, 1860-06-21
Judge Bates's Letter in Support Of
Lincoln,

Judge Bates's Letter in Support Of
Lincoln.
The Repqb'Iean Standard Bearer
Warmly EuioGtzed.
sT. Lor1s, June II, lseo,
y. =. browning. E:q- Qulreg, Illinois.
DEAR sIR: When 1 recelyed -FOUR letter Of
NAY S2d, bad no thought that the answer
would % 50 lon : delayed; hut, waving ali ex.
cnees, proceed to anaWer it bow.
oaosr tue cl!cnmstonces Of the case it o1qht
4ot = 20 1aFe been doubted that I would eiye Nj,
Llneol9s nomination cordial and hearty nm
po1@ not IN declaring my Intention to do 50, 1t
IS Que to myself to state some Of the facts and
reasons, which hare controlling influence over
ny mlna, End which / thiok. oug ght to be-per--
kussive arguments with some other, men, Ehosa
Po1ttcal opinions aud 2ntecedents are, in soma
important particulars, like my own.
p rhere was no good ground forsupposing that
M ! se't any plque or classification because the
mad 20 such feeling: On party grounds, had
no right to expectthe nomination. had no
claims upon the Republicans as party, for /
nave never been 4 member of any party, so al
to be bound By its dogmas and subject to its
discipline, except only the Wing party, which
IS now broken up and its materials, for the most
part, absorbed into other organizations, And
thus am LEFT, aloae and powerless indeed, but
perfectly Tree 10 follow the dictates Of nv own
Judgment and to take such part in current po-
Utica a. my own sense of duty and patriotism
may require. Many Republicans, and among
them, think, some of the most moderate and
patriotic Of that party, honored me- with their
confidence, and desired to make me their can
didate. For this favor was indebted to the
TACT that between them and me there was 4
coincidence Of opinion upon certain important
questions Of government. They and agreed
IN believing TINT the national government has
sovereign power over the Territories. and that
It would be impoiitic and unwtse to use that
power for the propagation Of negro slavery by
lieged also that my nomination, while it would
tend 10 soften the tone Of the Republican party.
without any abandonment Of its principles.
might tend also TO geueralize its character and
attract the friendship and support of many, cs-
peclally in the border States, who, like me-, had
never been members Of their party, but con.
CURED with Them in opinion about the govern
ment Of the Territories. Those are the grounds.
fnd think The only grounds, upon which was
supported at all at Chicago.
as to the platform put forth by the Chicago
Convention; have little to say, because wheth-
er good or bad, that will not constitute the
ground OF my support Of Nr. Lincoln. hare
no great respec: for party platforms in general.
They are commonly made in times Of high e1-
element, under d pressure Of circumstances,
ana With the vies7 to conciliats present support,
rather ;han 10 establish & permanent system Of
principles and line of policy for the future good
government Of The country. The conventions
which form them are transient in their nature
their power aud influence are consumed in the
using, leaving no continuing obligation upon
their respective parties. And hence we need
$v%1n L. J1.~
ever acted out in Practice. shall not discuss
tier relative merits, but content myself with
saElng thas this Republican platform, though in
several particulars it does not conform to ms
Ele"s, is still far better than any published
creed, past or psesent, Of the Democrats. And
as to the new party, it has not chosen to pro-
inuIgate any platform At all, except two or three
fesslons Of faith Of all parties in the country. No
party, indeed, dare ask the confidence Of the na-
ton, while openly denying the obligation to
support the Union aud the Constitution, and to
enforce tue lawg- That's q common duty, b1ud
ing upon every citizen, and the failuse to per-
form it is a crime. T.
To me it is plain that the approaching contest
must be between the Democratic and Republi-
latter.
