and certainly he could not have had success, in the later period of his
career.

Mr. Rantoul died at the age of forty-seven. Had he lived to take part
in the affairs of the war and of reconstruction, there can be no doubt
that he would have achieved great distinction. He had convictions in
which Cushing was deficient. He had courage in civil affairs, which
Mr. Choate did not possess. Of Choate it can be said, that he lived
long enough to establish his claim to the first place at the American
bar, if he be judged by what he said, and by what he did. Mr. Cushing
had a long career. As to him, there is no room for conjecture. He
had great power for acquisition. As an aid to others less well
equipped his society and counsels were invaluable. He had a vast fund
of knowledge in law, in history, in diplomacy, and in general
literature. It was his misfortune that he early lost the public
confidence, and it was a continuing misfortune that he never regained
it. While it cannot be claimed that either of these three persons is
entitled to a place in general history, it may be said with truth,
that the birth of Cushing, Choate and Rantoul in a single county and
in a single decade was an unusual circumstance in the affairs of the
world.

Mr. Robert Rantoul, Sr., as the oldest member, called the Convention to
order and presided until the election of Mr. Banks as president. His
administration of the duties of the chair commanded the approval of the
Convention, and that without regard to personal or party feeling.

The election of General Pierce to the Presidency in 1852 was fatal to
the coalition in Massachusetts. Upon his accession to the office, in
March, 1853, General Cushing became Attorney-General of the United
States, and in the summer or autumn of 1853 he wrote a letter to a
gentleman in Worcester, which was interpreted as a declaration of
hostility on the part of the administration against all Democrats
who affiliated with Free-soil politicians. The election of 1852 had
been favorable to the Whigs of Massachusetts, but the contest was
fatal to the Whig Party in a national point of view. That party
disappeared in the country, and after two elections in Massachusetts,
that of 1852 and 1853, it ceased to have power in the State. For many
years after, there were occasional attempts to revive it, but all such
attempts were vain. It was led by intelligent and well-disposed men,
but its principles were not accepte