Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-04-28
THE LETTER OF EDWARD BATES
OF MISSOURI.
Sr. LOUIS, Feb. "a, 1859

ST. LOUIS, Feb. "a, 1859.
To Messrs. ]. Pn1LIps PuGNIx, Willis
BLACKSTONE, II. NJ. BININGER, DAVID
]. L1LEY and H. R. SMITH, Committee,
New York.
S1Rs: A short time ago l WIS favored
with your note Of the 9Th inst, covering
resolution of the Committee, TO the effect
that it is inexpedent at this time, further
to discuss or agitate the Negro question, but
rather 10 turn the attention of the people to
other topics-''topcs of general importance,
" such as our Foreign Relations, including
" the Extension OF Territory; the building
" Of Railroads for National purposes; the
" Improvement of our Harbors, the naviga-
" ton of our Rivers to facilitate Internal
" Commerce; the subject of Currency, and
" Tariff Of Duties, and other means Of de-
" veloping our own internal resources, our
=. home wealth, and binding together by ties
" of national and fraternal feelings, the va
" rious parts and sections Of our widely ex-
" tended Republic"
Your letter, gentlemen, opens a very wide
field, in asking for my "opinion upon the
"subiect, and my views as to the signs Of
the times" Books have been written upon
these matters, and speeches delivered by
the thousand; and yet the argument seems
as far from being exhausted as i. was at the
beginning;..and take it for certain that you
do not expect or desire me to discuss at
large, all or any of these interminable quar-
rels. That have opinions upon all or most
Of them, is true-not the opinions Of this or
that party, ready TO be abandoned or modi-
fled 10 suit this or that platform, but my
own opinions-perhaps the more fixed and
harder 10 be changed because deliberately
formed in the retirement Of private life, free
from the sxigencies of official possibility
and from tie perturba,ions of party policy.
They are my own opinions, right or wrong.
As to the negro question: have always
thought, and often declared in speech and in
print, that it is pestilent question, the agi-
ta,ion Of which has never done good to any
party, section or class, and never can do
good, unless il be accounted good TO stir up
the angry passions Of men, and exasperate
the unreasOning jealousy Of sections, and
by those bad means foist some unfit men in
TO Office, and keep some fit men out. 1t is
a sensitive question, into whose dangerous
vortex it is quite possible for good men 10
be drawn unawares, But when see q man
at the South or the North, Of mature age
and some experience, persist in urging the
question, after the sorrowlul experience OF
the last few years, can attribute his con-
duct to no higher motive than personal am
bitlon or sectional prejudice,
A. TO the power Of the General Govern
ment 10 protect the persons and properties,
and advance the interests of the people, by
laying taxes, raising armies and navies,
building forts and arsenals, light houses,
moes, and breakwaters, surveying the
coasts and adjacent seas, improving rivers,
lakes, and harbors, and making roads,
should be very sorry 10 doubt the existence
of the power, or the duty to exercise 1t,
whenever the constituted authorities have
the means in their hands, and are convlnc-
ed that its exercise Is necessary to protect
the country and advance the prosperity Of
the people.
In my own opinion. a government that
has no power to protect the harbors OF its
country against winds and waves and hu-
man enemies, nor its rivers against snags
sands and rocks, nor to build roads for the
trans poltation of its armies and its mail, and
the commerce of its people, is poor, i'm.
potent government, and not at all such 9
government as our fathers thought they had
msde when they produced the Constitution
which was greeted by intelligent men eve
rrwhete with admiration and gratitude al
a government, free enough for all the end'
of legal liberty and strong enough for al
the purposes of national and individual pro-
lection. A free people, if it be wise, viii
make good constitution; but constitution
however, good in itself, did never make
free people. The people do not derive thsi
right, from the government, but the 60?
ernment derive, its powers from the pee