Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-04-04
POSITION OF HON. EDWARD BATES.


POSITION OF HON EDWARD BATES.
The Missouri Delegates to the Chicago Con-
vention, recently addressed letter to Hon.
Edward Bates OF that State, requesting his o.
pinions on certain subjects, to which he made
the following reply:
ST.. LOUIS, March II, 1857.
70 Mssrs. p. L. Poy, DR.. Bernays and Others
SiRs: B. Gratz Brown, ESQ.,, as President of
the Missouri State Convention, which sat in
ST. Louis on the 10th Of this month, has Off
cially made known to me the proceedings of
that body, and by them l am enabled to know
some of you as delegates to the Chicago Con-
vention, representing the Republican party Of
Missouri.
have received your letter propounding to
me certain questions, seven in number, which
yoc suppose will cover most, if not all the
grounds of controversy in the approaching
Presidential election.
With pleasure will answer your questions.
But, before doing SO, allow me to glance at
the peculiar circumstances in which am pla-
ced, and the straDgeness of the fact that, /
n mere private man, am called upon to make
ayowals and explanations with any view to
take me from the shades of private life and
place NE at the head of the nation.
came to this frontier in my youth, and
settled in st. Louis when it was mere village
L,
and during all this time have followed pro-
fession which left my character and conduct
open to the observation of society and while
1t 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 obtrusvely
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, 1 confess the
qualification which feel in receiving the re-
cent manifestations Of the respect and conf
jesce of my fellow citizens. First, the OPP
position members of the Missouri Legislature
declared their preference for me as candi-
date. Then followed my nomination by
Convention composed of all the elements of
the Opposition in this State. And now, the
Republicans of Missouri, in their separate
Convention just held in st. Louis, have re- af-
frmed the nomination, and proposed by their
delegates, to present me to the National Con-
veDsioa, soon to be held at Chicago, as can
didate 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 har-
uIony and peace, and with hope of prevent
ing all division 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 as far
as concerns me personally, must declare, in
simple truth, that if the movement go no far
ther, aud produce no national results, still
am paid and oyerpaid for life of labor, and
for whatever OF jealous effort aud patient
watching have been able to bestow in support
of line of Governmental policy which l be-
lieve to be for the present and permanent good
Of the country.
Now, gentlemen, proceed to answer your
questions, briefly indeed, but fully, plainly,
and with all possible frankness and do this
the more willingly because 1 have received
from individuals many letters too many to
be separately answered-and have seen in
many public journals articles making urgent
calls upon me for such statement Of my
views.
l. SiaUsry-its extension in the Territories.-
On this subject, in the States and In the Ter
ritories. have no new Opinions-no opinions
formed in relation to the present array of par
ties. am coeval with the Missouri question
oi 1879 20, having begun my political life in
the midst of that struggle. At that time my
position required me to seek all the means of
knowledge within my reach, and to study the
principles involved with all the powers of my
mind, and l arrived at conclusions then which
no subsequent events have induced me to
change.
The existence of negro slavery in our coun-
try had its beginning in the early time of the
colony, and was imposed by the mother coun-
try against the will of most of the colonists.
AT tine time of the Revolution, and long after
it, was commonly regarded as an evil, tempo
rary in its nature, and likely to disappear in
the course of time: yet, while it continued,
misfortune to the country, socially and politi-
cally. Thus was taught by those who made
our Government, and neither the new light of
modern civilization nor the discovery of new
system of constitutional law and social phiios-
ophy has enabled me to detect the error of
their teaching.
Slavery is a social relation, domestic in
stitntion. Within the States, it exists by the
local law, and the Federal Government has no
control over it there. The Territories, wheth-
Or acquired by conquest or peaceable purchase,
are subject and subordinate, not sovereign like
tne STATES; The nation is supreme over them
and the National Government has the power
to permit or forbid slavery in them.
Entertaining these views am opposed to
the extension OF slavery, and, in nv opinion. /,
the spirit and the policy of the Government
ought TO be against its extension.
z. Does the Constellation carrp slarery info the |
Territories 7-I answer no. The Constitution
OF the United States does not carry slavery
into the Territories. With much more show
OF reason may it be said that it carries slavery
into all the states. But it does not carry sla |
very anywhere; it only acts upon il where il !
mas 1t established by the local law In con. |
sexion with this point am asked to state nv |
views OF the Dred Scott case, and what was re- |
ArVn v<ol 1...s st-~