The New York herald., 1879-01-03

the territory acquired by the United States. This
made his selection presiding officer in the Charles
ton Convention OF 1860 great triumph Tor the ex-
treme pros leaders and called down upon him
the execratlons OF the Northern and Douglas demo-
Gratis, who were less determined not to yield to
the demands of the South than the extreme
men in the South We're agreed not to sub
NIT to the compromising spirit OF their
brethren in the North. After the secession of the
Breckinr1dge faction at Baltimore Mr. Cushing pre-
sided their deliberations president of the
regular Democratic National Convention. His sym
pathies and services. it WAS afterward supposed.
would give him great weight with the South, and
Mr.. Buchanan sent him TO Charleston i'll December,
1860 as confidential commissioner to the secession
lists of South Carolina to arrange the diculties in
regard to Fort Sumter and to avert II possible the
impending revolution: but his mission was failure.
After the breaking out OF the rebellion MIR. Gushing
gave his influence and services to the cause of the
Union and proved himself useful to Mr.. Lincoln
as he had been to Mr.. buchanan.
AT GENEVA AND MADRID.
In 1866 Mr. Gushing was appointed Commissioner
to revise and codify the laws of the United States and
he gave much labor this and other matters Of pub
lie nature In 1863 he went to Bogota, Colombia. and
negotiated treaty respecting the Darien Ship Canal.
In 1872 he was one OF the American counsel before
the Geneva arbitration for the settlement of the Ala
bania claims. and the famous american case, in
cluding the much mooted demand for consequential
damages, his work. His elaborate argument in
French OF the most remarkable speeches
made during the sitting or the commission. After
his return from this mission in 1873 MIR.
Cushing published work called 'The Treaty
OF Washington in which he sharply criti-
cised the character and conduct of Sir Alexander
Cockburn, the British member OF the tribunal and
he sharply criticised In return by the English
journals. Upon the assembling of the Forty-third
Congress, i'll recognition OF his ut Geneva.
he was nominated by President Grant to succeed
General Sckles Minister to Spain, and, almost i'm
mediaely after his confirmation for Chief Justice OF
the United States. The latter nomination WAS made
the occasion OF an animated contest, and his con-
frmation finally defeated by the production OF
private letter to Jefferson Davis written early in the
war, i'll which Mr.. Cushing seemed to regard the dis
solution OF the Union an accomplished fact. 1t
ut his own request. however, that his name was
withdrawn nv le wish q tho President he de-
termned to accept the mission previously rendered.
and he sailed from New York Oh his way to Spain in
March, 1874. His mission in Spain lasted untii JAN
uary g. 1877 and conceded with interesting period
of American relations with Spain 1t iel to his lot to
conduct the delicate correspondence with the Span
ish government respecting the Vlrgnus outrage i'll
Cuba. The dispatches OF Mr. Gushing, published in
the annual volumes OF the diplomatic Cosrespon-
dcnce," were always learned and instructive, and
they formed decidedly the most entertaining portions
OF those volumes. Mr.. Gushing Was coinpiceiy at
home in discussing the successive Spanish colstitii
tions in presenting historical sumaries OF Aner
relations with Spain Tor the past half-centu.y,
covered by his recollections. He was certainly
the most popular Minister to the Spanish Court
since the days OF Washington Irving. tie was keen
student Of Spanish politics, and told many interest
ing anecdotes OF his experiences during the stormy
days that preceded The procaiming OF King Alfonso
The crowning act OF has diplomatic stay III Madrid
was the settemeAt of the virginius indemnity dis-
puc in the winter Of 1856. The feeling through
out Spain bitter and less calm representa-
tive then Mr. Cushing might have precipita,ed war
which. however popular at the tine wonld have re-
tarded the commercial progress of the nation
Strange fatality that the poet who had sarized nm
SO in 1916 should have succeeded him ut Madrid!
Since his return from Spain in 1877 Mr.. Gushing
had resided chiefly in Massachusetts and last autumn
nominated the Butler ticket for the post or
Attorney General. m honor which he declined on the
nominal ground that he not citizen OF Massa-
chusetts In fact, his legal residence for several
years before his death in Virginia, he having
bought tract of land in that state, near Alexandria,
that his nomination as Minister was credited to
Virona