White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-10-20

Relationship 20 Slavery and other Pc.
litical QuestiOns-Missonri and the
Presidency.
/ accede to your request with pleasure;
although did not suppose hsn inform
ing you of the pleasant afternoon had
spent with Judge Bates, that it would
elicit the requisition you have made on
me.
Happening recently at st. Louis, a
friend suggested to drive ous to Judge
Bates residence. situated just beyond the
city limits from the court house. There
being a vacation in most of the courts, he
was enjoing few days relaxation from
the drudgery of his very extensive prac-
tice, to which during the term time he
laboriously devotes himself; and we had
most delightful visit of several hours,
looking through his fine garden, examin,
ing his extensive grapery. and discussing
the politics Of the day in the most free
and unreserved manner.
had not seen Mr. Bates since the great
Hsrbor and River Convention at Chicago
twelve years ago, over which he presided.
His magnificent speech at its adjourn
ment, which SO entrsaced the stenograph
ers as well as the audience, that no full
report of it was ever written out, fingers
on my memory as a master piece of elo-
quence, and justi6es the eulogy Of that
veteran of the press, Thurlow Weed, that
it deserved place in the highest class of
American oratory. He was changed in
personal appearance less than expected
to find; and his iron constitution seems
unimpaired. The gray hairs Of age are
seen on his head, but they by no means
predominant. and although just sixty-6ve,
his step is firm, his eye clear, being able
to read without spectacles, and his back
bone as staunch as most of peoples at
forty. His family is long-lived one !;
his father not dying till ninety, and a
maiden sister still lives in his own house
at eighty-two. He attributes his vigor-
GUS health to constant occupation, (al-
though / should give his temperate hab-
its some share of the credit, for not be-
ing blessed with superfuity of the
worlds goods, and having been blessed,
as is usual in such cases, with family,
having had sixteen children, he has lived
a laborious life, and schooled himself
to enjoy the tolls Of his profession. Re
minding you, as he does, of the statesmen
of olden time, he has illustrated their ex-
ample by his own unconcern for the hon.
ors of political life. Often declining
nominations which would have been cor
daily conferred had he been willing to
accept them, he felt it duty to his fam,
lily to return to President Fillmore, unac-
cepted, the Cabinet appointment with
which he was honored in 1850 and al
though by no means an indifferent spec
tator of public affairs, he has through life
regarded the private station as the post
of honor and independence. Aware, too,
as he is, that his name is on many lips in
connection with the Presidency, he never
alluded to it in our whole conversation,
although he spoke several times of the
sad result which the country might expect
if the present administration were sue
ceeded by one kindred to it in sentiment,
and Of the suspicious future to which q
union of the Opposition might lead.
Mr. Bates converses freely with his
neighbors and friends, as he always has
done. in regard to the political position
Of the country. And / therefore do not
feel that l betray any confidence in giving
You some points of our conversation
which may be of interest in your section;
especially as | find his views are well
known by leading men in st. Louis of all
parties, with whom l conversed.
And first let me say that the para
graph in his letter to the New York
Wings, deprecating the agitation of
"the negro question:" has been by many
misunderstood. AS the Wing party is
the only one with which he has been con-
nected, he consented. at the request Of the
Wing Committee. to write the letter
which was published and. while sternly
condemning the plots for Cuban annexa-
ton, Mexican protectorstes, DC, and de-
6ning his views as requested by them on
other questions, such as river and harbor
Improvements, Pacific Railroad, discrim /
nations in favor Of American industry,
&c, he declared. as he always has, his
opposition to continual and persistent ag- |
itation of the slavery question. But his
plan for stopping that agitation is to
crush out politically the Democratic par
ty, which. ss he showed in the same let
ter. is continually opening new fountains
of discord on that question. His own
life is the best exempli6cation OF his po- |
sition. Although not entirely satisfied
with all the details Of the compromise
measures Of 1850, he wss willing to &C.
eept and abide By them. subject. as Mr.. |
Fillmore stated in his message. to such
amendments as time and experience might
prove the necessity of-but with the full
understanding to which he supposed the
Democrats were also bound. by the pledg- |
es Of their statesmen. and the platform of
their party IN 1852, that under no cir
cumstances should Congress be asked for
any more legislation on that exciting |
question, to favor either section Of the
Union. When, therefore, less than four
years afterwards, Mr.. Douglas and the |
Democratic administration, elected on
these solemn pledges Of non-agitation and
peace, proposed and pressed on Congress
the repeal Of the timehonored Missouri
Compromise. which prohibited slavery in
Kansas and Nebraska. Judge Bates open
" resisted It, not alone BY voice andspeech,