Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-02
vIvE LA BAGATELLE.

The respected Attorney General BATES has our
sincere sympathy. Called to pronounce judgment,
at the request Of. the President and of the Heads
of the several Executive Departments, on the most
difficult questions Of constitutional law, he is now
threatened with one which, for difficulty, magni-
tude, and delicacy, exceeds any that has yet been
raised by the progress Of events whether regard
be had to the farreachng principles involved or to
the high and influential parties at variance.
The case arises in this wise Mr.. Greeley having
been recently seized with "spasm of sense" ex-
traordinary as well for its power as its duration,
haa announced certain sound doctrines of consttu-
tional history and Interpretation, which have natu-
rally carried astonishment and dismay into the
ranks of his quondam admirers who reasonably
supposed themselves secure from any such mani
fcstation in that quarter He has actually gone SO
far to say that, according to what he "knows Of
the formation and contemporaneous exposition of
the Constitution" Originally adopted by States of
which twelve out of thirteen were sapeholding,) it
is not safe at this late day venture the opinion
that slavery, as legalized and recognised by State
law, is necessarily unconstitutional
This opinion has disturbed the complacency Of
one Mr.. Elizur Wright, who, "knowing what he
does not only Of the formation and contemporaneous
exposition Of the Constitution, but of the protens-
oraaeous exposition of the principles of its fra
mers and its ratifers," is moved to make the fol-
lowing proposition:
II will give FIVE hundred dollars to you or any one
writing your columns who will prove that any State has
right derived from guaranteed BY the Constitution Of
the United States to deprive any OF liberty without
due process Of law or for crime in other words TO hold
any person m property, on the following conditions The
argument to be published your columns Within three
weeks after its publication to have equal space 10
reply to it, Both arguments then TO be submte ed to
United States Attorney General Bates and shall be bound
to pay his decision that the point above stated has
been proved aga nst provided he will give it n writing
his signature with such for it he may
see fit to assign, aso TO bs published in the Tribune.
In order to show how much he is in earnest, Mr..
Wright adds the followipg:
What do you say, my dear old Tribune Do you dare
IL you feel any doubts about the color Of the money say
aud it shall be deposited 10 advance with Judge Bates
The "dear old Tribune has not yet accepted
this challenge, but, since the annals of Little Ped
lington passed into history, cannot recall more
momentous issue than that raised between the par
ties to this dispute. What should turn out that
Mr. Wright is not wrong and if Mr.. Attorney
General should decide in his favor against Mr..
Greeley Would not that put end at once to
slavery in all the Border States And would not
this put an end to the rebellion
But on the supposition that the Attorney Gene
raj should give the preponderance to Mr. Greeley s
arguments, we are beset by possibilities equally in
terestiug and novel Might not Mr.. Greeley's sue
cessful defence Of the constitutional rights of sla-
very make him formidable competitor for the next
Presidency at the head of the Pro-Savery''
ticket! There is great deal involved in this high
debate. We hope the Attorney General win con
slider well the matter before he renders Judgment
IN the premises.