CUSHING, CALEB (1800-1879)

This article appears in Volume V07, Page 667 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: CRE-DAH

CUSHING, CALEB (1800-1879) , American political leader and lawyer, was born in Salisbury, Massachusetts, on the 17th of January 1800. He graduated at Harvard in 1817, was tutor in mathematics there in 18201821, was admitted to practice in the court of common pleas in December 1821, and began the practice of law in Newburyport, Mass., in 1824. After serving, as a Democratic-Republican, in the state

house

of representatives in 1825, in the state senate in 1826, and in the

house

again in 1828, he spent two years, from 1829 to 1831, in Europe, again served in the state house of representatives in 1833 and 1834, and in the latter year was elected by the Whigs a representative in Congress. He served in this

body

BODY

from 1835 until 1843, and here the marked inconsistency which characterized his public life became manifest; for when John Tyler had become president, had been " read out " of the Whig party, and had vetoed Whig measures (including a tariff bill), for which

Cushing

had voted,

Cushing

first defended the vetoes and then voted again for the bills. In 1843 President Tyler nominated him for secretary of the treasury, but the senate refused to confirm him for this office. He was, however, appointed later in the same year

commissioner

COMMISSIONER

of the United States to China, holding this position until 1845, and in 1844 negotiating the first treaty between China and the United States. In 1847, while again a representative in the state legislature, he introduced a bill appropriating money for the equipment of a regiment to serve in the Mexican War; although the bill was defeated, he raised the necessary funds privately, and served in

Mexico

first as colonel and afterwards as brigadier-general of volunteers. In 1847 and again in 1848 the Democrats nominated him for

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

of Massachusetts, but on each occasion he was defeated at the polls. He was again a representative in the state legislature in 1851, became an associate justice of the supreme court of Massachusetts in 1852, and during the administration (18531857) of President Pierce, was attorney-general of the United States. In 1858, 1859, 1862 and 1863 he again served in the state house of representatives. In 186o he presided over the National Democratic Convention which met first at Charleston and later at Baltimore, until he joined those who seceded from the regular convention; he then presided also over the convention of the seceding delegates, who nominated John C. Breckinridge for the presidency. During the Civil War, however, he supported the National Administration. At the Geneva conference for the settlement of the "

Alabama

ALABAMA

" claims in 18711872 he was one of the counsel for the United States.
1 For Seba, see SABAEANS, and cf. generally the commentaries on Gen. x. 7. In Flab. iii. 7 Cushan (obviously a related form) is parallel to Midian.
In 1873 President Grant nominated him for

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

justice of the United States, but in spite of his great learning and eminence at the bar, his ante-war record and the feeling of distrust experienced by many members of the senate on account of his inconsistency, aroused such vigorous opposition that his nomination was soon withdrawn. From 1874 to 1877 Cushing was United States minister to Spain. He died at Newburyport, Mass., on the 2nd of January 1879. He published History and Present State' of the Town of Newburyport, Mass. (1826); Review of the

late

LATE

Revolution in France (1833); Reminiscences of Spain (1833); Oration on the Growth and Territorial Progress of the United States (1839); Life and Public Services of William H. Harrison (184o); and The Treaty of Washington (1873).

End of Article: CUSHING, CALEB (1800-1879)

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/CRE_DAH/CUSHING_CALEB_1800_1879_.html">
CUSHING, CALEB (1800-1879)
</a>

(Previous)
CUSH

(Next)
CUSHING, WILLIAM BARKER (18421874)

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email