Year: 1860

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vail, not only because they are right ia
themselves. but also because a great and
still growing majority Of the people be
lieve them to be right. and the sooner they
are allowed to prevail in peace and har
uony, the better for all concerned, as well
those who are against them as those who
are for them.


| am aware that small partis'ns. 10 their
little warfare against opposing leaders. dc
sometimes assail them by the trick Of tear
ing from their contexts some particular OBJ
jectionabls phrases. penned, perhaps. in
the hurry of composition, or spoken in the
heat of oral debate. and holding them up
to the public as the leading doctrines Of
the person asssiled. and drawing from
them their own uncharitable inferences.-
That line of attack betrays little mind
conscious of its weak ness, for the falsity Of
Its logic is not more apparent than the in
justice of its design. No public man can
stand that ordeal, and however willing
men may be to see it applied to their ad
verssries. all finch from the torture when
applied to themselves. In fact, the man
who never said foolish thing. will hard.
ly be able to prove that he ever said many
wise ones.


consider Mr.. Licoln a sonnd, safe, ma
tional man de could not be sectional if
he tried. His birth. his education, the
habits of his life. aud his geographical po-
sition, compel him to be national. All his
feelings and interests are identified with
the great valley of the Mississippi. near
whose center he has spent his whole life.
That Valley is is not section, but, con
spiculously. the body Of the nation, and
large as II is, it is pot capable Of being d.
vided into sections, for the great river can
not be divided. 1t is one and iudivisible,
and the North aud the South are alike me-
cessary to its comfort and prosperity. Its
people, too, in all their interests and affec-
tions, are as broad and general as the re-
gions they inhabit They are emigrants,a
mixed multitude. coming from every State
of the Union, and from most countries in
Europe; they are unwilling, therefore. to
submit to any one petty local standard
They love the nation as whole, and they
love all its parts. for they are bound to
them all, not only by feeling of common
interest and mutual dependence. but also
by the recolections of childhood and youth,
by blood and friendship, and by all those
social and domestic charities which sweet
en- life, and make this world worth living
in. The Valley is beginning to feel its
power, and will soon be strong enough to
dictate the law of the land Whenever
that state Of things shall come to pass, it
will be most fortunate for the nation to
fndthe powers Of government lodged in
the hands of men whose habits Of thought,
whose position and surrounding circum-
stances constrain them to use those pow
ers for general and not sectional ends.


give my opinion freely in favor of Mr..
Lincoln, and hope that for the good OF
the whole country, he may be elected. But
it is not my intention to take any active
part in the campaign. For many years
past have had little to do with public af-
fairs, and have aspired to no political of
fee; and now, in view Of the mad excite.
ment which convulses the country, and
the general disruption and disorder Of par
ties and the elements which compose
them, am more than ever assured that
for me, personally. there is no political fu
ture, and ! accept the condition with
cheerful satisfaction. Still cannot dis
charge myself from the lifelong dsty to
watch the conduct of men in power, and tC
resist so far as mere private may, thu
fearful progress Of official corruption
which for several years past has sadly
marred and defiled the fair fabric OF ou
government. If Mr.. Lincoln should be e
lected, coming in as new man at th
head ofa young party never before in pow
er, he may render great service to hi
country, which no Democrat could render
He can march straight forward in the dis
charge of his high duties, guided only b.
his own good Judgment and honest pur
poses, without any necessity to temporiz
with established abuses, to wink at the de
linquencies of old party friends. or to un
! learn and discard the bad official habit
that have grown up under the misgOveru
ment of his Democratic predecessors. Il
short, he can be an honest and bold refor
mer on easier and cheaper terms than az
Democratic President can be, for, in pro


ceeding in the good work Of cleansing an
purifying the administrative department.
he will have no occasion to expose tn
vices, asssil the interests, or thwsrt tn
ambition of his political friends.


Begging your pardon, for the length


this letter., am, with great respect.
Your friend and obedient servant,


EDWARD BATES.