Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-03-02
The Bates Movement.


! Bates movement, as follows We say
ditto to Iowa He talks sensibly.
i Mr.. Baies's public life is soon dis
posed Of. He was a member Of Con-
! gress in '27-'29, passed through two IN
marked and uneveniful sessions, aud re.
tired to private life. In 1547 be presid.
ed at the River and Harbor Convention
at Chicago, and carried away the whole
audience in the two emotions Of astonish-
meut and delight by bis retiring speech
has since got off capital mot on the
old line wings, itself worth second-cIass
foreign mission and lately sent a rather
Emphatic toast TO a Union love-feast
somewhere where they sell kerseys and
calicos to our meek-minded brethren Of
the southern dip. Certainly no man has
been brought forward for the Office, who
contributes a smaller cash capital to the
adventure than he. But / wish to speak
Of him with perfect candor and fairness.
He is an able lawyer, worthy citizen,
and bears, without abuse, " the grand old
! name Of gentleman" The circle Of bis
civic and social virtues is complete; and
SO far as these 60, no man can have
higher claim. My objection TO him is
that he has no familiarity with public
measures, excep: in theory; that he is
destitute Of executive ability, and lacks
those governing qualities which organize
and guide a successful administration
That he has no taste for politics we know
and that he has no talent that way, ] be-
lieve. Why, then, should be be made
candidate Why should we 90 into the
slave states at all? If, as we must all
admit, we are constrained to explore the
" conservative" why should we volunteer
compliance, and dive into the ebony
" zone 2" Do we expect to carry Mis-
souri,? We might as well attempt to re-
aiize the old fable of Hercules, and ease
Mr. Atlas by taking the heavens on our
shoulders. When she votes for our can
didate, we need not tarry long for Ala
bama and Arkansas. Nations are not
eoao born in day; nor is such a state as
Missouri regenerated by a pentecostal
descent. The last gubernatorial election
was nothing. Because Major Rollins
run drunken vagabond within a few
hundred votes-both black as charcoal on
the negro question-shall We suppose
that on question of free labor and de-
cency against negro service and degreda-
ton, we can come within thousands on
the popular vote?
Mr.. Bates's opinions are well enough.
] have no question that he is with US in
sentiment and sympathy. But opinions
are as cheap as added eggs. Whoever
had choicer assortment of anti-sIavery
doctrines, labelled, and swung on bis arm
in market basket, than Willard Fill
more; and who ever closed out his stock
in shorter time and at a lower figure
than he ? It is administrative ability.
frmness and pluck that we want-the
perception to see and courage to execute.
We have had India rubber and gutta
percha enough in the last ten years let
US get back to whit leather and phosphate
of lime. And why, in any event, should
we get out seaach warrants and bills of
discovery and hunt, with candles and
campheDe lamps, for a candidate? Why
must we hear that Smith says he is all
right" and Jones assures me he'll do to
tie to" when we have men whose belief
is corroborated by action and accomplish
ment If the abandonment of John
Sherman is not sufficient humiliation
for one year, we will pull aside our coat
tails for another kick in June.
If, as the Mussulman prays with his
face towards Mecca, we must vote for
president with our eye fixed on the eaua-
tor, why not 90 into Tennessee? There
is not a wiser head or truer heart than
that of John Bell, with a noble history,
running through quarter of a century
of our politics; tried by all tests, and
faithful as often tried the man to whom,
of all others, Gen. jackson, by bis own
acknowledgement, owed his loss of power,
in his adopted state. There is an OBJ
lection to him, and the one that urge
against Mr.. Bates. He has the brain to
plan, but not the hand to execute. Sa-
gacious in counsel, but infrm Of purpose.
Dubitating to-day whe ther he ought not
to have done something yesterday and
deferring to tomorrow the action of a
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 votes? Shall we never