Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-03-30
Important Pres Dental Document,
VIEWS OF HON. EDWARD
BATES.

The st. Louis Democrat of Wedne day. publishes
rogatories propounded by the Missouri delegates to
the Chicago Consention. The following is the
document in full
ST.. LoUIs, March II, 1860.
To Aessrs. p. Il. Foy Editor of the Missouri Dem
ocrat; DR.. Berndys, Editor Of The Anzieger, and
other gentkemG. .-s.
I SIRs;-B. Gratz Grown, Esq, as President Of the
j Missouri State Convention which sat in St. Louis
on the tenth ofthis month"; has officially made known
to me the proceedings of that body, and by them
am enabled TO kpow some of you delegates to the
Chicago Convention, representing the Republican
party of Missouri.
have received your letter propounding to me
certain questions, seven in number. which you sup
pose Will cover most, if not all the grounds of con-
troversy IN the approaching Presidential election.
With pleasure will answer your questions. But
before doing so, allow me to glance at the peculiar
clrcunstancesl in which am placed and the strange
ness OF the fact that mere private man, am cali
ed upon to make ayowals 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 village All my manhood has been
spent in Missouri, and during all this tme have
followed profession which left my character and
conduct open to the observation of society And
while il has been my constant habit freely to ex-
press my opinion fpublic measures and public men,
the people OF Missouri of all parties will bear me
witness that have never obtrusvely thrust myself
forward in pursuit of official honor. | have held
no political Office, and sought none for more than
twenty-five years Under these circumstances
confess the qualification which feel in receiving
the recent manifestations of the respect and conf
dence Ofmy fellow citizens.
! First the Opposition members of the Missouri
J declared tbnip cnr 80,
candidate. Then followed my nomination bv con-
vcntion composed of all the elements of the OPPOSE
tOn in this State. And now, Il Republicans of
Missouri, in their separate convention Just held in
ST. Louis, have reaffrmed the nomination and pro-
posed, by their delegates, TO present to the Ma
tonal Convention, soon to he held at Chicago as II
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 a
hope OF preventing all division and controversy
among those who, for their own Safeti, and the
public good, ought to be united in their every
action.
I For all this am deeply grateful; and as far as
concerns me personally, must declare in simple
truth that If the movement 60 farther, and mo-
duce no national results, still am paid and over
paid for alite of labor and for whatever of jealous
effort and patient watching have been able to be-
stow in support of line of governmental policy
which believe TO he for the present aud permanent
good of the country.
And now, gentlemen, proceed to answer your
questions briefly indeed but fully, plainly, and
with all possible iiankncss. And do this the more
willingly because have received from individuals
many lctters-too many to bescparately answered.
and have seen in many public journals articles
making urgent calls upon me for such statement
( ot siy views.
i LIST sLANERY--lTs NTE'sIoS IN THE TERRITORIES.
On this subject in the States aud in the Terrific
rcS, have no new op.niOnS-no opinions formed
in relation TO the present arrays OF. parties am
coeval with the Missouri question of 1920. hav-
I ing begun my political life in the midst OF that
struggle.
AT that time my position required me to seek all
means Of knowledge within my reach and to study
the principles involved with all the powers of my
mind and arrivca at conclusions then which no
subsequent events have induced me to change The
existence OF negro slavery in country had its be-
ginning in the early time 81 the colonies and was
imposed by the mother country, against the will of
most Of the colonsts At the time Of the Reyou-
y on, and long after il was commonly regarded as
au evil temporary in its nature, and likely To dis
appear in the course OF time yet while it contn-
! ucd amiSoruue to the country socially aud po III.
Gully, Thus was taught by those who made our
/ Government AID neither the new ligh, of modern
Civilization nor The discovery ota new system OF
constitutional law and social philosophy has enabled
me to detect the error oftheir teaching.
Slavery Isl social relation, domestic institution
Within the States it exists by the local law, and the
Federal Government has control over it there.
The Territories, whether acquired by conquest or
penceahe purchase, are subjected and subordinate
not Sovereign, like the States. The nation is su-
preme over them, and the National Government
has the power To permit forbid slavery within
ihem. Entertaining these views, am opposed 10
the extension OF slavery, and in my opinion the
'pirit and policy of the government ought to be
! tgainstits extension.
2D-DoRs THE CONSTITUTION CARRY SLAVERY INTO
T THE TERRITORIES?
/ | answer The Constitution Of the United States
does not carry slavery into the Territories With
much more show of reason, may II be said that il
carries slavery into all the States. But it does not
carry slavery anywhere. II only acts upon it where
it finds il established by the local law Ia oonnec-
tion wita 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. IL is my
opinion, carefully considered that the court deter
mined one single point Of law only. That is, that
Scott the plalnuf, being negro, of African de-
Sc, nt mot necessarily sIave,l could not be
c. isen Of Missouri, aud therefore could not IN
the Federal Court and that for this reason and this
alone, the circuit court had no jurisdiction Of the
cause aud no power to give Judgment between ths
parties The only jurisdiction which the Supreme