, 1860-02-17
THE PIeESIDESCY-.1rH. HATES.S
OPINIONS. ~

The Missouri Democrat without authority
or suggestion from him for whom it speaks,
thus announces Nr. Bates's opinions touching
matters Of current political interest:
Since tile dissolution of the " big nar.v, Judge
Bates has been identified with % political or-
yanlzatIon, but, nevertheless lie has not with,
lcld lie public expression cf his opinion On
each Of the qucs ions which hare te.n Debated
since that eecnt. Lie WAS Frce--oiI Whir.
and was designated, reco:n .zcd and prescribed
US sact in tI,is State. Were it not :or his un-
disguised au'i. slavery opinions, he would in all
human probability have been Que Of tue Repre.
seniat'scs Of Missouri in the United States Sen
ate for eurs.
lie is weddcdto the cause of Free Labor. boil,
IN opinion ind practice. He denies that the
Constitution extends s1nvery over the Terrific
RIGS; ile declares that slavery shall not be per-
n'itted to enter any Territory which was free
so'i when acquired by the United Statts or
which became free at my period subsequent to
its acquisition; That NO power bnt Congress can
plant slavery on such so.; and tha. tic Dre4;
Scott decision lnetcly defines the constitutional
s.akut Of the negro, ,1,c dscursiye essays Of the
Justices which accompanied the rendering Ct
that decision, being iu bis cpiu;ou, mere ea.her
and rrune'la, possessing 20 intrinsic weight,
aud entitled 10 no extraordinary considcration'
either legally or POLITICALLY.
But Mr.. Bates REJECTS the motto No NonE
SLAVE STATES. Hc argues TINT neither pub]jc
p"lcy, precedent, or the Constitution authorizes
Congress or the Executive 10 discriminate tc.
tween Free aud Slave States, in their ann1ira.
tion for admission into the unior and II til.
We FULLY concur with lin, The policy which re-
ceived the sanction Of TIC founders of TIM Re-
public. and which was carried out by Jefferson
himself. needs no defence, and mar dispense
With eulocy.
Such are the opinions Of Sfr. Bates, on the re.
f1fiNna n fn St.n
Organization, 10 their admission rs States into
tue Gni"n. For the rest, his opinions are sucl,
as mi ght be inferred from his former rolitical
associations. He Is n protectinni,t, which VIC
regret; IN fivur o: the Improvement Of luke and
river navigation by the General Government:
e1nphaicaly III faror Of railroad to the Pacific.
IN any route which Congress may chocse: or
posed to the consolidation OF the moncscl non
u'at,ons Of Spanish America with the people Of
the United states; und iu faror Of governing
our international relations by tue principles
OF public law, not by the cnde Of pirates. lie
has A'l that horror uf suvcry agitation and all
that devotion 10 the Euioa which distinguish
old Whies who have not turned National Dem
ocrats.
We would respectfully suggest that if Mr..
Bates, is, by his own motion or by the partial
i'y Of Ills friends, 4 candidate for tic rrcsi-
dsncr whose claims will bc pressed upon tho
National Republican Convention, it is due 10
the Republican party that some declaration Of
his sentiments he made by Mr.. Bates himself
As long as newspapers, speaking in his be-
half state that their expositions Of bis princi.
pies arc given to the public without his sanction
Or endorsement. they will fail to make any IA |
Torablc impression On tic popular mind. We
have no hesitation in calling upon Mr.. Bates
E3r such declaration Of belief rs will leave no
doubt as to his position among the parties cf !