The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-27
The Democratic .'Dodge' in the Judi
Cial Canvass.

The Democratic .EDOdge" in the Judi
cial Canvass.
WHEN the Democratic leaders nominated Judge
SharswOOd for the Supreme Bench they put
him upon platform of the most radical, ex-
treme and offensive partisan dsctrines-doo-
trines which have been repudiated over and
over again by the people of this Commonwealth,
and which are even distasteful to quite large
portion of the Democratic party itself. They
were not satisfied to let him run upon his
merits as jurist and his character as man.
They determined to make him the standard
bearer of the extreme wing of their party.
He was 30 run as a politician. Moreover, if
elected, he was to be committed to carrying
out, on the Bench, the offensive doctrines of
the platform.
The nomination thus made fell COldly upon
the people. Not particle of enthusiasm was
manifested. Numbers of the Democratic party
grumbled and denounced the faulty of their
leaders. Hwas seen that grave mistake had
been made. What was to be donei A new con-
vention could not be called. The platform could
not be changed, nor would it do for Judge
SharswOod to come out and openly repudiate it.
Finally, the desperate expedient was hit upon
of trying to play the nOn-portiSan dodge before
the people, during the canvass, of representing
Judge Sharswood as great and honest jurist,
who would decide cases solely according to the
law, of. clamOring to keep the Judiciary cut of
the mire of politics, and of charging the Re-
publicans with trying to elect a Judge bound
to act as partisan in every case which should
come before him. The character of the expe-
dent resorted to indicates the straits to which
the party was reduced. 1t was a complete
change of front in the very midst of battle.
Starting out as the champions of the EXTREMIST
doctrines of the Democratic party, Haunting
their obnoxious principles defantly to the
breeze, we suddenly behold them raising white
flags, and claiming to be the most humble and
quiet disciples of peace
But this dodge will hardly win, and that
simply because it is a dodge, a trick, scheme
of deception. Judge Sharswood still stands
upon the platform. There is his avowed de-
claration of principles. If we ask him hour
he will decide questions of constitutional law,
should he be elected, he points us to the plat
lOIlns 1ho pldIlOIu lS his interpretation OF me
Constitution; it is his declaration of principles,
which lie at the bottom of the law as he ex-
poets to expOund it. Instead, then, of being
likely to get non-partisan on the bench
should we elect Judge Sharswood we find that
we would get judge committed to carrying
out the EXTREMIST doctrines of the Copperhead
wing of the Democratic party. Instead of a
disciple of Marshall and Story, we should have
a follower of Calhoun and Taney. Our Su-
preme Bench would become the refuge and
home Of the infamous and exploded doctrine
OF State sovereignty, which plunged the nation
into the late terrible war. Is this what the
people desire? II so, let them vote for Judge
sharswoOd, the nominee of the Democratic
party, running upon Copperhead platform
II not, let them vote for Judge Williams, the
nominee of the great Union Republican party
a jurist scholar, and a sound constitutional
lawyer.