The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-08-03
A PARTTZAN JUDICIARY.

Wefind in he Radical platform upon
which Mr.. Williams is placed as can
didate for the Office of Supreme Judge,
the following resolution:
'That warned by past misfoltunes,
we ask that the Supreme Court of the
State be placed in harmony with the
political opinions of the majority of the
people, to the end that the .court may
never again, by unjust decisions, seek
to set aside laws vital to the nation, nor
imperil the safety of the public securi-
ties, nor impair the operation of the
bounty, pension and tax laws, which
were required for the public defence;
nor i'm any way thWart measures witch
were essential to the public protection;
but that, on the other hand, it may be-
come and remain a fit and faithful in
terpreter of the liberal spirit of the age,
a bulWark Of public faith, and an inn
partial and fearless exponent of the
equal rights of man."
Ifthere is a single lawyer in the
whole State, who has so little respect
for the purity and independence of the
judiciary, or who values the dignity
and integrity of his profession so light,
ly, as to endorse the spirit of the above
resolution, he ought to be kicked out
of the bar. The idea that the Supreme
Court, or any other court, should be
controlled in its decision of grave le-
gal questions, by the fact that the ma
iority party is on one side, or the other,
of such questions, must strike the
mind of every man who is not knave,
or fool, as not only supremely ridi-
culous, but utterly inconsistent with
the genius of our government. If le
gal questions are to be decided by the
vote of the people, what use is there
for the Judiciary? If the catch-votes,
thebought votes, the ''coIonized" votes,
the "fence-men," which have made up
the majority, for years, in this state,
are to decide issues Of law involving
life, liberty and property, what need
of electing a Supreme Judge at all?-
Is the Court to be a mere machine, in
the hands of the candiIe who vibrate be-
tween the lines of the two political or
CARNATIONS and give the majority
now to this party, now to that? Or it
to be simply clerk to register the O.
pipio,as (heaven save the mark y of that
majority composed of Tom, Dick and
Harry and their fellow rowdies, imbe-
Giles and purchaseables Surely, if the
programme laid down in the Radical
platform, is to be carried out, the Su-
preme Court cannot have any opinions
independent of such majority. In
stead of telling US what the LaW is on
any given question, they will say,
hereafter, "There were hundred, or
thousand, or ten thousand more votes,
at the last election, for one side of the
question, than for the other, and we
decide accordingly" Good Lord what
a system! Jurisprudence reduced to
figures! There is no wisdom but the
wisdom of Radicalism, and Henry w.
Williams is its prophet! But, does not
every body know that one of the prin
cipal reasons for the establishment of
Courts of Justice, is the protection of
the weak against the oppression of the
strong, the security of the rights of mi
norities against the encroachments of
majorities? If the Courts are to be
the mere tools of the majority, there
can be no limit to the excesses which
the representatives of that majority
willcommit. The only restraints upon
them will be turned into forces to be
used by them to effect their purposes.
Is it possible-great God! can it really
be-that we have so far retrogaded in
civilization that we are ready to make
our courts ofjustice but the echo of the
voice of the mob! No! no! The fools
and scoundrels are not yet so plentiful
as to carry Pennsylvania for the endorse
ment of doctrine so infamous as this.
There is banner floating yonder-oh!
how proudly it flies to the breeze-in-
scribed, AN INDEPENDENT JUDI
CIARY-FOR SUPREME JUDGE,
GEORGE SHARSWOOD- and victo-
ry will perch upon that banner, on the
second Tuesday of October next.
HYPOCRISY BOILED DOWN.