Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-06-20

State Of Pennsylvania, any position OF
honor or dignity in their power TO be-
stow. OF great learning, spotless in
tcgrity, aud large sympathies, he has
won for himself such an estimation
from his icllow-citizens as must respect
bis wishes, whether they be for public
service or retirement He upheld the
law in the face Of popular clamor, and
made it respected in the midst ofa pas
sionate civil strife, and against the
irowns OF power He was tolerant
even to the intolerant, and serenely
brave, at time when such virtues
brought their possessors obloquy rath-
or than reward. 1t would have been,
thereiorc,a a great pleasure to tho Dem
ocrats of Pennsylvania had they been
permitted tocontinue on the Supreme
Bench one vho has so much adorned
it. Judge Woodward has, however,
denied them that qualification. His
views Of his duty, as expressed in his
letter declining denomination pub.
lished in these columns some weeks
ago, so imperativcly resisted the pop
ular inclination, that no course was
left to the Democracy but that of re-
spectful though regretful assent to his
wishes. In this situation, with the
Judgeship of the Supreme Court in
their gift, great solicitudc was mani
tested as to the proper person upon
whom the judicial mantle should fall
and without disparagement to any OF
the learned and distinguished gentle
men named for that exalted position,
it is no exaggoration TO say that the
eyes and hearts Of all who cared for
the reputation of the Bench and the
glory of the Commonwealth instinct
lively turned with one accord to the
Hon. GEORGE SHARswooD, of this city,
whose unanimous nomination by the
State Convention was but the official
expression and ratification of that uni.
versal public sentiment which dc.
manded it.
Judge Sharswood sprung Of a we'll
known Pennsylvania family, was born
on the 7th Of July, 1910, lie gradu.
ated on the 3lst Of July, 1923, at the
University Of Pennsylvania, with the
highest honors, delivering the Greek
salutory oration. He studied law
with the Hon. Joseph II. Ingersoll
and was admitted to practice on the
5th of September, 1881. In 1887
five years after his admission TO The
bar, he was elected from the City ol
Philadelphia to the Legislature of bis
native State. This was at a time
when that body numbered among It's
members many Of the most distin.
guished men Of the State, and wher
to be a member Of it was an honor
In 1888, he was chosen a member Of
the Select Council of the City of Phil
adelphia. In lS4l and 1912 he wa:
again elected to the Legislature. On
the Sth OF April, lS45, upon the rcor-
ganization of the present District
Court for the City and County o.
Philadelphia, be received at the hand'
of that pure patriot, the late Governor
Skunk, the appointment Of Judge OF
that Court; and on the 1st of Febru.
airy, lS4s, became the President, one
Of his senior associates yielding the
place to him. When the Constitution
was changed in 1851 and the judiciary
became elective, and again Ia 1861, hC
was elected by the people without an
opposing candidate, the unusual hon.
or of a nomination by both Of the
great political parties having been
conferred upon him.
Thus, for over twenty-five years
has Judge Sharswood been a member
Of, and for nearly twenty years pre-
sided over, the busiest court in this
large city. How he has filled that of
flee the universal testimony Of the
Philadelphia Bar will testify II is
not too much TO say that no Judge
who ever sat in this county has com.
manded to so great a degree the re-
spect and confidence, and, if we ex.
cept Judge Bushrod Washington, the
affection of the profession as Judge
Sharswood. lfit were possible to es.
innate the value in money which such
a judge has been to this community
during the long period OF his official
service, the sum would eeem exagger.
ated to any not familiar with his
worth.
His systemization Of the business
of the Court has prevented costly de-
lays, and his opinions have such
weight that few lawyers care to risk
the expense Of a writ of error from
his judgments. He has constructed
the practice of his court, aud almost
created the local law Of the commu.
nifty. During all this time, he has
been, if not prolific, an habitual and
most careful legal writer and author.
His edition OF Blackstone, of Bylcs
on Bills, his annotations to English
Reports, his Professional Ethics and
Lectures, have given him n national
reputation as wide as it is well found
cd. All over the United States he i.
regarded as foremost as a iurist, n
lawyer, and a scholar No new testi.
monials can add to his reputation
The people of the State Of Ponnsylva.
MIA while conierrng upon Judge
Sharswood the additional homer OF
electing him to the Judgsbip OF the
Supreme Court, will extend the credit
and dignity Of that tribunal, and en-.
large the character Of the Common.
wealth itself--Age
- -
Horace Greeley terms the New
York loyal leaguers "blockheads,
and the language Of the celebrated
disunionist, Wendell Phillips, in a re