Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-01-20
Mr.. O. NJ. clay ON the Presidential
Question.

SIR: find the following going tho
rounds of the papers:
"THE BATES MovEMEST.-.Ion, OF the
Baltimore San, writes from Washington
that the Republican leaders have aoan-
doncd the purpose of nominating Mr.
Seward, and have determined to nominate
Mr.. Bates of Missouri, as President, and
Henry 81. Reed, of Pennsylvania, as Vice
President. The movement is very adrolt,
lin a party sense, for it will conciliate the
Old Liuc Wing and industrial interests of
the Middle States. The purpose of the
Republicans to rally under the highly re-
Espectable candidate above named, will be
manifested at meeting of the Republican
National Committee, which is to take place
the present month"
know not whether the above comes
from n friend or an enemy of the Republic
can cause; and had it not been attempted
to leud the authority of the National Re-
publican Committee, of which l am one,
to its sinister purposes, should have pas
sed it in silence. But as it is one of Sc
res of attempts on the part of "c6pedien-
CIV per Sc" men to destroy the vitality of
the Republican cause, shall give it
passing notice, and, for myself, repudiate
its whole tenor.
In the first place, no discreet friend of
the Republican cause, would, in advance,
! NlICulpL " pISJuAASS AAS SA'NAAA7 ~ N>H.y
| possible candidate of the party. Such is
not the way of justice and fair play; and,
/ of consequence, not the way of success.
While l have highest respect for the
character of Mr.. Bates, of Missouri, and
would cheerFully support him if nomin-
ated by Republican Convention, cannot
allow that his claims arc to he put up as
superior to those of the fathers OF the
party. We allow him an cQuality-no
more. know not by what authority the
"Rcpublican leaders" at Washington (if
| such be the truth, which disbelievc) VEN
turc to dictate choice of candidates to
their peers, the great people OF the Re-
publican party in Convention assembled
| Such Congressional attempt is not new in
| the history of this country, and its success
was such, think, as not to invite renew
all They will of course have such weight
! in the Convention as their individual
worth, intelligence, and public service, will
enttle them to, and no more. So far rs
! William II. Seward is concerned, have
never been his partisan; but l know moth
ing in his personal or political life which
would not rs much entitle him to "Old-
Line Wing" support as Mr.. Bates, unless it
be his RepuJLicanism. And if that dis
qualities him for their support, then hope
that neither he nor any other Republican
will ever get it. l trust the Republicans
will never commit the gross folly, the
crime, and what an eminent statesman
thoughtworse-thc ''GLuMder"-of allowing
our enemies to choose either our platform
| or our leaders.
l have witnessed with the deepest indig-
nation the attempt of Southern bullics of
the Slave Democracy to degrade the dis
tngnishcd Senator of New York by SLAM
der and denunciation, and to frighten, by
threats of treason, weak and timid men
from his support.
1t is natural that tyrants should fear and
hate their most potent foe. But am not
yet ready to believe that he will lose the
confidence and manly support of single
Republican on that account. SO far as
the "irreprcssiblc conflict" between Free
and Slave Labor, or between Freedom and
Slavery, is concerned, it is so plainly true
that had not supposed that all the habit
ual impudencc and hypocrisy of the Slave
propaganda would venture to deny or con-
ccal it! All care to say on that head Is,
so far as any man of our party is concerned,
if he is fool enough not to see it, or cow
ard enough not to avOw it, he can never
have my support for any office. Our faith
erS, in forming mixed Government, were
not so silly rs to suppose that selt-gov-
eminent and the dcspotic principle of
Slavery could forever cOeXist-theY there
: fore looked and prepared for the extinc-
ton of Slavery, by their aspirations, their
J laws, and their Constitution. Its not the
fault of the Republicans if the old barha-
} ran relic of the dark ages, Slavery, should
refuse to die quiet death, and be buried
, dcceutly, butventure upon ian "trreprcssible
: conflict" where it will be kicked out of
: the presence of the nations, and rot upon
) dung-hill So far as all those boyish
: threats of dissolution are concerned, upon
the contingency of the election of Re-
publican President, they will perhaps
Brighten those who only see the lions
skin; but to us, behind the scenes, the ass
is too plain for proper stage effect. l
know not what others may intend, but for
myself, if Mr.. Wise, or Mr.. JEFF. Davis, or
any other man, aspires to play the gen
eral" in such cause, as some of their
friends intimate, and which / an unwilling
to believe, they will turn out ADLER stra-
tcgists than they have proven themselves
statesmen, if they manage to keep their
nccks out of halter In q word, the
Republicans, when they constitute the
numbers, the wealth, the intelligence, the
worth, of the country, will rule the coun-
try; and if war is the consequence-in-
evitable-I say, with Henry, "Let it comet
If there is any such intention as inn
puted to the National Committee, l AMI
ignorant of it. If they so far forget what
is due to the trust confided to them, as to
play the partisan of any man, or set Of
men, there is time enough yet to undo their
work. c. NJ. CLAY.
Will the presses which have published
the above extract favor me by publishing
my reply?
Wits HALL, KY, Dec. 81, 1859.
49, 80 49,, oLoo,4o, G,r,;sbos ~, ;ta,,