Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-11-30
HON. EDWARD BATES, ON THE
SLAVE QUESTION.

/ Hon. Edward Bates, OF Missouri, has beer
named as possible candidate for the Pres
idancy. The St Louis Evening News
gives his views upon the Slavery Question
at length, and from the article in that pa
per, we extract the following:
SLAVERY NOT BENEFICIAL, SOCIALLY, PoLIrI
CALLY OR RELIGIOUsLY.
Mr.. Bates does not believe that '.Afri.
can Slavery is the cornerstone of liberty.
He does not believe that African Slave
ry is beneficial institution, either in a so.
cial, political, or religious sense Not in
social sense, because it sets at naught the
family relation and separates man and wife,
parents and children, at the caprice, or on
the necessities Of owners: not in political
sense, because 1t is productive of discords
between nations that tolerate it, and ma
tions that do not, and because it is liable
to panics, connections. instructions and
massacres, and has ended often in bloody
revolutions; not in a religious sense, be-
cause it shuts the mind against knowledge,
makes the word of God sealed book to
the slave, and gives his body to the service
Of a human master, whereas the body of
every created being should be freely given
to the service of God.
ITS EXTENSION UNCONSTITUTIONAL EXCEPT
BY AFFIRMATIVE LEGISLATION.
Because Mr.. Bates does not believe that
Slavery is beneficial institution, either in
a social, political, or religious sense, he is
'nalteraJly opposed to ats extension into
Territories already free. Mr. Bates, in
bis political creed, is Henry Clay Wing;
and Mr.. Clay declared that his ''right arm
should drop from his shoulder before he
would vote to extend Slavery over one foot
If territory already free" Mr. Bates heart
ly endorses that sentiment, and holds to
hat creed.
Mr.. Bates does not believe that the Con- I
titution, by it, proper vigor, carries slavery
nto all the Territories that may be acquir-
d by the United States. He believes that
recdOm is the rule, and slavery the excep-
ion. He docs not believe that slavery can
xist in any territory acquired by the Gov
of the United States, except by the
ositire ldaU Of Congress. That positive
lw Mr.. Bates would not be in favor of
assing. because for reasons already given,
C is opposed to the extension of slavery
lto territories already free.
BETWEEN SLAVE AND OTHER
COEvAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
If it be held that this exclusion Of Slave
roperty from the Territory acquired by
he common blood and treasure of the In
H." establishes an invidiOus distinction be-
yeen two sections of the Union-that it
,nies to the South rights that are freely
ven to the North-Mr. Bates denies en-
iatically that it has any such effect. The d
complained of is coeval with the
overnmcnt 1t is no new thing-nO mod
n hardship-in fact no hardship at ALL 3
nc localizing of slavery-the prohibition {
its emigrating and establishing itself in P
rec Territory. was embodied in the CON- 0
ct of the Union, at the beginning. But u
: this limitation the Slave States got far G.
orc than equivalent in being allowed in $
G National Congress and in Presidential II
ctions three votes for every five slaves. 81
lves do not vote, but their masters vote
them. The votes of two men in the u
nth count as much as the votes Of five Is
N in the Free States. eu
THEN OF. NEW YORK POSSESSING RIGHT OF %
PROPERTY NOT HELD By vIRGINIAN. ~
Why should this be so? Ifslavcs are on 10
as the Southern man would say, u
y should not the Northern mans prop 20 20
y vote also? 1t is all only property :
len the STAKEHOLDER is disposed to COM ID
in, therefore. that distinction is made III
inst him-that he can't 90 into the COM
n territory of the country and take his
,perty, the citizens of the Free States can no
ly: at is not property like my prop ii' rs
y that you want to take, but it is prop 'ic
! that votes-it is property that gives you 'al
and a half rOteS to my one-it is prop WI
7 that makes me inferior to yOH-in ioi
relations to the Federal Government, sll
that is not fair when We come to occu- Gu