Daily globe., 1879-01-04
State would do we'll to emulate the example
set by Ramsey county in the economical ad-
ministration of her affairs.
CaLEH CUSHTNn

The death of Caleb Cushing, the veteran
politician and statesman, which was an
nounced yesterday, will not surprise any of
our readers, for he has for years past been
on the verge of the grave, though still re-
tanning his extraordinary mental vigor. The
main incidents of his life are familiar to
most of our readers, for he has occupied a
large share of the public attention for more
than half century. Born in the early part
of 1900, of good family, he early showed
his mental precociousness At the age of
II he graduated from Harvard with high
honors, and soon afterwards engaged in the
practice of law. His fine abilities soon cave
him commanding place at the bar, from
which he naturally drifted into politics. He
was successfully member of both houses
OF the Massachusetts legislature for many
years, and he thereafter graduated into Con-
gress, where he distinguished himself by his
close application to the business of the
House of Representatives. His great
erudition and large knowledge of the arts Of
statecraft made him marked character
among his associates. Having been ap-
pointed as secretary of the treasury in 1s43
by President Tyler but rejected by the
Senate, he was commissioned as repre-
sentative to China, where he negotiated our
first treaty with the Celestial kingdom. He
served with distinction in the Mexican war.
and while still in the field was nominated as
the Democratic candidate for governor of
Massachusetts, but being defeated he was
appointed associate justice of the State
supreme court. He served as attorney
general under Pierco, and won high dis
tinction for his able legal opinions.
| At the Charleston convention Mr. Gushing
was chosen president, and it was
mainly through his and Butler s
efforts that that body failed
to make nomination, and finally culminat-
ed in rupture which ultimated in the late
civil war. He foresaw the war, and on his
return North told his friends to prepare for
it. He was universally blamed for causing
the fatal rupture in the Democratic party
and deserved it, for his rulings, while tech
nlcally correct, were biased in favor of his
own partisans.
Several years ago, Mr.. Cushing having
joined the Republican party, President Grant
nominated him for chief justice of the su-
preme court of the United States, but his
maine was rejected by the Senate, and he
was sent as minister to Spain, to succeed
Gen. Sickles. While there he represented
the government ably, and won high praise.
On his return to this country he relapsed
into obscurity, emerging only for brief
period during the last gubernatorial cam
paign, when he was nominated on the But
Ter ticket for attorney general of Massachu-
setts. He declined the questionable honor
Mr.. Gushing was personally man of
genial habits and much personal magnetism.
He. was liked by his associates, but distrusted
politically. His judgment was always con-
suited on matters of State. and even in his
periodical retirement from public life he was
recognized as power. He will be greatly
missed, for he has been long a link connect
ing the old with the new school of politi-
clans.