The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-29
OBITUARY..
Hon. Edward Bates.

A telegram from ST. Louis nentions tho
oeatn OF Edward Bates, eK. member Of tyonoresS
81 ~ "a 'AotoIney .General of the United States
~, 81 Ills LIS residence In that city, on Thursday
al,ernoon, in the seven y.sixth year of mis- age
mi MI Bates was native OF Belmont, Guocn-
1SI county va, Where he was born on the
stn a OF September, 1893. His parents being i'm
easy Easy circumstances they gave the deceased an
excellent education. While a boy he was
onered mids hipman's warrant, buS declined
~, hiInough In 1913 he served in the Virginia
utsiI9 urani n az Norfolk during the lasl war with
1.teAI Brltaln. In 1914 he moved to st. Louis,
sntered The law office of the late Rufus CASTOR,
aNa anu IN lSi6 was admitted to the bar. His sue
Sess S, IN MS profession was so signal aud i'm
mediate that after two years of private prac
i've saice ne received the appointment OF Prosecu.
Sntng Attorney for the 81. Louis circuit, filling
SIe hi position creditably, andgaining considera-
1aso pls reputation for legal skill and ability In
SD. ScxO ne was elected delegate to the State
SVnsuIuuonal convention, in the proceedings
J oI which he took an active and prominent
ketL kp,L During the same year he was appointed
AIiorney- General of the State of Missouri,
nolding the position for two years, when ne
resigned for the purpose of taking his seat ia
Ine lower mousse of the State Legislature, to
which he had been elected.
During this period MIR. Bates had held only
local or State offices, but he had become widely
Known as one of the ablest lawyers in the
West. He was member of the Wing orgaui-
cation, TO which he had early linked hIs for
|of duty, being appointed United States District
6AttorDey by President Monroe. During the
latter part OF 1926 he was elected q Representa-
Five 10 Congress, serving from 1927 to 1920
when, falling TO be returned, he retired to
HprlVAle lllG IOr a lew l0OQJnS. In 1851 he
elected 10 the State Senate, and in 1884 was
1nce more sent to the lower house of the
Legislature.
Excessive labor incident to q large practice.
enfe ebled his health to such an extent that IN
lS35 his physicians ordered him to move into
the country, where he could obtain ABUNDANT
exercise his constitution having been impaired
pas much from the sedentsry life he had led as
Xfrom any other cause. He Accordingly left 81
Louis for the interior where he resided several
years, practising his profession, and travelling
much on horseback around the praires.
sought his city home in 1912, and for eleven
yeas after kept aloot from politics, except as
the supporter and advocate of Wing principles
and candidates. AS before, his legal business
became quite large enabling HIM TO live well
and and to amsss mass comfortable property. During
the year 1850 President Fillmore offered him
the position of Secretary of War, in his Cabi-
net, but Mr.. Bates declined the Office. Three
years later he was elected Judge of the st.
Louis Land Court holding the office until 1885,
When he resigned. He was presiding officer of
the Whig Convention held at BaitimOre in
1885, which was the last national meeting of
that once powerful political organization.
The deceased did not ally himself to the Re.
publican PARTY Immediately upon its forma-
tion. The citizen of slave State he hesitaGed
about joining party whose open opposition to
prospects if he early espoused them. In 1860
however, when it was evident beyond doubt
he came out in favor of Mr. Lincoin's election
lican platform pleased him, for he placed but
because IL was far better than any PUB
l1shed creed, past or present, of the Demo-
Gratis" Mr.. Bates, in fact, belonged to that
class of "oid line Wings" that detested the
democratic party and principles with an almost
personal animosity. His advocacy of Mr.. Lin.
coins claims to election was rewarded by his
Iappointme ent as Attorney General of the United
States by the new President. AS such his ad-
ministrattop of the office was signalzed by the
opinion he delivered in July 1861, favorable to
. the Presidents power to suspend the habeas
corpus. For this Interpretation of the Consti-
tuition Mr. Bates severely censured by
many eminentlawyers, and. in turn, vigorously
defended by men of high regulations for legal
ability. The deceased resigned the Attorney
Generalship in December 1854. and was sue
ceeded by Mr.. James Speed, OF Kentucky.
OF the many politicians that This country has
fproduced, but few have been consistent to
principle as was Mr. Bates. He held but few
offices, although man of popularity and
marked abilities, mainly because ne would not
abandon one iota of the ideas he entertained,
and which, when once determined upon in his
mind, became fixed and unalterable. OF his
private character we know but little. and of
that little everything is favorable. He had
reached ripe old age at the time of his death,
land, dying, leaves behind him many warm
/personal friends who knew him we'll and could
appreciate his worth.