Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-07-12

| tle sec0nQ was Ihlef Justice woodward,
who had deliberately given an opinion deny
ing the power Of Congress to fill our armies
| by draft. The speaker supposed the third
endorser would be Andrew johnson, and
the fourth probably JEFF Davis
A committee having been appointed TO
wait upon the chairmn elect, Hon John
Scott, Of Huntingdon, that gentleman was
introduced, and after few preliminary re-
marks, in which he returned thanks for the
partiality manifested in his behalf, contin-
ued:
! 1t is not my purpose to detain you with
any lengthy address, for this call has been
| to me so entirely unexpected that / do not
| feel that / am empowered TO speak to this
\ convention on the issues which may be in
| volved in the coming election in such man
ner as they should be discussed before a
| body of this character We are met TO
make nomination of candidate for Judge
of the Supreme Court of our State, and
whatever might be said OF tho Improperly
OF introducing political questions into Judi
elal elections, 40 men can or ought to shut
his eyes to the fact that in all elections for
important offices, for some years to come,
the position which men who are candidates
have occupied in the late rebellion must n
ter into that contest There are iundamen-
tai questions about the structure and now
ers of government which are far more i'm
portant than any questions of mere political
expediency can be; and we have arrived at a
time in the history of our country when we
cannot look with Indifference upon the opin-
ions which our judicial officers hold concern
ing the structure and powers of the Govern
ment. Call If politics, if you will, it is the
kind of politics which involves the life of a
nation; and, in the language of Chief Jus
tice Chase, in that admirabel opinion de-
llYeTed in North Carolina court within the
last few weeks, they are political questions
to which events give the answer. 1t is
highly important for us, gentlemen of the
convention, that We place in nomination to.
day man who will agree to the proposition
that there are legal questions TO which
events have given answer. TreasOn-trait-
ors, that is the word-traitors, in the inter
est of slavery, made an effort to destroy this
Government Loyalty in the interest of
freedom, resisted the attempt, aud has pre-
served it. Thank God for it. And wheth-
er it be the election of Governor, of Con
gressmen, Of Legislator, Ofa President, or
Of Supreme Judge, the question will come
up to every man mind, and upon it all i'm
portant elections viii be decided for years to
come. That question is: Is it safer to en-
hands of the men who did save it than to
turn it over into the hands of those who
either made the effort or sympathized with
the effort made to destroyit? That is the
question that viii be propounded and it is a
significant fact that this rebellion was pre-
ceeded By the opinion of an Attorney Gen
eral which denied the right of the General
Government to enforce obedience to the
laws aud the Constitution Of the land, Ii
is another significant fact that the candi
date presented by the Democratic party
within the last few weeks for the same posi-.
ton for which VIC are called upon to nomi-
g Sandaat e dgaE dgEolhsadd bad b b sdG GS2d 2aPa
Of that opinion, and thus he goes into the
contest saddled with the burden Of Judge
Blacks anti-opinion He could not have
heavier weight to carry, for the opinion Of
that Attorney General has been buried a.
useless rubbish beneath the bones and blood
and bodies Of the loyal men who gave their
lives to refute it. Long continued ap-
plause We are met now when another
opinion of another Attorney General has
been invoked to save the veto message which
was attributed to his authorship, and given
to the world through Andrew johnson,
President of the United States that Con-
gres had not power to iegislate for the land
it had saved, and who, the logic Of that
message falling, now endeavOrs TO construe
the law so as to defeat the well known legis-
lative intent which passed, au., aAich form
ed it. But, thank God again We are met
too, Just following the time when Slckles
and Sheridan Lgreat applause, III which the
voice Of the speaker was drowned we
are met upon the eve Of the meeting Of
Congress, called for the purpose of putting
in unmistakaply alaw which no legal soPhis-
try can sweep away. That we expect them
to do. We have control, through the legis
lative department Of the Government, of
the destinies of the nation. We may say
that we have control Of the ship Of statei and
even if the man lit is an impromptu
metaphor; / do not know where it may end j;
if the man who has charge of thelght house
should seek TO obscure the lantern from the
vessel at sea and run it on the rocks, thank
God We have a crew on the vessel that has
learned the coast and can save themselves.
1t is for us, thCl, to find among the dlstln-
guished gentlemen presented to this con
vention as candidates one who accepts the
logic of events, and one who will say, with
that admirable opinion to which ! have re-
ferred, that the man under this Government
who goes into armed resistance against it,
can come out Of that resistance only in two
ways-either as a successful revolutionist or
a traitor-one who will say that crime is not
absolyed from Its penalty by either its mag
nitude or responsibility; one who will rally
to himself the confidence and support and
votes of all loyal men; for, while we are here
pressing the claims of our respective candl-
dates, It is gratifying feature to know that
none are presented who are not worthy Of
the support of the loyal men Of this
State. Let us come together, then, in this
spirit Of generous rivalry for our friends, and
keep in view always the importance Of keep
ing together this organization Whatever
differences may exist upon minor or subor-
dinate questions, we all will agree in keeping
in view the issues which arc involved in the
success of the Union party.
On motion Of Wayne McNeagh, Esq, Of
Chester nominations were opened for can
didates for Supreme Judge. The Com
mittee on Resolutions being present, JAS.
L. Graham, of Allegheny, nominated Hem
ry w. Williams, Of Allegheny; Lynn Bar
tholomew, of Schuylkill, nominated Edwin
Owen Parry, of Schuylkill; S. Brown, Of
Bucks, nominated NJ. Russell Thayer, of
Philadelphia; j. Smith Further, Of Chester,
nominated William Butler, ofChester Geo.
Bru baker, of Lancaster, nominated Thomas
I + Franklin, of Lancaster; Gen Harry
White, of Indiana, nominated Isaac G.
Gordon, of Jefferson; Geo. i. Miller, of
Union, nominated Samuel Linn. Of Snyder;
George NJ Reed, Of Cambria, nominated
George Taylor, of Huntingdon; III. G.
Tonae of phiIadaInhia Nominated TOseDh