, 1888-04-12
THE LATE CHEF JUSTICE.
INSIDE HISTORY OF HIS CONFIRMATION
BY THE sENATE--A BOMB FROM THE
CONFEDERATE ARCHIVES.

INSIDE HISTORY OF HIS CoNFlkMhT'oN
BY THE sENATE--A BOMB FROM THE
CONFEDERATE ARCHIYEs.
Frank Carpenter, writing from
Washington to the New York World,
gives some inside history in connec-
tion with the confirmation by the sem
ute of the late Chief Justice Waite.
President Grant first offered the posi-
ton to Roscoe Conkling. who prompt
" declined it. He then sent in the
nomination Of his attorney general,
George III. Williams, whose wife was
enyied md hated by the wives OF many
of the senators. Through their inlln-
ence Williams was reje ted, ostcnsibly
because he was not good enough. II
lawyer. Grant then astonished the
senate by sending in the name OF Caleb
Cus hing. Cushing's record was such
that the radical Republican membcis
thought the constitutional amendment
would bc IN danger if lac was placed ON
| the sup. cme bench. When the mat
ter came up in the CAUCUS of the Re
publican senators Sumner made an
| ardent speech in his favor, and Ben
Butler assured the senators that Cu-h-
| ing was now a strong Republican and
! that hc was in accord with the amend.
ments. Parson Br,wnlow said lie
could not vote for Cusning aud ac.
cused him of being II political prosti-
tuto. Nevertheless, after Boutwell,,
Coukliug, and sumner had vouched
for Cushiug's future, the senate
felt inclined to confirm, bin,
aud he would have been CON
tirmed had it n / been for Senator Sar-
gent OF California, WHO rose just ns the
vote was about to be taken and threw u
bOmbshcll into the senate in the shape
OF letter taken from the archives Oi
Richmond. 1t was II copy Of letter
taken from the papers which Pickett
who had been connected with the state
department at Richmond, had carried
off and sold to the United States gov
ernment for $4,000. 1t was letter
from Caleb Gushing, dated Washing
ton, 1861, and it was addressed to Jol-
ferson Davis, president ol the Conicd
crate States of America. 1t WAS II let
ter of introduction, and read some.
what as follows:
WAsHINGToN, S6l.-Hon. Jefferson
Davis, President of the Conf, derat,
States of Anerca-My Dear Sir: Thi.
will introduce to you Mr.. Archibald
RoOne, who has long been clerk il
the department Of justice ut Washing
ton, and who is aAXious to link hi!
fortunes with yours. He has recent,
patented u valuable gun, which hav,
no doubt you can use to advantage
and / commend him to you.
CALEB Cushing.
After the reading of this letter IL 81
lence fell upon the caucus, which wal
only broken at the instance of Parsoi
Brownlow, who, then i'll and unable t.
talk, got Senator Lewis to make IL mo
ton for him, and this motion was:
"That this caucus of Republican sen,l
tors now adjourn, and that the senate
be convened in open session that j
may remove the political disabilities q
Caleb Gushing, of Massachusetts
That's alp There was laugh at thi
motion, and the caucus adjourned
Grant, on hearing Of the action, mad
no further movement in favor o
Cushing, and when Waite's name Wa
proposed some time later, he receive,
every vote cast and was unanimousl
confirmed. His nomination was dis
ctssed only an hour, and during tina
time speeches were made by Sumner
Thurman, Edmunds and Sherman.