The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1867-08-07
9olitical.
ADDRESS OF THE UNION REPUBLICAN,
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
Committee Rooms,
HARRISBURG, July 27, 1867.


Of the Supreme Court of the State is
about to expire and under the Con-
stitution his successor will be elected
on the second Tuesday Of October
next. This election is every way i'm
portant, and the more so, because of
the great principles and issues involved,
and of the fact that the term is for
fifteen years.
All the powers Of our Governments,
both National and State, are divided
into three classes: the Legislative,
Executive and Judicial. The people
are the source OF all power; and our
Constitutions provide the manner in
which all offices shall be filled, and the
terms for which they shall be held.
The National Judiciary being for life,
and 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 made with the greater
caution and wisdom; for nothing is of
greater public Importance than wise
and patriotic judiciary. Our past his
tory shows constant tendency in these
several departments to enlarge their
respective Jurisdictions, and OCCASION
ally to cncroach 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, gravcly undertook to over
turn the foundations of the Govern
mcnt on that question, and to nullify
and destroy acts Of Congress enacted
by the men who made the Constitu-
tion. The Drcd Scott decision virtually
lcgalizcd and extended slavery over
all the Territories 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 re-
cent civil war was inauguratcd, our
State judiciary, by a denial Of the
constitutional powers of Congress and
of our State Legislature, in measures
absolutely necessary to carry on the
war and save the nation, 50 impcrilcd
our cause as to make intelligent patri-
ots everywhere trcmbIc for the issue of
the contest, True, these false theories
did not prevail. But it is equally true
the continued assertion Of them par
alyzcd the arms of both the National
and State Governments, distracted and
dishcartcncd our people, gave aid and
comfort tothc enemy, prolonged the
war, and added immcasurably to our
sacrifices ofblood and treasure. Hence
it is, "That warned by past misior-
tunes, 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 de
cisons seek to set aside laws vital to
the nation"
Who, then, are Henry W. Williams
and George Sharswood, the candidates
for this vacant seat upon the Supreme
bench L? What arc their past records,
and where do they stand, in these
evcntiul times, and on these momentous
issues? The veal or woe of the Com
monwcalth, and perhaps of the nation,
is involved in these questions and it
behooves every patriotic voter in the
State to examine them with care.
OF Judge Williams, the Union Re
publican candidate, we here propose to
give no extended biography. He is
high-toncd Christian gentleman, about
forty-six years of age, Il ripe scholar,
anda learned and eminent lawyer, with
fifteen years judicial experience, on
the bench of the District Court of
Allegheny county. He was first elect
ed Judge in 1851, when he ran over
one 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 Pittsburgh Post, (thc principal
Democratic paper Of the West shows
the estimation in which he is held by
political adversaries:
"Thc nomination of the Hon. Henry
w. Williams as candidate for Judge
of the Supreme Court is good one.
He wos the best man named before the
Republican Coareation, and possesses
legal and moral qualifications for the
responsible position to which he has
been nominated"
He is of the Webster and Clay
school of politics, and during the re-
cent civil war, from the beginning to
the end, did everything in his power,
through his means, his voice, and his
votes, to strengthen the hands and en-
courage the hearts of the loyal people
in the struggle to maintain the Union.
Who, and what Judge Sharswood
is, as a public man, will appear from
what follows:
Early in the history of this nation
political sentiment became divided on
the powers of the National and State
governments, and their true relations
to each other. On these divisions two
great parties weresubsequently founded.
The one, known as the State Rights
party, had John c. Calhoun for its
recognized champion; and the other,
for its recognized leader, had the great
expouder Of the Constitution, Daniel
Webster. The former held free trade,
and the right of notification and Sc
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