Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-02-24
begree Nreas
THE BATES MOVEMENT.
BURLINGTON:
FRIDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY II 1860

|
The Iowa correspondent of the Springfield
Republican gives his views upon the ieasibli
ty and expedency of the Edward Bates move
ment, as follows We say ditto to Iowa. He
talks sensibly.
"Mr. Batess public life is disposed of.
| He member of COngrdss in '2I-29, passed
! through two unmarked and uneventful sessions
| and retired to private life. In l647 he presided
at the River and Harbor Convention ut Chicago,
| and carried away the whole audience in the two
emotions of astonishment and delight by his retiI
ing speech-has since got off capitol mot on the
old line wings itself worth second-class foreign
mission; and lately sent a rather lS Emphatic toast
| to Union love east somewhere where they sell
kerseys and caicos to our meek minded brethren
of the southern dip Certainly no man has been
ght forward for the office, who contributes
smaller cash capital to the adventure than he.
But I wish to speak of him with perfect candOr
anu fairness. He is an able lawyer, worthy citi-
zen, and bears, without abuse, "the grand old
name of gentleman" The circle of his civic and
social virtues is complete and so far as these go,
no man can have higher claim. My objection
to him is that he has familiarity with public
men and public measures, except In theory;
that he is destitute Of executive ability,
and lacks those governing qualities which
organize and guide a successful admins
tration. That he has no taste for politics
we know; and that he has no talent that way, |
believe Why, then, should he be made a candidate?
Why should we 60 into the slave states at
ALL If, as must all admit, we constrained
g explore the conservative" why should we vol
unteer compliance, and dive into the ebony 'zone2'
Do we expect to carry Missouri We might as
well attempt TO realize the old fable of Hercules
and Mr.. Atlas by taking the heavens on cur
shoulders. When she votes for our candi late, we
mot tarr IonO FOR Alabama nd Ark
Nations not born in day; nor is such
state as Missouri regenerated by pentecostal
descent. The last gubernatorial election was moth
ing. Because Major Rollins run drunken vaga-
bond within few hundred votes-both black
charcoal on the negro question-shall we suppose
that on the question of free labor and decency
against negro service and degradation,we can come
within thousands the popular vote
Mr. Bates's opinions well enough. | have
question that he is with in sentiment and
sympathy. But opinions are as cheap as added
ggs. Who ever had a choicer assortment Of anti
slavery doctrines, labelled, and swung on his arm
in market basket, than Millard Fillmore; and
who closed out his stock in a shorter time
and at a lower figure han he II is administra-
tive ability, frmness and pluck that we want
the perception to and the courage to execute.
We have had India rubber and gutta percha
enough in the last ten years; let US get back 10
whit leather and phosphate Of lime. And why, in
any event, should we get out search warrants and
bills Of discovery. and hunt, with candles and !
camphene lamps, for a candidate? Why must we |
hear that Smith "says he is all right and Jones
assures me " he'll do 70 tie TO- when we have !
men whose belief is corroborated by action and |
accomplishm s-t2 If the abandonment Of John |
sherman is not 4 sufficient humiliation for one !
year will pail asi lie our coat tails for another
kick in June.
If, as the Mussulman prays with his face towards |
Macca, we must vote for president with our eve /
ffyas tho. n Ip1r
There is not a wiser head or a truer heart than /
that Of John Bell with a noble history, running |
through n quarter Of a century Of our politics /
tried by all tests and faithful as often as tried
the man to whom. Of all others, Gen. Jackson, /
by his own Acknowledgement, owed his loss Of |
power, in his adopted state. There Is an objection
to him, and the one that I urge against MI Bates.
He has the brain 10 plan, but not the hand TO ex-
ecute. Sagacious in counsel, but inhrm Of Pur.
pose. Dubitating today whether ne ought not
to have done something yesterday; and deterrlng
to tomorrow the action of present necessity
He might carry Tennessee, but kentucky Is as
hopeless for him as Missouri is for Mr. Bates
But ask, again, why troll our bait to catch
southern votes2 Shall We never profit by the les
sons of the past Shall we commit the old folly
of Mr.. Clay, and in hankeriug for an impossible
Alabama. lose a probable New York; Or shall
ne give our enemies a duplicate Of the incarnated
nastiness of the Fillmore administration, and have
an executive of our own choice made the body
servant and boot black Of the Toombses and Cling
mans and VERSIONS We had better, rather, dose
out universal ipecac and have a national vomt.
Let Missouri alone Whiskey and miasma are
doing the work Of renovation. The generation Of
bowie knives and butternut-colored jeans is pass
ing away and in a few years, with the infusion of /
immigration their country population Will com
pare favorably in civilization with the Caribs and
Cafres; but that is work of time. "a thousand
years scarce serve to form State Let US be
generous and allow Missouri fifteen hundred.
It is anticipated presume, that the nomins-
tion of Mr.. Bates may draw to his support the
timid and tender-footed of our commercial empo-
RUINS as also the Brookses and Hunts, and the
other Hessians and Helvetians-camp followers and
There can be no more fatal delusion.
n ominate whom you will as the Republican can
iidate, and the moment he is so recognized, the
war begins These men are dangerous only as
be dreaded, not enemies but as the
traitors to a good faith, which they can dissemble
out to destroy.
Are we sure, in these far-reachings for strength
hat we do not need and cannot get, that we can
lold our own friends There is now tolerant and
/ tractable spirit; but also point to which coz
,ession will not go. They may consent to forego
much of personal preference to concede a candl-
late who can carry Pennsylvania, NevJ ersey and |
Indiana; and when it shall appear that Mr.. Bates,
md he only will meet this emergency, the pen and
ips of " your correspondent are dry to further
opposition. They may not consent to push their
enterprise to the attempted possession of Kentucky
md Missouri. depend upon it, Brother James"
aid Charles H. to the Duke Of York when eau
ioned about the exposure of his person; % nobody
would murder to make you king" There are
thousands who will not combine to slaughter Gov.
seward. to make Edward Bates president. If
success" ever was " duty" it is so now; and
ct our measures for that end be governed by calm
md wise discretion.