The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-27
ADDRESS OF THE UNION REPUBLICAN
STATE GBNTgAb COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE Rooms,
ARRIsBURg, July 26, 1867.
To the People Of Pennsyivsnia. @

WOOuWaTu Onle1 justice OF the supreme OouIt u
the State lie about to expire; and under the consul,
tntton his successor will be elected on the second
Tuesday OF October next. This election Is every
way important, and the more so because OF the
great principles and issues involved ana OF the
fact that the term is for htteen years -.
tional and State, are divided into three classes
the Legislative, Executive and Judicial. Inc
people are the source of all power, and our con-
stitutions proyide the manner in which all offices
shall be filed, and the terms for Whlcn tney snall
that OF the State judiciary fifteen years, changes In
these tribunals are wrought more slowly than in
the other branches Of the government and hence
should be nj ade with the greater caution and
yyisdom for nothing is of greater public import
mast history shows a constant tendency In these
several departments TO enlarge their respective
jurisdictions, and occasionally to enoroach on each
other; and especially is this true of the judiciary
1t is but recently the Supreme Court of the United
States, in the interests of slavery, gravely under
took 10 overturn the foundations OF the govern
uent on that question, and TO nullify and destroy
acts Of Congress enacted by the men who made the
Constitution. The Dred Scott decision virtually
Iegazed and extended slavery over all the terri
tories of the Union, in defiance of Congress and the
people, and laid down principles which, but for
subsequent events, would have extended slavery
and made it lawful in all the States And after the
recent civil war was inaugurBted our State judi
ciary, by a denial OF the constitutional powers Of
Congress and OF our State Legislature, in measures
absolutely necessary 70 carry on the war and save
the nation so impeTiled our cause as to make intel
ligent patriots everywhere remble for the issue Of
TTne these false theories did not prevail But
IL s equally true the continued assertion of them
paralyzed the arms of both the national and State
governments, distracted and disheartened our
people, gave aid and comfort to the enemy, pro-
longed the war, and added lmmeasurably to our
sacrifices OF blood and treasure. Hence it is
1That warned by past msfortunes we ask that
the Supreme Court of the State be placed in har-
mony 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"
Who, then, are HENRY W. WILLIAMS and
GEORGE SHARswooD, the candidates for this va
cant seat upon the Supreme bencn2 What are
there past records and where do they stand, in
these evenuul times, and on these momentous
issues7 The veal or woe of the commonwealth,
and perhaps of the nation, is involved in these
questions; and it behooves every patriotic voter
in the State examine them with care.
or Judge Williams the Union Republican can
ography. He iR a high-toned Christian gentleman,
about forty y-six years of age, ripe scholar, and
learned and eminent lawyer, with fifteen years
judicial experience on the Bench of the District
Court of Allegheny county. He was first elected
Judge in 1851, when he ran over a thousand votes
ahead of his ticket and was reelected in 1861 by
the unanimous vote of all parties. The following
extract from an editorial in the Pittsburg Post
1.-THE principal Democratic paper OF the west)
shows the estimation in which he is held by politi-
cal adversaries
liams as a candidate for Judge of the Supreme
Court is good one He the best man named be-
fore the Republican Convention, and possesses legal
and moral qualifications for the responsible posi-
ton to which he has been nominated"
He is OF the Webster and CLAY school OF politics,
and during the recent civil war, from the begin
ming to the end, did everything in his power,
through his means, his voice and his votes, to
strengthen the hands and encourage the hearts of
the loyal people in the struggle to maintain the
Who and what Judge Sharswood is as public
man, will appear from what follows:
Early in the history of this nation political sen.
timent became divided on the powers of the Ma
tional and State governments, and their true rela
tions to each other. On these divisions two great
parties subseq uently founded. The one,
known as the State Rights party, had John O. Oal-
houn for its champion and the other, for its recog
niZed leader, had the great expounder of the Con-
stitHtion, Daniel Webster. The former held free
trade, and the right OF nufcation and secession
cardinal doctrines, denying the constitutional pow
er OF Congress to impose duties for protection, and
claiming nullihcation and secession as inherent
rights aSae The letter denied these assumptions,
and between these conflicting principles and par
ties there has been perpetual warfare. In the
main the old Wing party ranged itself under the
banner of Webster, and the Democratic party
under that of Calhoun. One of the Legitimate
fruits of the State rights doctrine was the rebel
lion OF 1874, in South Carolina, the avowed object
of which was to nullify the protective tariff law
of Congress, enacted in 1928. The country at that
time was saved from disastrous civil war by the
frmness of President Jackson, the wisdom OF Con-
gress, and the patriotism of General Scott. That
effort at rebellion and civil war failed, and the
principle upon which IT was based was repu-
dated. But in 1860 and 1861 South Carolina and
other rebel States again endeavored to put In force
their State rights doctrine OF secession The SYM
Buchanan and his advisers contributed TO the
success of the effort that its contamination could
only be prevented by a long, desperate and bloody
In the end, and after fearful sacrifices of life and
treasure, the rights and power of the national go
Vernment were again vindicated, and the Calhoun
doctrine of secession was again overthrown. Such,
at least has been the popular conviction and
cause for reoicing and even the worst OF southern
rebels have been compelled to confess IL, and for
two years past have been weeping over their "lost
cause" Strange, sad and incredible as IL may
seem, we are already called upon to fight these
great issues over again! The Democratic party,
with Judge Sharswood for its leader, and with
Free Trade, State Rights and Secession upon Its
banner is again marshaling It's nosts and now
summoninR to the field of political combat on
these same issues! That party, at their national
conventions in 1856 and 1860, re-adopted what are
known as the Virginia ana Kentucky resolutions
OF 1898 and 1899 as part of their platforms.
These resolutions arc known as the embodiment
of the old State rights and Calhoun doctrines
They do not regard the relations OF the States OF
people thereof to the United States as constituting
a Government, in the ordinary and proper sense OF
the term, but declare them to be merely q compact
and that in all other cases Of compact among par
lies hGUiHg common judge, each party has an equG
Ttght to judge for itseg, As WELL OF 1NFRAoTIoNs
AS OF THE MODE AND MEASURE OF REDRESS"
Under this free Democratic charter for rebellion
the lawful election of Abraham Lincoln as Presi
dent OF the United States was claimed by the peo
pie OF the rebel States as an 'Hnfraction" OF thu
iIcompact;" and they chose secession ana civil wal
as the "Hode," and the destruction Of the UnioI
and State independence "the measures Of redress
The Democratic party at its last National OonYen
ton proclaimed the war failurei and 1t has nov
put in the field a lifelong Free Trade and Stat
Rights candidate, whom Judge Black indorsed a.
one who "will stand by the Constitution and gtVi
pure law"--viZ who Will stand by the Oonsutu
ion as the State Rights party construe 1t, and Civ
us such tspure law" as Judge Black has given Pre-
sident Buchanan and Andrew Johnson.
Judge Sharswood and his party friends have
not only denied the lawful power OF the nauona
government to coerce rebelllous state, 70 max
and enforce q draft, 70 make paper money a lega
tender, 70 emaneipate and arm negroes, to punisl
rebels and traitors by disfranehisement TO suspend