUSHING AFFAIR.
On Tuesday afternoon before the Republi.
can Senators resumed their caucus session.
Senator Sargent called upon the President
| and mentioned to him the fact that he had
read an anonymous note in which it Is stated
that on the 2lst of March, 1861, Caleb Cush.
ing wrote letter to Jefferson Davis, strong
ly recommending Archibald Roane, clerk in
the Attorney Generals office, to Davis's ia
vorable condition, Roane having strong
Southern sympathies and being an able schol-
ar, was contributor to the DeBow's Review,
and while briefly abiding to the subject which
then divided the North and South, Mr.. Cush-
| ing spoke of them as the cause of final separ-
alton of the Uniou, regarding this as an &C.
| complished fact. The President short time
| thereafter applied to the Secretary of War
| for the original of this letter which was pro-
duced, it being found among the captured
| rebel archives. This President on reading
| the letter at once concluded to Withdraw the
| nomination and caused communication to
be written to the Senate for this purpose. The
| correspondence involved is given below
Cushing's Letter to JEFF Davis.
Numerous and conflicting versions have
been given of the contents Of Caleb Cushing's
letter to JEFF Davis, but the following is =
copy of the originals
Washington, March, 90, 1SGl.-Dear Sir
| Mr.. Archibald Roane, for the last six or seven
years clerk in the Attorney Generals Office,
desires from me a letter of introduction to
you, and he desires it not in the view of an
ticipation of administrative favors, but that
he may have the honor of your personal in
| tercourse; of this assure you he is eminent
ly worthy. A Southern naA by birth. family
and affection. He has carefully studied and
ably discussed in DeBow's review and other
Southern works the lamentable events which
have been gradually undermining, and have
at length overthrow the American Union.
Whilst political man, also a rife and accom-
plished scholar, with unpredominate literary
tastes and habits.
| In the discharge of his official duties he has
| combined in singular degree the puress in
tegrity and most enlightened intelligence with
modest contentment in his lot. Having more
| than once declined offers of more conspicu-
Gus employment in the public service, he now
resigns his present office from sentiments of
| devotion TO that which alone he can feel to be
his country, namely, the Confederate States,
from one of which (Texas) he was appointed.
l most heartily commend him as gentlemen,
and man to your confidence and esteem,
and am, with the highest consideration,
| your obedient servant. G.. CUSHING.
! Hon. Jefferson Davis, President of the
| Confederate States.
Letter OF Mr.. Cushing 10 the President.
The following is copy of Gen. Cushings
| letter of Withdrawal;
To the Presidents Sir-Animated by q
sense of profound gratitude for the honor
done me in nominating me to the high Office
of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States, and perceiying that the con-
| tinuance of my name before the Senate may
| be the cause occasion of inconv enience to
| yourself or your political friends there, re-
specially request you to withdraw the nom-
| ination.
| Permit ME to add that the charges of dis.
loyalty to the Union and the Constitution,
which have been brought against me in this
connection, are utterly destitute of founda-
ton, in truth or in act. l Indignantly repel
| the mputation In all the time anterior to
tie commencement of hos,iities in the South
ern States every act of my political life, in
whatever relation to parties. was governed by
the single dominant purpose of aiming to
| preserve the threatened integrity of the Union
and even to avert from my country the cslam-
ity of it's description, and of consequent pat
ricidal carnage. How could such purpose be
prevented otherwise than by political associa-
| tional intercourse with citizens of different
States, including those of States professedly
disaffected to the Union? Should the only
possible means of laboring to prevent civil
war, be stigma,ised as disloyalty to the Con-
sutution3 But Immediately on the occur
renee of the first act Of hostility to the Union
| being struck lie the State of South Carolina,
| | took my hand with the Union and its gov
| ernment. Publicly announced my adhesion
| to them in the most unequivocal terms. |
rendered my services to the government, in
any other way which might testify my fidelity
to ii, and have continued from that day to
this we'll in official and unofficial action,
to tread in the path of answering devotion
to the Union, whether during the actual pro-
gress of hostiitiss against it, or in the subse-
quent events of its reconstruction, and of the
successive amendments of the Constitution
rendered necessary by the changed condition
and relations OF the several States of the L.
| ;. and of their respective inhabitants.
| The recent amendments of the constitution
each and all of them as they were in turn
adopted and the legislative acts for their en-
iurcement and for accomplishing the recon-
strmction, had my cooperation and adhesion,
and have supported them constantly, if not
! in political debate, for which my comparative
iy reserved habits of life afforded neither &C.
casion nor opportunity, We: in legal opinion
or il the courts and in counsel or discussion
wiih officers of the government, members of
Congress and private persons. entertain
Tie same general respect for these amend
.u,.'s as for the other prov isions of the Con-
s;lu'i"n ard also rendering the special OBJ
ser &c due TO them as the just and neces-
sery ..tilents of the reconstruction of the
! Union.
Whale my nomination was undergoing con-
sidei alton in the Senate, it would have been
unbcc midg for me to speak in explanation of
my acts or opinions, but now with relative in
diff; renee to whatever else may have been
said, either honestly or maliciously, to my
prejudice, it belongs to my sense of public
duty, and it is my right to reaiiirm and de-
clare that l have never, 10 the long course Of
a not inactive life, done an act, uttered word
or conceived thought of disloyalty to the
constitution of the Union.
/ have the honor to be very respectfully,
{ c. CUSHING.
/ Washington, Jan. IL, 1874.
The Presidents Message.
Ia the Senate of the United States: Since
! iiic nomination of Caleb Gushing for the
/ f'Ifaf Iustioa of the Sunrpma Court of tho