Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-01-30
rFrom the Boston Herald.
Caleb Cushing's Career.

Caleb Cushings Career.
Caleb Cushing was never on confidential
terms with anybody. 10 begin with, hc
was in youth as ambitious as Napolean. und
lie elevated himsclfto the position he occus
pied at his death by sheer force Of physical
application. The ability to work was his
only great gift. In legal and political cir
oles he was tho parallel of Dayard Taylor
in the lattcr's power of literary application.
He never curried favor with tho shifting
administration, 50 his friends say. lIo first
made himself known, and then made him
self necessary. lie was one Of the most
extraordinary r,en Of his age, for this rcas
sou: he had memory probably unc9uaIlcd
by any man now alive. lie could read sixs
toen hours o day for a month, and never
forget an important fact obtained in that time
and this faculty made him the protoundest
authority on Federal law in this country.
His memory and his power Of work were
the secrets Of his success. AS an illustra
tion Of this the following aneodotc is told:
In 1858, or theroabouts, he was appointed
Chief JUSTICE Of the Supreme Bench of
Massachusetts. lie was out of practice
and, to uso his words every rusty" Ho
SGT to work, however, and in nineteen days
he read sixty volumes on different laws
questions of precedent, laws of contracts.
laws of exchange, &o. About seventeen
volumes wcro devoted to Massachusetts law;
twice as mauy more werc made up Of reports,
and the re,ding was altogether extremely
varied. Now for an example of his pawcr Of
work: between the ages OFF, and 81 he never
know what it WAS to be sick. lie was &C
customed 10 Washington TO get TO work in
tho morning at o'clock and labor tremend
ously through meal hours, aud without
taking rest until ii OF night. Then he
would smoke cigar, get into bed and read
history until he fell asleep. In one winter
he fnished 10 this manner thirteen octave
volumes Of scicntiG, travel and recent his
tory. Whilo Attorney General he would
havo his meals brought TO him and laid on
his writing desk. His custom often was
to eat the entire meal without looking at it
or resting from his work. Friends or bus
moss associates during the time when he
was trying to adjust the Hudson BY Com
panyS claims, and often on ordinary occa
sions, would find him buried in writing
paper or law books at 4 o'clock in the
morning, he having been at his desk for
twenty -thrac hours without rest.
Cllob Cushing was man of strong pass
sions, animal and intellectual; there was
probably not moment 10 his whole waking
life when lie was not thinking profoundly
He. smoked like a steam engine, and as
though thcro vas utility in tobacco He
used profanity to impart intense emphasis
to same angry expressions, but never idly
or moaningessly. He drank socially, but
made the occasion invariably bear fruit, by
starting On argument or making business
friend No man ever gained his confidence;
lie never gushcd His great life long am
bitiop made him perpetually cold and ro
served; at times he relaxed himself, and
called men by thoir last name, but it wa:
to refresh himself for harder labors. Mr.
Gushing at home has never been much of
sensation. During his business aud politi
cal life Ncwouryport rarely saw him, aut
since his enforced retirement he has contin
ued his studies and Kept himself shut W
much Of the time in his study. His grea
health broke down whio he was in Pierce
Cabinet, but up to the moment of his dcatl
ho had never been abc to bring bimscf {,
believe that ho was not destined to liv
many years more. Only short time ago
and during the illness which carried him of
he appointed "Wednesday as the day OF
which he intended going to Washington +
adjust some Of his law business. lie live
with his step brothers wife and her famil
in q large white house, not far from tn
business section of Newburyport Tn
house is plainly furnished, but the wall
contain about 800 choice paintings picke
up 10 Mexico, Franco and Spain principally
Dir. Gushing had an understanding wit
tho rest Of the family that they shout
never entor his study for any purpos
even to dust it. Ho would nevo
allow woman to take care of hi
Office 10 Washington, either, preferriug t
do tho work himsof His library wos lare
Z and miscellaneous; full Of histories, work
Of travel and many novels. His librar
at Newburyport was large, but his friend
say, not particularly important He was
great novel reader, and read everything i
this line from tho trashicst yellow oovere
novel, through the light and heavy Frooc
schools to tho profound works on psyohol
ogy that tho novels of to-day arc gottin
to be. He has always had passion fc
novel reading, and unless extremely bus
would ikoepj one at his side all day Ions
ready, 5piok 1t up at the first spare moa,en