Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1857-08-05
REPLY OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL COM
MITTEE.
Hon VIM Z PAcKrp.


REPLY OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL COM
MIrrEE
Hon. WM. E. PACKER:
Dear Sir Il have laid before the State
Committee the letter signed d. Wilmot, dated
the 18th instant, and am authorized to say to
yeu, that in the opinion of the Committee,
you ought not to accede to the proposition it
contains. The reasons for this opinion will
procede to state:
The slavery question, which it is possible
your opponent proposes to discuss, has very
recently been thoroughly considered and pas
The late Presidential canvass involved the
whole subject so far as it was proper for con-
sideration by our people, and we can perceive
no utility in its rc-discussion at this time nor
any other good reason for re-openiug debate
upon it. The position of our party is well
understood, and requires no yindcation, at
least by any extraordinary proceeding like
that proposed.
A joint canvass by candidates for the Gu
bernatorial office has never been conducted in
this State, nor, believe, in any other North
ern one, and may well be questioned on
grounds Of public policy. If the practice be
once adopted. it will doubtless continue, and
party nominations be uniformly made with
reference to it. No party viii venture to Sc
lect a candidate for this Office who is not quail
ified for the stump; and aptitude for debate
will hence become to be preferred to admins
| trative ability. In short, the result will be
to confine nominations to the class of takers,
and to exclude all others, A rule of party
action which would prevent such men as Ben
jamin Franklin, Simon Snyder, and Francis
r. Skunk, from filling the Executive chair of
O.. h. bol bo IL
nounced rather than adopted.
We believe there is a considerable public
| opinion against the propriety of executive
candidates appearing at all before popular
meetings to solicit votes. This was first prsc-
| ticed by VIM 4. johnson, in 1913, and has
| been to some extent followed by candidates
since The good results of it are not obvious.
| 1t did not originate with the Democratic party,
nor has it ever received any forWal popular
| or party sanction 1t may therefore be con-
sidered an open question it in future practice,
and at all events as forming no part of the
duty of candidate, imposed upon him by his
! nomination.
| While your opponent holds the Office of
President Judge. there is special objection
to the acceptance Of his project. The propri-
ETY. of law judges taking part in political mee-
| tings is denied by our party, and is opposed
by sound public opinion. BY no act whatever
ought we to sanction or become participants
| in a prostitution of the judicial character
| Nor will resignatio now made altogether
remove this objection. Your opponent has
Intentionally held his Office until withie three
mouths of the election (rendering it ihpossi-
BILE to elect successor the present year, and
if a resignation should now take place it would
obviously be with the intention of resuming
the Office after the defeat for the post to which
he aspiers.
The proposed mode of conducting campaigns
may possibly be suited to some of the south
ern and southwestern States where it ha:
been practiced, and whose population and
political condition differ form ours; but it:
Introduction here would be against solid OBJ
fjections, and without any conceivable good =
1t is therefore, proposed Southern aggres
sion upon the practice and policy of parties il
Pennsylvania, which cannot be at all accep
ted or permitted
It is well that this question has arisen whel
we have candidate capable and fit for an.
discussion before the people, and when tn
decision can be placed, without embarrassment
upon public grounds which control it
am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
C. r. BUcKALEw, Chairman.