The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-05

exclusively foreign VOTE.
Does Judge SharswOOd Endorse the
Democratic PlatfOTmg
WE see no reason to answer the question
which stands as the title of this article other
wise than in the affirmative. A party, unless
it be mere spoils organization, held together
by the Cohesive power of public plunder,"
must have some basis of professed principles
as its bond of union and its object of reaIiza-
tion. And as men even of the same party
cannot be supposed to think alike upon all
topics, platform is adopted as the authorita-
tive exposition of party principles and of party
belief. Until changed, it constitutes the creed
of the party. 1t is entirely fair, therefore, to
hold every member of party as believing in
the doctrines announced inthe party platform,
just as it is to hold the member of church
as asserting to the confession of faith of the
body to which he belongs. Much more so is
this the case with regard to a party
candidate. When a party assemblies in
Convention, puts forth its platform as the au-
thoritative declaration of its doctrines, and
then nominates a candidate, that candidate, in
accepting the nomination thus made, is held by
every rule that obtains among gentlemen to
endorse the platform, unless he specifically
and publicly advertises the world to the con-
trary. For him to accept the nomination on a
certain platform, and then, after his election,
to discard its doctrines and its policy, so long
as they remain the doctrines and policy of the
party which elected him, would be political
| treachery of the basest kind. If he takes ex-
ception to certain portions of the platform, he
must make that fact publicly known while he
is a candidate, or he is guilty of gross fraud
upon his supporters. In the absence of
formal and positive disclaimer, b.. Is firstly
held to fully endorse the platform spon which
he was nominated.
These principles Of political ethics and re-
spOnsibility are so universally recognized by
all parties in our oOuntry. that we should not
thus particularly advert to them and dwell
upon them, were not the assertion put forth
in some quarters, by the supporters of Judge
Sharswood, that he does not endorse the platform
upon ochich he is running. If he does not, he is
perpetrating a fraud upon the party which
nominated him. We have too much respect
for him as a man to believe that he would
do that. He is certainly not seeking an cleo
ton on false pretenses. Obnoxious as the
doctrines of the platform upon which he
stands are to us, we would much rather sup
port him as their acknowledged representa-
tive, than as political trickster ostensibly
running upon platform whose principles he
really did not accept. There is no public vice
in this country tn at can compare with poll
tical treachery. All parties are obliged to trust
their candidates. The genius of our institu-
tions compels us to accept the professions of
those men whom we nominate for office. He
who accepts nomination as the representa-
tive of a party organization, based upon a
platform of avowed principles, and then when
he is elevated to power betrays his party and
abandons its principles, is the basest of scoun-
drels. We are at this time, in this country,
suffering under the gravest of evils on
account of just such treachery as this.
But we really see no cause to suppose that
| Judge Sharswood does not fully endorse the
| platform of the party convention which nomi-
mated him. He has accepted the nomination.
He has made no public protest against the
platform in any of its particulars. He is run
| ming as the Democratic candidate--their
avowed standard bearer. There is, therefore,
no ground for supposing that he does not en-
dOrse the platform, except such ground as
would at once impeach his personal character
and render him unworthy the support of any
party. Besides, the doctrines of that platform,
especially those most obnoxious to Republi-
cans, are those of which Judge Sharswood has
long been an advocate. No doubt he honestly
ent@tains them, and would do all that he
could on the bench to give them effect. It is
for this that he was nominated and is running
His advocacy of the dogma of State sove-
reignty is no new thing He is veteran in
that cause. And, indeed, we do not see how
the Democratic Convention that nominated
him could have found a more appropriate can
didate to represent the doctrines of the plat
form they adopted. He may truly be said to
be the incarnation Of that platform; and those
who believe in it, and wish to see it become
the ruling policy both in State and nation.
may vote for Judge SharswOod with the fullest
and most confident assurance that they are
doing all that they possibly Oan to accomplish
that end.