Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-03-23
HON. EDWARD BATES.
His Views on the Politics OF tho da.
briefly and unequivOcaI1y set forth

"
briefly and unequivOcaIIy set forth.
prom the Missouri DemOcratl
Below is the reply of the Hon. Edward
Bates, to certain interrogatorics propoun-
dcd by Missouri delegates to the Chicago
Convention:
GEN TLEMEX: have rereived your letter
propounding to me neutrality-suspicious., seven
in number; which you suppose will cover
most if not nllthc grounds of controversy
in the approaching Presidential election.
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION.
With pleasure will answer your ques-
tions. Before doing so, allow me to glance
ut the peculiar circumstances in which
am placed, aud the straugeness of the fact
that mere private man, am called upon
to make avowals and explanations with
any view to take me from the shades OF
private life, and place me at the head of
the Nation. came to this frontier in my
youth and settled in st. Louis when it was
mere village. All my manhood has
been spent in Missouri, and during all this
time, have followed a profession which
left my character and conduct open to the
observation of society, and while it has
been my constant habit freely to express
nv opinion of public measures and public
I mon. the people of Missouri, of all parties,
will bear me witness that have never OBJ
trusively thrust myself forward in pursuit
of official honors. / have held no politi-
cal office, and sought none for more than
twenty-five years. Under these circum-
stances, l confess the qualification which |
feel in receiving the recent manifestations
of the respect and confidence OF my fcl-
low-citizcns First, the Opposition mem
bcrs of the Missouri Legislature declared
their preference for me as II candidate.-
Then followed my nomination by a Con-
vention composed of all the elements of
the Opposition in this State. And now,
the Republicans of Missouri, in their sep
arate Convention, just held in st. Louis,
have reafGirmed the nomination, and pro-
posed. by their delegates, to present me to
the National Convention, soon to be held at
Chicago, ms q candidate for the first office
in the Nation.
These various demonstrations in my own
State are doubly gratifying to me, because
they afford the strongest proof that my
name has been put forward only in spirit
of harmony and peace, and with hope of
preventing all division and controversy
among those who, for their own safety and
the public good ought to be united in
their action
For all this am deeply grateful; and as
far as concerns me personally, l must de-
clare, in simple truth, that if the move
mcnt 90 no farther. and produce no per-
sonal results, still am paid and ovcrpaid
for Il life of labor, and for whatever OF
Jealous effort and patient watching have
been able to bestow in support of " line of
governmental policy which believe to be
for the present and permanent good OF the
country.
Now, gentlemen, proceed to answer
your questions, briefly indeed, but fully,
plainly, and with all possible franknessi
and do this the more willingly, because
have received from individuals many let
ters-too many to be separately answered
and have seen in many public journals
articles making urgent calls upon me for
such a statement of my views
I-slavery and Its extension in the Territories.
On this subject, in the States and in the
Territories, ] have no new opinions-no
opinions formed in relation to the present
array of parties. / am cOeval with the
Missouri question of 1890, having be-
gun my political life in the midst of that
struggle.
At that time my position required me
to seek all the means of knowledge within
my reach, and to study the principles in
Tolved with all the powers of my mind,
and arrived at the conclusion which no
subsequent events have induced me to
change. The existence of negro slavery
in our country had its beginning in the
early time of the colony, and was imposed
by the mother country, against the will of
the colonists. At the time of the ReVolu-
ton. and long after, it was commonly re-
parded rs an evil, temporary in its nature,
and likely to disappear in the course OF
time; yet while it continued, q misfortune
to the country, socially and politically
Thus was | taught by those who made our
Governments and neither the new light of
modern civilization nor the discovery of
new system of constitutional law and So
cinl philosophy has enabled me to detect
the error of their teaching.
Slavery is social relation, domestic
institution. Within the States it exists by
the local law, and the Federal Government
has no control over it there. The Terrific
rics, whether acquired by conquest or
peaceabIe purchase, are subject and sub
ordinate not sovereign, like the States
The nation is supreme over them, and the
National Government has the power to
permit or forbid Slavery within them. En-
tcrtaining these views, am opposed to the
extension of Slavery, and in my opinion
the spirit and the policy of the Govern
ment ought to be against its extension.
II-Doos the Constitution carry Slavery into the
Territories!
answer, no! The Constitution of the
United States does not carry Slavery into
the Territories. With much more show of
reason, may it be said that it carries Sla-
very into all the States. But it does not
carry Slavery anywhere. 1t only acts up
on it where it finds it established by the
local law. In connection with this point,
am asked to state my views of the Dred
Scott case, and what was really deter
mined by the Supreme Court in that case.
1t is my opinion, carefully considered,
that the Court determined one single
point of law only. That is, that Scott,
the plaintiff, being n negro, of African