Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-03-29
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
Important Presidential Document--
Letter from Hon. Edward Bates,
of Missouri..Views on the Lead
ing Questions of the Day.

q
Letter from Hon. Edward Bates,
Of Missouri..Views on the Lead
ing Questions of the Day.
ST. LOUIS. March 20.
The following will appear in to-
morrow's Democrat
Below is the reply Of the Hon. Ed
ward Bates to certain interrogatories
propounded by Missouri delegates to
the Chicago Convention
GENTLEMEN: / have received your
letter propounding to me certain ques-
tions, seven in number, which you
suppose will cover most. if not all of
the grounds of controversy in the ap-
preaching Presidential election.
With pleasure | will answer your
questions. Before doing so, allow me
to glance at the peculiar circumstances
in which | am placed. and the strange
ness of the fact that | q mere private
man. am called upon to make avowals
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 mere village. All my manhood
has been spent in Missouri, and during
all this time. | have followed profess
sion which left my character and con-
duet open to the observation of socie-
ty, and while it has been my constant
habit freely to express my opinion OF
public measures and public men, the
people Of Missouri, of all parties, will
bear me witness that | have never OBJ
strusively thrust myself forward in
pursuit of official honors | have held
no political office. and sought none for
more than twenty five years. Under
these circumstances. / confess the graf
ihcation which / feel in receiving the
recent manifestations of the respec,
and confidence of my feIlow-citzens
FIRST. the Opposition members of the
Missouri Legislature declared their
preference for me as a candidate. Then
followed my nomination by Conven'
tion composed of all the elements o.
this State. And now, the Republi
cans of Missouri, in their separate
Convention just held in St. Lo1is, have
reaffirmed the nomination. and pro
posed. by their delegates. to present
me to the National Convention. soor
to be held at Chicago, a candidate fol
the first office in the nation.
These various demonstrations in my
own State are doubly gratifying to me
because they afford the strongest proc
that my name has been put forward
only in spirit of harmony and peace
and with hope of preventing all di
vision and controversy among thos,
who, for their own safety and the pub
lie good, ought to be united in thei
action.
For all this | am deeply grateful
and as far as concerns me personally
must declare. in simple truth. that
the movement go no farther, and pro
. ducc no personal results. still an
paid and overpsid for a life of labor
and for whatever of Jealous effort an,
patient watching l have been able t
bestow in support Of line of Cover
mental policy which l believe to be 70
the present and permanent good of tn
country.
!. Now. gentlemen. l proceed to an
swer your questions. briefly indeed
but fully. plainly, and with all posi-
bic frankness; and do this the NOR
willingly. because have receive
from individuals many lstters-to
, many to be separately answered-an
have seen in many public journals al
ticles making urgen; calls upon me fo
such a statement Of my views.
lsT-sLAvERY AND ITS EXTENSION /
o THE TERRITORIES.
On this subject. in the States and i
the Territories. nave no new opir
8 ions formed in relation to the preser
l. array of parties. ! am coevsl with th
g Missouri question Of lSl9-2O, havin
;. begun my political life in the mids,
ir that struggle.
!" At that time my position require
: me to seek all the means Of knowlcde
Is within my reach. and to study Il
u u principles involved with ell the pow
srs OF INV mind. and I arrived ct Il