The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-10-21
Tribute of Respect.

Tribute of Respect.
Prompted by friendship, and Welding
to the request of those who loved him.
bring contribution TO your columns.
which may serve as a slight garland to
be flung upon the new made grave of
JOHN G. BATES.
Your building drsped iu mourning al.
ready announces to our community that
the senior Editor of the Journal is dead:
but 1t is proper to spread more widely
this sad intelligence, and to give at least
a brief sketch of the character and life of
the deceased.
Maj, BATES expired at the country res
idence of Mrs T NJ CowLEs, near this
city, about 2 o'clock p NJ. on the god
inst, in the 44tb year of his age. He
was Northern man by birth aud educa-
tion-being son Of the late Rev. DIR.
Bates, a Presby terrain minister, and Pros.
idtnt for many years of Middlebury
College Vt. He was born 10 Boston but
was reared in Vermont, and educated a
the college over which his father presi.
dod
When quite young be caue to Virgin.
10, and passed some time in that State
teaching in private family. Subsequent.
ly be came still farther South and enea.
ged in the same useful and honorable
pursuit in this county. Removing to
Montgomery, be became member Of the
family Of the writer of this article and
after diligent reading of the law. was adj
mitted to the bar. He (ispla, ed howev
ef very decided taste for politics. and
he abandoned the law for the editorial
life. He established, in the spring of
ls40, political newspaper in Wetunka
Gale The Times" and he entered with
great ardor into the support Of Gen. Har.
rison, the Wing candidate for the Presi.
dency. Such was the ability displayed
by Mr. Bates in the conduct of his paper
that be acquired, within short time
very high reputation and at the open
ing of the year ls41-after Gen. Harri.
sons triumphant clec.ion-tho writer of
this notice prevailed on him to fix bis res
idence in this city, and take charge Of
the editorial department of the "Aia5a-
ma Journal" apoat which he continued
to hold, without retiring from it for
day. up to the hour of his death The
ardor, the ability,tb her oio spirit, which
distinguished him, are we'll known to all
who have been accustomed to read the
columns of the Journal
Mr. BATES WAS distinguished for the ex.
tent and accuracy of his political infor.
nation. In this respect he was not sur.
passed by any one known to me. indie.
pendent of this, he was fine scholar
his mind had been carefully cultivated
and he enjoyed the enriching aud rein.
ing influence of classical learning. When
in health, and entering gladly into the
tasks of editorial life, his leaders were
uncommonly 6no, and his illustrations
and quotations from the classics were sin.
gularly feicitous. There was, too, in
his organization, something which gave
peculiar charm to his editorial produc
lonesome thing apart from and supe.
rior to his intellectual facultiss--his NOR
al qualities we're of noble order. Gen.
erous and manly BY nature, he mover
could be malignant and while his en
thusiasm in behalf of his party aud his
friends blazed up, he never would lend
himself to ignoblo task The business
Of detraction he scorned and whilo al.
ways impetuous and eager for political
combats his helmet could be seen blazing
in the midst of the fight; yet be sought no
personal object, or thrust at any from
hate-but gave and received blows in
open field. He never stopped to tho baser
uses Of partizan warefare.
Mr.. BATES was hig-emiucntly,
emphatioally a Whig-and never for a
moment did he display from the mast
head Of the vessel which he commanded
any other than the flag Of that great ma.
tional party. He supported Gen. Har.
rison, as whig-Henry Clay, asa Wing
and Mr.. Fillmore, as Wing Always
persistently he refused to be anything
but Wing; and when that great par.
ty gave up its org anization, he adhered
to it-still calling on its shattered lie.
gions to form once more upon the field
Of their former triumphs and their az.
cicnt glory-aud to the last, invoking
one mors impetuous charge from the
''Old Guard" II, from the chamber
where he met his death he could have
spoken 1t would have been in the spirit
Of Marmion urging his friends and com.
rades to contend still for victory, and
bear up the sinking standard,
AS man, Mr. Bates was of a very
noble nature frank, kind, refined, and
generous, he was at oil times truthful
yet always manifestipg sincere respect
for the feelings Of others He WIS gen
tleman, in all that constitutes one-he
might we'll lay claim to that high title,
His manners we're those of gentleman, as
we'll as his feelings and he always ex.
hibitedhi claim to respect by the very
respect which be manifested for others.
A kind heart beat within his bosom as
generous soul informed his whole being
His political sentiments never interfered
with bis social relations A Northern
man by birth and education, yet he be.
came Southern in his sentiments, his af.
fections, and his interest Never sectional
never denouncing Northern men with