The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-09-25
CALEB GUSHING.

GALEB GUSHlRG.
Caleb Gushing was one of the
great lawyers of the United States,
and was member of congress,
Minister to China, and Attorney
General under President Pierce he
was one of the greatest, if not the
very greatest, linguist in the United
States.
While he was Atterncy-General,
President Pierce gave state dinner
at the White House, at which Cush-
ing and all the other members of the
Cabinet, as well as all the foreign
Ministers were present. Gushing
convcrsed at table lluently with
every one of the foreign Ministers
in each Minister'S native language,
to the astonishment of everyone pre-
| sent.
In the days of slavery, while
Gushing was residing and practising
law in Boston, and in the plenitudc
of his fame as lawyer, an aristo-
cratic slave holder of the South,
went to Boston, and stopped in one
of the most splendid hotels in that
city, where the table walters were
all negroes and quandem slaves, who
had fled from their masters. All
these walters were dressed in un
sullied white linen, and white gloves.
While at table, the proud slave
holder needed glass of water,
and said to the nearest waiter, in
Shareholder fashion, 'Boy, give me
glass of water.'' The waiter
looked at him, and turned away
disdainfully, and said, "You kiss
my foot" The slave aristocrat
then discovered that the waiter was
once his slave, and had run away
from him. The slave owner got up
quickly, with blood in his eye, seiz-
ed 4 chair, and went for the waiter.
The waiter just as suddenly seized
another chair and went for his guam
dam master, with no less blood in
his eye; and what was still worse
for the slave holder? All the other
walters in the dining room very
quickly made common cause with
the waiter, and they were too many
and too much for the slave holder.
He was compelled TO beat a retreat,
and he went to the proprietor of the
hotel as quickly as possible, report
ed the matter, and demanded salts
faction. The proprietor coolly told
him, he could nothing for him, and
that it was matter solely between
him and the waiter. This intensi-
fed the exasperation of the slave
holder, and he said if there was any
law by which he could get satisfac-
tion he would have it. no matter
what it cost, and asked the propri-
etor to give him the name of the
best lawyer in Boston. The pro-
prietor told him that Caleb Gushing
and Rufus Choate were the best.
He went straightway to Cushing and
related the above facts, said he had
been gre atty outraged, and that il
there was any law by which he
could obtain satisfaction he was de-
termined to have the benefit of it.
He asked Gushing what he would
charge. Gushing told him if he
would give him $50 he would ex'
anime the law and advise him the
next day. He promptly gave
Gushing the $50, and called the
next day, when Gushing teld him,
that he had made a partial eXamina'
ton, and found that he could moi
make thorough examination, with
out occupying more time than he
first supposed, and that he coulc
, not do justice to the case without
an additional retainer of $50. Thai
, was promptly given him, with the
understanding that Gushing would
be ready with his opinion the mex
day. The man called the next day
and Cushing then told him, 81 have
examined the books very fully ant
l carefully, and cannot find any Law
by which you could be compelled tc
kiss the negro's foot, and L advise
= you not to kiss his foot, unless yot
{ choose to do so.' This ended tina
1 case, and the proud Southerner theI
4 and there bottled up his wrath, ant
3 went his way, presumably utterin&
curses deep, but not loud, agains
the protectors and employers of hi
I runaway slave, and the absence o
! law to punish that slave for daring
4, to ask him to "kiss his foot