New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-24
RESPONSE OF JUDGE BATES.


ST. LOUIS, March IL, 1860.
To Msssrs p L. FoT, Editor of The Mssou, pemoera; Dr.
BxRsAYs Editor Of the Anzeger and other Gentlemen
SIRs:-B. Graiz Brown, esq, as President OF the
Missouri State Convention, which sat in ST. Louis on
the tenth of this month"; has officially made known to
me the proceedings Of that body, and by them am
enabled TO know some of you as Delegates to the Chi
caeo Convention, representing the Republican party of
Missouri.
have received yourlete proPoun3ing to certain
questions seven in NUMBER which you suppose will
cover most if not ALL the grounds OF controversy, In
the approaching Presidential election
With pleasure will answer your questions. Bu'
before doing 90 allow NE glance at the peculiar cir
stances in which am placed and the strangsness OF
the fact that J. 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 ne
n; the head of the nation came to this frontier In
nv youth and settled in st. Louis when il was va
lace All nv manhood has been spent in Missouri, and
during an that time have followed profession which
e my character and conduct open to the observation
Of society And while it has been my constant habit
freely to express my opinion of public measures snd
public men, the people of Missouri, Of all parties will
bear me witness that have o5trusively thrust
uyseh forward in pursuit Of official honors. have
held no political Office and sought aone for more than
twenty-five years.
Under these circumstances, confess tho qualification
which feel in receiving the recent manifestations OF
the respect and confidence of my fellow citizens. First
the Opposition members of the Missouri Legislature de-
clared their preference for canddate then fcl'
lowed nv nomination by Convention composed Of all
he elements ofthe Opposition in this State and, now,
the Republicans of Missouri, in their separate Conven-
ion just held in ST. Louis, bave resfrmed the nom
irstion aud proposed by their delegates, to pre-
cent me to the National Convention soon to be held at
Chicago as candidate for the fret Office in the nation.
These various demonstrations in my own State are
douby prstifypq to me- because they afford the strong
est proof that my name has been put forward only in
sprt Of harmony and peace and with the hope of pre-
venting all dyision and controversy among those who
for their own safety and the public good ought to be
united in their action.
For all this am deeply grateful, and, far
Germs me personally must declare, in simple truth,
that If the movement 60 no further and produce no
national results, still am paid and ovepaid for life
of labor and for hatever of Jealous effort and patient
watching have been able to bestow in support of a
lire of governmental policy which believe to be for
the present and perrasntn, good of the country.
And now. gentleman L proceed to answer your
questions briefly indeed, bat fully, plainly, and with
all possible franknese And to do this the more will
inoIy because have received from individuals many
letters too many to be separately answered., aud have
seen in many public journals articles making urgent
calls upon me for such statement Of views
| l. savery-Its extension in the Territories.
On this subject in the States and in the Territories,
have no new opinions-no opinions formed in rela-
ton to TIE present array Of parties. am coeval with
the Missouri question of 1920, having begun my
| 4;..1 Efa IN fba MIDI IF That a
time my position required me to seek all the means
of knowledge within my reach, ard to study the
principles involved with all the powers Of py mind
and arrived at conclusions then which subsequent
events have induced me to change The existence Of
negro Slavery in country had its beginning in the
early time of the Colonies, and was imposed by the
mother country against the viii OF most Of the eoonists
At the time of the Revolution, and long after
commonly regarded as an evil temporary in its nature
and likely to disappear in The Of time yet while
it continued, misfortune to the country, socially aud
politically.
Thus was taught, by those who made our Govern
ment, and neither the new light or modern civilza-
ton, nor the discovery Of a new system OF const
tutional law and social philosophy has enabled to
detect the error of their teaching.
Slavery lie "a social relations domestic nsta
ton. Within the States, 1t exists by the local law and
the Federal Government has control it there.
The Territories, whether acquired by conquest or
pescesble purchase subject and subordinate not
sovereign like the States The nation is supreme over
them, and The National Government has the power to
permit forbid Slavery, within them. Entertaining
these views opposed to the extension OF Slavery
and in my opinion the spirit and policy OF the Govern
| ment ought TO be against its extension.
O. Doss the Constitution carry Slavery into the Territories
answer no. The Constitution of the l nited o.ae'
does not carry slavery into the Territories. WIN
mnch mere show of reason may it be said THAT car
res Slavery into all the States But IL does not carry
Slavery anywhere. IL only acts upon it, where II mas
established by the local law.
In connection with this point, am asked to state
NV views of the bred Scott case and what was really
determined by the Supreme Court in that csse Ii IA
NV opinion, carefully considered, that the Court deter
mined ore single point Of law only that Is that Scott
the plaintiff being negro of African descent mot nee
etsary slave could not be citizen Of Missouri and
therefore could not In the Federal Court aud that
for this reason and this alone, the Circuit Court had
| no jurhdielop Of the cause, and 10 power to give