Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-11-15
Letter af Hon Edward Rats

The Evening News, Of st. Louis, rutt,.l..
long article. giving the views Of tho II -,
Edward Bates on the slavery question m.
main points are as follows:
I Mr.. Bates does not believe that i.-,...,
slavery Is Il beneficial Institution, either l..
social, political, or religious sense. M,
political sense, because it i pruducr.,. !.
dlscords between nations that tu!era,, {. ~. .
nations that do not, and because il /, hal. /.
to panics, connections. instruction, al
massacres, and has ended often in Hood
revolutions. Not in religious >cnsr H..
cause 1t makes the word Of God ,..,.,l
book to the slave, and gives his body /, Il
service OF human master whereas Il
body of every created being should h. ,r,...
ly given to the service of God Because Y
Bates does not believe that slavery i la,e.
! fetal institution, either in social. p.l,s.'
or religious sense, he is uualterably atv.,.#
to its extension into territories already H..
Mr.. Bates heartily endorses the >entime,,
and holds to the creed of Mr. Clay, WIN h..
clared that his right arm should irop lny
his shoulder before he would vote n cy,n,
slavery over one foot of territory a.re,g,
free. Mr.. Bates does not believe tina. n.
Constitution carries slavery into all the ta,-
tories that may be acquired by the United
States. lie believes that freedom j the rul,
and slavery the exception. lie doe, not L..
lieve that slavery can exist in any territory
acquired by the government of the uni,,
States, except by the positive law d. C.a.
gress. That law Mr. Bates would not be IN
favor of passing, because Tor reasons alreaI.
given. lie is opposed 10 the extension +
slavery into territory already tree. VI
| Bates denies that the exclusion Of slave prn
perry from territory acquired by the conn. n
blood and treasure OF the Union, e,tablI.hp.
an invidious distinction between the tw, "a.
tons of the Union, and asserts that the II,
tinction complained Of is coeyal with Ill.,.
government, and that the prohibition # 49,.
very from free territory was embodied IN
the original compact OF the Mon, for which
the slave States were allowed in Cougre,,
and in Presidential elections. three vote, il.
every five slaves. He, therefore. does no,
regard the non admission of slavery mt
territory as establishing distinction Lc.
tween property, but simply rs MAINTAIN.
ing a distinction already established aud
willingly assented to by the South. sincr
the formation of the Government. H. r.
CARDS the principle Of the Nebraska bill a.
rendering the introduction Of slavery int
the territories impossible, and does not b.
lieve Congress will intervene TO protect sEh.
property in the territories. lie firmly 49,.
heres to the rights of property in slave, 10
the States where slavery already exists. m.
il President, he would execute the fugith
Slave Law, if the army and navy ol TIL
government were equal to the task.
lie would consider the Union a broken
compass il these plain guarantees were u
MED by the deliberate and perseyerlng ar.
ton of any part Of the conlederacy. /
Congress should legalizc, and pass laws pr,
tectlng slave property in territories previous.
ly free, Mr.. Bates would execute these aw'
az promptly as any other laws of thc land.
lie would not oppose the admission Of a S,a''
Lecause Of prosayery Constitution. II,
would never cOuutenance National organ.
cation for any Interference whatever with ,l-
very in the States.
lie is glad to see the rapid and peaceful,
extinction of slavery in Missouri, wlthn&
the aid Of emancipation parties, and wlth'G'
the heat and acrmony OF domestic di>cor.
BY his own example, as well as BY prccrit
he has shown that he prefers TO live by b.
own labor, and not on the labor OF sIaYrs.
lie advocates the procurement Of iorc2b
territory suitable To the ready and cheap
colonization Of free blacks. The policy 81
ready preached i'll some States, OF s".lln-
again into slavery the free blacks whom bD.
name or grateful masters have emanclpat.i
unless those freed persons leave the >la,.
is in the highest degree cruel. 1t Is barbar.
GUS, and it would disgrace the America
people in the face of Christendom u PERM
such policy to prevail"