The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-06-23
Letter of Edward Bates.

Below we publish the material portions of
the long letter OF Edward Bates, recently
addressed to @. Ii. Browning, of Quincy:
To me it is plain that the approaching
contest must be between the Dem ocratic and
Republican parties; and, between them, |
refer the latter.
The Democratic party, by the long pos
session and abuse of power, has grown wan.
ton and reckless; has corrupted itself and
leryerted the principles of the Government |;
las set itself openly against the great home
iaterests of the people, By negleotng TO pro
tect their industry, and by refusing 60 i'm
prove and keep in order the highways and
depots Of con merce; and even now in urging
a measure 10 Congress to abaicate the con.
stitutional power and duty 10 regulate COM
nlereo among the States, and to grant TO the
>tates the discretionary power to levy ton
mage duties upon all our commerce, under
the pretence of improving harbors, rivers
and lakes has changed the status Of the ne
gro slave by making him no longer mere
property, but a politician, an antag oniat
ROVER 10 the Stste, power TO which all 9TH
~ powers are required to yield, under pen
atty Of dissolution Of the Union; has d.
raoted It's energies TO the qualification of its
ersistent efforts 30 seize upon tropical re-
llons, not because those countries and their
homogeneous people arc necessary, or even
desirable, 20 be incorporated into our nation,
but for the mere purpose OF making slave
States, in order to advance the political pow.
r OF the party in the Senate and in the choice
# the President, so as effectually to transfer
ne chief posers of the government from the
many to the few has in various instances
endangered the equality of the coordinate
branches of the government, by urgent eff
forts to enlarge the powers Of the executive
1t the expense Of the legislative department !;
has attempted 70 discredit and degrade the
Judiciary, by affecting TO make IL, at frst,
The arbiter Of party quarrels, to become soon
and inevitably the passive registrar Of party
DEGREES.
ln most, If not oil these particulars, | nm
lerstand the Republican party (judging it by
its aots and by the known opinions of many
IF it's leading men) to be the exact opposite of
the Democratic party and that is the ground
Of my preference of the one party over the
other. And that alone would be a suffi oient
reason, if had not other good reasons, for
supporting MIR. Lincoln against any man who
may be put forward by the Democratic party
as the exponent of its principles and The
agent to work out in practice it's dangerous
policies.
The third party, which by its very forma-
ton has destroyed the organic cations of the
American ard ahig parties, has nominated
two most excellent men. know them we'll
as sound statesmen and true patriots. More
than thirty years ago served with them both
in Congress, and from that time to this
have always held them in respect and honor.
But what can the third party do toward the
election of even such worthy men az these
against the two great parties which are now
IN actual contest for the power TO rule the
nntion2 Ii is made UP entirely Of portions
OF the disiutfgrated elements of the late Wing
and American parties-good materials in
the main, admit, bur quite too weak TO cleo,
any nun or establish any principle. Tho
most IL can do is, here md thore in particu
1 lar localities, TO make diversion in favo,
of the Democrats. In 1856 the Wing nne
American parties mot forming a nep party
4 sut united as allies, with entire unanlmit,
aud some zeal, supported MIR. Fillmore fol
the Presidency, ana with what resuts2 w,
made miserable failure, carrying no Stat,
1 but gallant little Maryland. And surel, thu
1 united Whigs and Americans Of that day hal
4 FAR geeatcr show OF strength and far bette
prospects ~ success than any which belon.
ID the Constitutional Union party now /,
fact, | see no possibility OF success for th
third party, except in one eontngency-th
destruction Of the Democratic party Tha
10 contingency not likely to happen thi
year, for, badly az | think Of many Of th
acts and policies OF that party, it's cupis no
yet fuii--tha day has not YET come when
must Dissolve III It's own corruptions. Blu
tho day IL coming and il not far off. TIL
party has made itself entirely sectional; i
has concentrated its very being into ono sin
gle idehi nagro slavery has control Of all ii
Faculties, and II can see and hear nothin
bise-t"one stern, tyrannic thought, tho
makes oil other thoughts it's slaves!''
But the Democratic party still lives, an
while II livs 8, it and the Republican part
are the only real antagonistic powers in tn
nation, and for the present, must choos
between THIN. | choose the latter, as wise,
! purer, younger and less corrupted by tim
and self indulgence.
The candidates nominated at Chicago mr.
both men Who, as individuals and rel,ts-;.-
rank with the foremost OF the country.
have heard no objection To MIR. Hamlin ner
4 sonaiig, but only to bis geographical posj
I ton, which is thought by some 20 be too fl
y North aud East to allow his personal 900
r quantities To exercise their proper inhuene
. over The nation at large. But the nomina
ton Tor the Presidency is the great controll
I ing act. MIR. Lincoln, bis character, talent,
opinions and history will be criticised B
Q thousands, while tho candidate for tho Vic
o Presidency will be passed over In eompars
I tive silence.
Mr.. Lincoin's nomination took the nuhIi
BY surprise. because, until just before th
D event, y was unexpected. But really it ougt
not to have excited any surprise, for sue
unforeseen nominations are common in on
political history. Polk and Pierce by I'd
!. Democrats, and Harrison and Taylor by ID