From 1846 to 1849 he was a Whig member of the Vermont House of Representatives,[REF][REF][REF][REF] and in 1850 and 1851 he was a member of the Vermont Senate [REF].
In 1850 Bates was appointed cashier of the Bank of Orleans, and he held this position until 1854, when he moved to Northfield, Washington County to become cashier of the Northfield Bank [REF].