New-York tribune., 1867-07-30
THE PENNSYLVANIA CANVASS.

Pennsylvania in October next is to elect a
Chief-Justice of her Supreme Court, and deep
interest is properly taken in the result. The
Republicans have nominated Henry w. Will
Hams, and the Democrats George Sharswood
and these gentlemen are both distinguished
lawyers, who command the respect of their po-
itical opponents and are supported with more
than usual earnestness by their friends. But
there is danger that the canvass will drift into
a contest unworthy of the true issues before
the people. We cannot indOrso the address
of the Republican State Committee, in which
Judge SharswoOd is attacked with more zeal
than discretion. He is denounced as the orator
of States Rights celebration, held in the
dark ages of 1884, as il an act of 80 years ago
could have vital meaning now. The very
tOasts offered by Others at the dinner in 1884
are quoted to show that Judge SharswoOd Is
not fit for the Office of Chief-Justice, and the
editorials of obscure Democratic papers are
copied in capital letters, as proof OF his SYM
pathy with the Rebellion. The case OF Bowie
agt. Trott in which Judge Sharswood decided
against the Constitutional power of Congress
TO make paper money, is also advanced as an
argument against his election-a purely legal
made solely upon Judge Sharswoods under
standing of the law.
We submit that this is not the way in which
Pennsylvania should elect her chief judicial
officers. Such canvass should be conducted
upon the highest ground possible in party
rivalry, and especial care should be taken not
to drag in the dirt the ermine of justice The
formal decisions of eminent judges upon points
of law ought NOT to be banded about i'll appeals
to popular passion. The purity and honor OF
the Judiciary are more than party triumph. III
the decisions of Court are to be the subject OF
party strife, and debated in stump speeches,
| we may bid farewell to an Independent and
| fearless Judiciary. Hold the Judge accOunta-
| bio to a political party for his construction OF
the law, and we inevitably tempt him to sac
| rifce his integrity to become that meanest OF
| all orcaturcS-a sworn minister or justice
| obedient to the dictates of politicians. IL Is
! precisely this tendency which we fear the Re
publican State Committee of Pennsylvania un-
| consciously encourage, and we would bid them
take warning by tho wretched and degraded
| reputation of the Judiciary of this City, in
which the Courts have become the mere
tools of political clubs. Pennsylvania surely
| does not WISH tlc tiuio 10 Cohio "HOn
Judges like Cardozo, elected in the in
terest of the rrmsellers, shall fill the high
est seats Of the law. AL that the Committee
say of Judge Williams we thoroughly indOrSe
he is in every respect deserving of the great
Office of Chef-Justicc of the State, and it is
his election that We desire. With the politics
of Judge Sharswood we differ, and would have
tho Pennsylvania Republicans oppose him on
political grounds but on those only. We
would baye Justice kept sacred, and would
never willingly see Judges, sworn to honestly
administer tho law. held responsible for their
decisions by either Of the political parties.