Democratic banner., 1851-01-27

and power to the internal movements of the
sbolitionists. 1t contains the most hellish
well calculated IL carried out,
to sunder every ligament that binds the
Union together. On the first page is Pub.
lished a portion of what is called an drgu-
ment agains: the constitutienality of slave.
ry, and a defence of fugitive slaves by Ly-
sander Spooner.
The leading editorial reads as follows
Of Slavery in the States, by the
General Government.--TO b Bar
of the United States.
To-day we a systematic move.
ment, having for its object to give q new in
depreciation to the Constitution of the Unit
ed States-an Interpretation that shall ena-
BILE the general government to abolish slave
ry in the States.
We have no manner Of doubt that this in
depreciation is the true one, and that the
contrary was obtained through ignorance
and fraud. And we propose to bring this
question to the test Of the highest legal tri-
bunsl in the countrywide bar If The country
tribunal that controls, and necessarily
must control, the constitutional opinion Of
courts, congresses and people.
With this view We to-day, to
strike off twenty odd thousand copies of
the first chapter of the Appendix Of MIR.
S%pooner's "Defence for fugitive slaves."-
The chapter contains a brief summary of
the arguments that prove that slavery nei-
Their has nor ever had, any constitutional or
legal existence in this country, and that the
general government has power to abolish
it. We propose to send a copy Of this chap
ter to each Of the lawyers, whose names are
given in Livingstone "Lawy.r's Dictions-
ry," numbering nineteen thousand FIVE hun-
drrd, and also to the editors generally
throughout the country.
The questions We put TO the Bar of this
country are these
i. Whether the constitution, like all 9TH
er lows and legal instruments, must be con-
fsvorably to Justice, il the language
will bear it? or whether it must be constru-
ed favorably to justice. if the language will
bear il?
u CVuStltdtipU, 0S SS
ten, sis the suprrme Law Of III. land?" or,
some ''comprOnise," which may
or may not, have been entered into BY 8
politicians. outside Of The constitution,
and which they dared not incorporate into
its words, is of paramount authority to tie
Constitution itself?
8. Whether Mr.. Msdison's plan of max
ing the constitution recognize and adopt
as 9 legal institution, and at the
same time, Of mot admitting. in the consE
tat on, the idea thst there cnn be property
in man," be e practicable one in law?
These questions we ask the bar OF this
country to answer, an their capacity as LaU-
as Abolitionisis, nor anti Adolf
'ionis's, nor politicisns-but 81 lawyers, a.
men who know the legal meaning of works.
and the rules by which alllegal instruments
be interpreted.
We ask the lawyers in the first place, to
lead the argument we now send them. IL
see any reason in It, we ask them, in
ths next place. to read Mr.. Spooner's 9th.
or work, { which is advertised in this shse,)
the "UncOnshtnf,on0hty IF Have-
ry." And then we ask them, in: the last
to tell the people Of this country
whether slavery is, or is not unconsti,ution-
al: and whether the general government
have, or have not power to abolish it in the
States.
And we venture TO predict that when
those questions shall have been fully dis
cusSed, and finally answered, by the bar Of
country, a slave can no more breathe
the air Of America than Of England. We
confidently appeal to the younger members
Of the bar, who must do a large portion Of
the intellectual work of this nation for ,hir.
~ years to come ; who must inc vitality take
part in the great contest between liberty
and slavery that is now upon us; and
whose minds have not yet been compressed
and stnntsd in the Chinese shoe Of authori-
ty, and ask them fully and fairly to exam.
inc this great question before they take
against liberty and Justice"
Now what do the people think of Colonel
Benton's declaration, that "slsve property
is as safe under northern as southern legis-
l~ation?"
LARGE VERDIor.-On Wednesday week, in
The District Court at Philadelphia, a verdict was
rendered in favor Of the State Of Pennsylvania