New-York tribune., 1879-01-03

has come TO an end Mr. Gushing was born at
Salisbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, on the
18th of January, $500. His fnther John
y. Gushing, eminent shipowner. Ihe
name in that part of the state is both a common
and a good one He was fitted for college at
public school, graduated at Harvard College,
second in his class, at the age Of seven
teen. Two years after he delivered a poem
before the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and upon
graduating 4. NJ an OratIon on the preservation OF
the Federal Union In 1919 he was appointed tutor
of mathematics and natural philosophy in Har-
ward College, an office, which he retained until
1921. He studied law, and began practice IN ls2-
his professional success being great ana immediate
Newburvport of which he had become a citizen,
sent him TO the state House OF Representatives
IN 1s2J and IN 1876 Essex County elected hun
To the State Senate. Politics were not at THIS
time very sharply defined, but Mr.. Cushing
Is on record as a Republican Democrat. He printed
II $50 local history Of New buryport and treatise
on the Practical Principles of Political Economy.
lie had married IN lS2i 4 daughter or judge
Wide. OF Boston. a very clever woman VINO, III
1882, privately printed an interesting book OF
travels in France and Spain. In 1s26 Mr. Cushing
was a candidate for Congress but failed OF an cleo
tion. He went abroad In 1929, and was engaged
IN foreign travel until 1892. Upon ms
return in ls33, he published his "reminiscences Of
SPAIN Tnis contained several poems translated
from the spanish. II was followed II the same
year by a Review, Historical and Political OF the
Late Revolution 10 France in two volumes. In
1888 and 1884 the town of Newburyport again
sent Mr. Gushing 20 the state Legislature. lt was
at period OF great public interest IN financial quar-
ters aud Mr. CushmGs speech on currency and the
public deposits was received by the Wings with much
appreciation. In 1885 be was elected TO the National
House of Representatives, and being
great favorite with his constituents, be
retained his seat until 1913, when President
Tyler sent him rs Commissioner to China for the ne
gotIlriol of a commercial treaty, which was signed
july 3. Is44. Mr.. Tyler had nominated
him for Secretary OF the Trcasury-a nom
ination rejected by the Senate. Mr.
returned home by way of the Pacific and Mexico
Newburyport once more sent HIM to the Legislature
in 1916 and he was of the few men IN that body
who sustained the Mexican War. for with his most
eloquent advocacy he was unable to get through
a bill appropratiug $40. 900 for the benefit of the
Massachusetts volunteers. and be furnished that
sum from his private means The regiment crate
fully made him It's colonel and IN the Spring Of
1s47 he went with It 70 Mexico, where
he was soon raised to the rank of Brgadlrr General
being attached to the Army of General Taylor, and
taking part IN the battle III Buena Vista. he was
afrerward transferred 10 the Army Of General scott
under whom he served Tor the remainder of the
war While still IN Mexico. the Democrats OF
Massachusetts nominated him for Governor. but be
was. as a matter Of course, defeated. On his return
uloJO NewbuIyport. equally as matter OF course
sent him TO the State Legislature again, ana elected
him Mavor Of the city. In1S52. lie was appointed
an Assocate-Justlce of the supreme judicial Court
of Massachusetts, but IN March, 1898, was selected
of United Attorney
General. which he held until 1897. Once
more. in 1917. NewDurypOrt elected him
10 the STATE Legislature, and again, IN ls58
and 1853 he was president OF the Democratic Ma
tlonal Convention which met IN Charleston. :. c..
III April 1860 lie Joined the seCeders from that
body and when they met at Baltimore IN June
following hs presided over their convention, Vhich
nominated Breckenridge. When President BucA-
anan, still hoping for a peaceful solution OF
difficulties. bethought himself of sending conhden-
tial agent 10 Charleston, :. c., 10 make some
agreement respecting Fort Sumter. he selected
Mr. Gushing for the duty; but clever a. he was,
his mission amounted to nothing. though MS
errand was secre, one, II was understood that be
was empowered to communicate an assurance on the
part of the President, thar If Mayor Anderson
should not be sacrificed. that hostlhues should
not be- initiated against the Srcessonists. If tney
Buchanan's AdminIstrauon-then only a few
weeks distant. Mr.. Cushing was 80 cOldly re-
cclved there that he remained only five hours IN
Charleston and then returned 10 Washington with
report which furI shed the Cabinet with material
for an angry discussion. Mr.. Cushlngs experiences
did not inc rese his admiration II secession men or
their methods During the progress OF the war be
was not in any way engaged IN the public ser
wee. but all hrs sympathes were with the
u.c Of the Union. A. became one who had formerly
been a Massachusetts and n Webster Whig.
Nr. Cushing was IN 1866 appointed one of the
board 20 codlfy and revise the laws of the United
States-a work of considerable responsibility
and difficulty He was one of the counsel for
the United States at the Geneva Conference, for
settling the Alabama Claims. Dissatisfied with
,be course Of sir Alexander Colburn, the
British arbitrator. he criticized 1t severely III
volume published IN 1873. called " The
Treaty. of Washington In December Of that
year he was appointed Minister 70 spain,
and while at tnat court displayed great
skill and good Judgment in the adjustment OF dli1-
cutia4 arising out Of the detention Of the Elrgnus.
II. succeeded not only IN securing the surrender
of the vessel but also in obtaining indemnity 70
an sufferers by the Illegal proceedings OF the
Cuban Government, ur to the heirs OF those VINO
were executed The sum of $1,000 was secured
l,y Government Tor thlS pUi DnN, ana up 10 No
yrrbrr Ii. 1877. about 81 900 had been disburSed
10 those entitled 20 cImpeLsauou. NJ. cushing was
nominated IN January, lN7f. for the office
# Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Of the
'rited states. but subsequently, and probably 70
prevent us rejection by the senate tie noullnauon
VA. withdrawn. A. a LAWYER. no man then Nv
irJ could have been better qualified for
this exalted position, bot Mr. Cushng- preylou,
political gifIIatipns were freshly remembered, AMI
perhaps there was something IN his career a. a
p.l.tti,u in calAllaird 10 inspire con-
iilrnrr Political ties had always held him
rather loosely. When the Wing party broke
with President Tyler. Mr.. Gushing was one
of the handful Of Wings IN the House
gf Representatives who stood fast by the
admin, ,rratIou. He was not Wing enough,
to remain with the party during the Mexlran war.
-.IF ha