Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-12-20
OMITTED STATES SENATOR,
From the Montrose Repnblican Dc. III

Republican Senator, but has also had ten
dency to bring many candidates into the held.
The men whose names have been presented for
the Office are generally good men, well fitted
to adorn that high position. But of all the
candidates, there is one, who by his abilities as
statesman, by bis powers as an orator, by bis
great services to the Republican cause, stands
pre-eminent. That man is DAVID WuMor-
Many are aware, while perhaps some are not
aware Of the vast debt which the victorious
party that has just carried Pennsylvania by
1lnety thousand majority, owes to Judge VIII
MOT. When the repeal Of the Missouri Com
promise, against the prayers and remonstrances
OF the united North, demOralizeQ aud destroy
cd the Democratic party, leaving the opponents
OF slavery extension withoat party name or
organization, it was through the wise consels
and under the calm guidance Of Judge WILMor
that order was brought out of chaos and the
friends of freedom in this Congressional Dis,
trict-onca the Gibralter OF Democracy, as it
is now OF epubiicani8m-were organized aud
united into one harmonious party. Susouehanna
county vas the first il the State to organize
Republican party and in the first organization
Wings aud Democrats, in about equal man,
bers, united forgetting old differences and AMI.
mosties and agreeing with their coujoned
strength to resist the dangerous aggressions Of
the Slave Power. What led the free-so Dem
ocratS OF this region, so far in advance of those
in other parts Of the State, to sunder old
party ties, and join in the formation Of the
Republican party? Their principles would
naturally have ultimately led them to it, bnt
By the sagacious and far-seeing counsels of
DAVID WILNoT, they were prompted to take
the lead and frotn o nucleus from which has
grown the powerful and triumphant Republi-
can party Of Pennsylvania We believe that
without the aid Of Judge WILMor we should
still have strong Republican pGrty in North
ern Pennsylvania; but we are firmly convinced
that his lndce ce brought to our organization
thousands of voters that would otherwise have
been to this Gay arrayed against us, either as
part OF the Democratic party, or of q third
party. Let, then, our friends N other parts
Of the State bear in mind, while they point
with pride to the great Republican majoriteS
IN Northern Pennsylvania, that these are due
in no small degree to the personal influence
and exertionS Of DAVID WuMoT
But we would not urge any mans claims to
high Office merely on account OF services rem
dered to the party, however eminent. Judge
WILMoT has other and still stronger claims to
consideration. Els intellect is of the highest
order, clear sagacouS, and practical. We
have heard this slavery question discussed by
many distinguished speakers, bat we never heard
any who brought TO the discussion of the subjtc
so many original ideas, 50 many evidences OF
profound thought, and sta;esmanlke con-
s!deration Of the whole question as the author
Of The Wilmot Proyiso. His knowledge of
national questions. his eioquence as a speaker,
his bo!dneS5 in advocacy OF right, and bis cmjn.
ent services, alike point to him as the man for
the hour. Pennsylvania has made some woful
mistakes,in days past the selection Of mento
represent her in the State Of the United States
but by the election of DAVID WMMoT to that
position she would do herself honor and the
whole country service.
Those who advocate the claims Of other can
didateS generally seem disposed to treat Judge
WILMoT fairly, acknowledging his great SER
vices and eminent abilities; but a few are in
clined to make old party connections the test
OF merit and the basis Of advancement under
the Republican organization. Such q course
would be both unwise and unfair. The Repub-
lican party derives its strength from union of
men from all the old parties. 1t is composed
OF men having q common political faith on the
great questions Of tie day; and what these
men formerly thought, on other, or even tie
same questions,is wholly foreign TO the inquiry
conceraing their fitness for Office. What are
they now? Are they R9publcans--represent
ing fairly and with the ability to represent forci
bly, the principles Of the party In Ju !ge VIII
NoT'S case, the answer must be mos: emphat-
cally in the affirmative. He is recognized
hvn ouF n lIpiCn of a
eminent eXpOnents Of Repubcanism.
Those oid fogies and eleventh hour Repub
licans, who have been at last borne by the ire
sistible tide Of public sentiment uto our ranks,
ought not now to set themselves up as the only
genuine representatives, of Republican pruci.
pies, and undertake to control the Organization
which they had so little to DO in forming.
The leaders Of the Republican movement
the men who showed the ability and courage
OF DAVID WINoT in the hour of doubtful con
hict-are not to DC displaced by the fossil lea
derS of a defunct organization, so soon as the
victory has been won by us-Tho men whose
leadership kept the Wing party OF PennSyl
vania in the minority for a quarter of a cen
tury, are not such men to step in at this time
and undertake to guide the course of the Re-
publican party. The vital principles that un
derlie the Republican organization must be
maintained and any attempt to change our
platform to that of the old Wing party-as
some of these cid fOgy politicians seem Gesir-
ons of doing-would if carried out most Ger
tainly break mp the Republican party and re
duce it to hopeless minority. To abandon
or subordinate the great and vital ideas that
have entered into our late triumph, would en-
tirely break US up, and restore the domination
of the Slave Power upon a stronger basis than
ever before. The fate which has successively, |
and from mainly the same causes, befallen the |
Wing, the American and the Democratic party
vryn,,lj apcupodlv oualyIv hnF. tho