The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-17
POSITION OF MR.. BATES

exposition of the views of Mr. Bates unor :.
subject of Slavery. The following ex,r,,.
from the article embrace all the points ms
which his opinions are given, and we only o..
the arguments and illustrations by which tb..
are sustained. The Nelcs says:
"Mr. Bates does not believe that GAG.
Slavery is the cornerstone of Liberty
He does not believe that African Slava,-
beneficial institution, either in social -
litical, or religious sense. Not in a social ,ar ~
| because it sets at naught the family ral,,;.'T
and separates man and wife, parents and cIr
dren, at the caprice or on the necessi,ss =,
owners. Not in political sense becap,s :,
productive of discords between nations that
crate it, and nations that do not; and bec,.-.
1t is liable to panics, commotions. insurrac,;,,.
ana massacres, and has ended often in No.,
revolutions. Not in a religious sense. bec.r..
II shuts the mind against knowledge makes,L.
word OF God sealed book to the slave arj
gives his body to the service of a human M.
ter whereas the body of every created -
should be freely given to the service Of Go5 q
Because Mr.. Bates does not believe T..
Slavery IS beneficial institution, either in
social, political, or religious sense. he i -
teTdGty opposed TO ats extension into Terrific,
atTeGdy free. Mr.. Bates, in his political cr..i
Is Henry Clay Wing; and Mr.. CLAW decs,5
that his fright arm should drop fror, =
shoulder before he would vote 10 extend S'av.
ry over one foot of territory already free. N
Bates heartily endorses that sentiment. an
holds to that creed '-
Mr.. Bates does not believe that the Cons
tuhon, by Its proper vigor, carries Slavery IN.
all the territories that may be acquired ir n.
United States. He believes that Fraedor,
the rule, and Slavery the exception. He dos,
not believe that Slavery can exist in anv ts--
tory acquired by the Government of the Cpt4
States, except by the pOSitiUe idlc Of Connie,
| That positive law Mr.. Bates would not h. (,
favor of passing, because, for reasons alre,j-
given, ne IS opposed to the extension Of SLAYER
into territory already free.
off it be held that this exclusion or ..-
property from territory acquired by the can
mon blood and treasure Of the Union !.
| tabllshes an invidious distinction between y,
sections of the UniOn-that it denies 10 d.
South rights that are freely given to the Nortb-
Mr.. Bates denies emphatically that it has an,
such effect. The distinction complained Of
coeval with the Government. Ii is no 1s
thlng-no modern hardship-in fact no har.
ship at all. The tocdtjziRg Of Slaverv-is
prohibition of its emgrating and estajIishir-
itself IN free terrtory-was embodied in he
compact OF the Union at the beginning B-
for this limitation, the slave States got a,
more than an equivalent in being allowed in tss
National Congress and in Presidential election,
three Uotes for eceJy fire SlareS. Slaves DO No
vote, but their masters vote for them. TIL
votes of tlco men in the South count as mua
as the votes OF. fire men in the free States.
Why should this be so 4? If slaves are os. /
property, as the Southern man will say vi,
should not the Northern mans prOpeytv v.
also? 1t is all only property. When the sa7
holder Is disposed to complain, therefore, il
a distinction is made against him, that he ca,
not go into the common territory Of the cor.
try and take his property, the citizen Of the ra /
State can reply-"It is not property Ike M /
property that you wish to take, but it is proper
that rotes, it is property that gives you tl~o ar
nay rotes to my oHe-it is property tfg !
makes me inferior TO you in our relation,
the Federal Government; and that is not fl-
when we come to occupy what has been bought
by the common blood and treasure of th /
Union.
"If Mr.. Bates does not believe Slavery
be wise and a useful institutOn-if he 1
free-he nevertheless Just as firmly adhere. /
the rights of property in slaves in all the States
where Slavery exists, and will 20 Just as fan 70
protect the rights of States in that species q
property, as long as those States choose to ket
it, as any man living.
Mr.. Bates believes in the unqualified r-s /
Of the owuer to recover his slaves. if thew es
cape to a free State; and, if President, be /
Il, L. -
army and navy of the Government were cqaa
to the task. And if the fugitive slave law
should be repealed, or should be found made /
quate to the service Of returning abscondrg 4
slaves to their masters, Mr. Bates would lr
gently recommend to Congress to pass some
law that would more certainly and more ac
ceptably carry out the constitutional guanl
ties of the rights Of Southern Shareholders
He would consider the Union a broks-
compact, if these plain guarantees were deHs.
by the deliberate and perseyering action Of lI
part Of the Confederacy.
Ii Congress, clearly representing the Wi.
the country, should pass laws legalizing and
protecting slave property in Territories, pre-
viously free, Mr.. Bates would execute those
laws as promptly as any other laws of the land
If Territory should organize into state
with sufficient population to justify its al
mission, and present a Constitution tOerarrE
Slavery, Mr.. Bates would not oppose the 80
mission of such State, because it had Pro
Slavery Constitution.
His creed is. that every State has q right 70
say how much it wants Of African Slavrry and
how long it wants it, and how TO get rii O. l
when its people are tired Of it. lie does rt
regard 1t as perpetual institution, but as
20 - Il I
changing rapidly under the influence Of c.
mate, commerce, civilization, religion, avs
He knows land is glad to know III tha, Ms
souri, is rapidly becoming a free State; and be
does not deplore the fact that it is By tral'
portation, and not by emancipation, that tt'
State is so rapidly becoming free for he ku0n
that the emancipation of the slaves, to renal
in this country and mix with the whites, Is q,
horrent and intolerable.
"And to send them abroad, by sudden a..
total exodus, is beyond the means Of any Cos
eminent. What is beyond his own wisdom b
leaves to the inscruable ways and infinite v;
dom Of God. The rapid and peaceful exil,
ton Of Slavery that is going on in MissJgn
without the aid of Emancipation Parties, ard
without the heat and acrimony of domestic da
cord, is entirely in accordance with the views
anu ieei'"S' vi WI D"teS, ~ "ille NJ H'
is glad to see Slavery declining in Misscur
other strong Oppositionists are sorry to witItS
the same, Mr. Bates finds no cause Of disc-H
between himself and that Pro-Slavery neigha
on account of this difference, for he knows t1l
neither the JOY of the one, nor the sorrow Of ti'
other, will quicken or delay the inevitable c5a
summation that is ahead.
Mr.. Bates regards the fate Of Slavery rs Oh
Of the domain of the demagogues-utterly De-
yond their reach-and impelled by that poa.
that brings times and seasons in their apPoai
ed course, and rolls up the heavens as ser
when he has done with the wondrous panoraGa
By his own example, he has shown that he Pr
fers to live by his own labor, and not on u.
labor of slaves. But he claims TO be. IN in5
particular, only a law unto himself he |o'.
never, under any circumstances, countenancs