The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-08
CALEB GUSHING.

y
morning, the telegram was received an
nouncing the death of the eminent gentle
man whose name stands at the head of this
article He died at his home in Newbury
port, Mass, on Thursday night, January 2,
1879.
Having been born January Il, 1900, he was
consequently as old as this century, and had
lived beyond the proverbial three score years
and ten. He was q man of remarkable and
versatile talent, having filled important po-
sitions in the history of the country for the
past half century or housekeeping well
abreast of the eminent statesmen and great
jurists of his time, the equal of the shrewd
politician and the peer Of the able statesman.
He was born in Salisbury, Mass. and was
graduated from Harvard College at the age
of II. He was admitted to the bar at the
age of 25, and almost Immediately advanced
to the front rank Of the leading men of his
native state, appearing first in the lower
house of the Massachusetts, Legislature, and
one year afterxaFi in the upper house. The
next seven years of his life were spent in
travelling abroad and in literary pur-
suits. In 1883 ne was again elected to the
State Legislature of Massachusetts, for two
years, after which he represented his con-
gressional district in the lower branch of
the National Legislature for four consecutive
terms In 1874, as commissioner to China,
he negotiated the first treaty ever made be-
tween this country and the Chinese empire.
After his return home he YVES again sent to
the Legislature of his native state, and we
next find HIM at the head Of a regiment of
Massachusetts, troops with General Taylor in
Mexico. Alter the conclusion of the Mexi-
can war he returned to his home in Massa-
chusetts, and in 1850 was once more elected
to the State Legislature, for the sixth time.
mayor of Newburyport, and again elected
the following year 10 the same position.
In 1852 he was appointed justice of tine
Massachusetts, Supreme Court, and IN 1858
Mr.. President Pierce called him into his
cabinet IS his attorney general, ID which
position he served until the close of the
Piercs administration in 1857. He returned
home, and for the next three years he was
returned to the State Legislature of Mas
sachusetts. In April, 1860, he pre-
sided over the deliberations of the DEM
ocratic National convention at Charleston,
8. c., and when the convention divided be-
tween Douglass and Breckenridge. he fol-
lowed and presided over the Brecklnridge
wing, which met in Baltimore, Maryland. in
the following June. During the war he
stood faithfully by the National Govern
ment, but occupied no position of public
importance. In 1866 he was appointed one
of three eminent lawyers to revise and codify
the laws of the United States. He
afterwards represented our government
ut the Geneva conference for the settle
ment of the Alabama claims and was APP
pointed by President Grant IN 1878 minister
to SPAN. In addition 10 filling all of these
prominent positions very acceptably and
creditably, he was twice named for high po-
sitions by presidents of the United States
once as secretary OF the treasury by President
Tyler, and once ss chief justice of the United
6tates by President Grant In the former
case he was rejected by the Senate. and in
the latter his nomination was recalled by
the president.
Caleb Cushing was no mere politician.
His magnificent handling of the interests Of
the country at the Geneva conference, and
the acceptable and satisfactory adjustment
of delicate matters al the Court of Madrid
incidents and actions all comparatively re
cent and fresh in the public mind-stamp
him ss . man of broad, pronounced and
statesmanlike views and qualifications.