White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-03-29
Response of Judge Bates.

OF. LOUIS, 01arcn II, loOU.
To Hessrs. p. L. Foy, Editor O file Ms
souri Democrat, DR.. BernGys. Editor
ofMs Anzeigsr, and other gentlemen /:
SIRs B. Gratz Brown, Esq. as Pres
ident of the Missouri State Convention,
which sat in st. Louis on the tenth oil
this month. has officially made known to
me the proceedings Of that body, and by
them l an enabled to know some Of you
as Delegates to the Chicago Convention.
representing the Republican party Of Mis-
souri.
have received your letter propounding
to me certain questions. (seven in num-
Der which Won suppose will cover most.
if not all. the grounds of controversy in
the approaching Presidential election.
With pleasure l will answer your ques
tons. But before doing so, allow me to
glance at the peculiar circumstances in
which am placed, and the strangeness
of the fact that /, mere private man.
am called upon to make avowals and ex
plantations. with any view to take me
from the shades of private life and place
me at the head of the nation. l came to
this frontier in my youth. and settled in St.
Louis when it was avillage. All my man
hood has been spent in Missouri, and dur
ing all that time / have followed a profess
sion which left my character and conduct
open to the observation of society. And
while it has been my constant habit free
ly to express my opinion Of public meas
ures and public men, the people Of Mis-
souri,, of all parties, will bear me witness
that have never. obtrusiVely, thrust my
self forward in pursuit Of official honors.
l have held no political Office. and sought
none, for more than twenty Eve years.
Under these circumstances, ! confess the
qualification which feel in receiving the
recent manifestations Of the respect and
confidence Of my fellow citizens. First.
the Opposition members of the Missouri
Legislature declared their preference for
me Is q candidate; then followed my
nomination by 9 convention composed Of
all the elements Of the Opposition, in this
State and now, the Republicans Of Mis-
souri,, in their separate Convention. Just
held in st. Louis, have re-Afirmed the
nomination, and proposed, BY their dele
gates. to present me to the National Con-
Veution, soon to be held at Chicago, as q
candidate for the FIRST Office in the nation.
These various demonstrations, in my own
State, are doubly gratifying to me, be-
cause they afford the strongest proof that
my name has been put. forward only in q
spirit Of harmony and peace, and with the
hope of preventing all division and con-
troversy among those. who. for their own
safety and the public good, ought to be
united in their action.
For all this I am deeply grateful. and,
a. far as concerns me personally. l must
declare. in simple truth, that if the move
me1t go no further and produce No ma
tional results. still ! am paid. and over
paid. for . life Of labor. and for whAtsy-
er Of zealous effort and patient watching
/ have besn able to bestow in support Of
line of governmental policy which ]
believe to Be for the present and perma-
nent good Of the country.
And now, gentlemsD. / procssd to an
swsr your questions, briefly. indeed, bat