The Democratic party, By the 4ong posses
sion and abuse Of power, has grown wanton
aud reckless; has corrut tted itself and perverted
the principles Of the Government; has set It.
self openly against the great home interests Of
The peope. oy negIecting to protect their in-
dustry, and by refusing to improve and keep in
order the highways and depots Of commerce; !;
and even now is urging measure IN Congress
to abdcate the constitutional power and duty
to regulate comciercs among the States, mud to
grant to the States the discretionary power to
levy tonnage duties upon all our commerce,
under the pretence Of improving darbors, riv-
ers and lakes; has changed the status Of the
negro slave by making him no longer mere
property, but politician. an antagonist power
in the State, pawer to which all other powers
are required to yield, under penalty Of disso-
luton OF the Union; bus directed its energies
to the qualification Of IFS iusts Of foreign do.
main, as manifested il its persistent cffjrts to
countries and their homogeneous people are
necessary, or even desirable, to be Incorporated
into our nation, but for lie mere purpose Of
making slave States, in order to ndyadce the
political power Of the party in the Senate and
in the choice Of the President, so as et1ectuall5
to transfer the chief powers of the govern
lnent from the many to the few; has in various
Instances endangered the equality of the co,
ordinate branches Of The government, By urg.
ent efforts to enlarge the powers Of the E1ecu.
tive at the expense Of the legislative depart,
ment; has attempted to discredit ard degrade
the Judiciary. bsza1esting to make it, at first
tie aEbit4r of party quarrals, to become soon
and inevitably the passive registrar of party
decrees.
In most + not ell these particulars, under
stand the Republican parry Gudg1ng- it By il
acts and By the known opinions OF many Of it,
leading men,) to be The exact opposite Of tl,s
Democratic party; aud that is the grouue
Of my preference Ct the one purity over tie 9th
cr. And that alone would be sufficient reason
had &Ha4
Mr.. Lincoln against auy man who may be pu
forward By the Democratic party, as the expun
ent Of its principles and the agent to work out
| in practice, its dangerous politics.
| The tllird party, which, By its very formation
has 1estro;ed The organization OF the Ame1i
can and Wing parties, has nominated two mos
excellent men, know them we'll, as sount
years ago served with them bath il Congress
and from that time to this have alwa5s he1s
| them in respect and honor. But what can tn,
third party do towards the election OF ever
such worthy men as these against the two'grea
parties which are now in actual contest for th'
power to rule the nation: It is made up entire
| ly Of portions Of the disintegrated elements o
the late Wbig and American parties-goot
materials, in the main, l admit, but quite to-
weak 10 elect any lnan or establish any prin
ciplc. The most It can do is here and there il
| particular localities to make division in fayo
OF the Democrats. In 1876, the Whig ant
American parties {not forming new party, bu
ucited IT, allies,) with entire nnanmity and SOM
zeal, supported Mr. Fillmore for the Presidency
and with what resultsy We made miserabl
failure, carrying no State but gallant little Mary
land. And surely, the united Wings nut
Americans Of that day had far greater show 0
| strength and fer better prospects Of success
than any which belong 10 the Constitutions
Union party now. In fact, see no possibilis,
| Of success for the third party, except in on
contingency-the destruction Of the Democrat
ic party. That is a contingency not likely II
happen this year, for, badly rs think Of man,
Of the acts and policies of that party, its cup i
not Jet fuli-the day has not yet come when
must dissolve in its own corraptioDs. But tn
day is coming aud is not far otl.. The party ha
made itself entirely sectional; it has concentras
ed its yery being into one single idea; neer
sla7ery has control Of all its faculties, and !
can see and hear nothing else" one stern
tsrannic Thought, that makes I'll other thought
| its slayes!"
But the Democratic party still lives, and Will
it lives, it aud the Republican party are the onl.
real nntagoristsc powers in the nation, and 70
the present ! must choose between them.
choose the latter, as wiser, purer, younger, ami
less corrupted by time and self.indulgence.
The candidates nominated at Chicago are boil
men who, as individuals md politicians, Tani
with the ioremost Of the country. have hear.
no objection to Mr. Ham'in personally, but onl,,
to his geographical position, which is though
by scme 10 be too far North and East to allos
bis personal good qualities to exercise thei
proper influence over the nation at large. Bu