East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-04-05

and has now become the handbook OF
the "higher.law," ''irrsprcssible conflict"
party.
Hon. WIN. II. SEWARD writes TO Gerrit
Smith, concerning it as follows:-
"ArBrnS, Nov. g. 1855
My DEAn sR.-I thank you for sending me a
copy Of Mr. Spooner's treatise. had bought copy |
of the first edition 1t l. very able work, and
irish that Il might be universally studied. The
Triting and publishing If such looks IS The most
eGecfire trGy Of working out me great reformation
nhich This nation Is required 10 make by The spirh
Of humanity. Very sincerely your friend and
obedient servant. WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
The Hon GERRIT SMITH"
And speaking of the same book, GER
RIT SMITH says
The more read that admirable, inyincible and
matchless argument which Lysander Spooner has
made 10 show the unconstitutionaty Of slavery the
more 1 am pleased with it, lie yields nothing but
what the legal rules of Interpretation compel him to
yield. And why should he make unnecessary con-
cessions in argument undertaken in behalf of all
that il sacred and vital in the right Of mani Were
| studious of fame usefulness had rather be the
author Of this manly brave and independent argu-
ment against the constutionality Of slavery than of
any other law argument ever written, either in this
age or in any former age - either on this side or on
the other side Of the Atlantic Why will not all
lawyers read III Who Of them could read Il iriih-
out being conrinced that siarery IS Hc0nsttu-
tORdi?"
Their opinions appear to be identical.
Our space does not admit of our giving
an extended synopsis Of its contents, but
we will state briefly that it first pro-
pounds the question, what is law I? and
answers Nothing inconsistent ,eih justice
can be lac. Falsehood of the definition
that "Law is a rule of civil conduct pre-
scribed by the supreme power of State"
Mr.. Spooner admits, for the sake of the
argument, that constitutions and statutes
inconsistent with justice may be made
law, but insists that such constitutions
and statutes, in their practical applica-
ton, shall be interpreted by the following
rule, viz: that all VOrds that are susceptible
Of tpO meanings, one favorable 10 justice and
the other to injustice, shall be taken in the
sense .faror0Jle to justice. He then reviews
the Colonial Charters and Statutes, the
Declaration of Independence, the State
Constitutions of 1889, and the Articles
of Confederation. and by course of in
genious sophistry claims to have proven
conclusively that at the time of the
adoption of the Constitution Of the United
States, slavery did not exist in any Of
the States legally. He then applies hi:
theory of construction and Interpretation
to the Constitution, and convinces him
self, Seward and Gerritt Smith, and al
, other abolitionists, that the general gov
eminent is not bound to protect the citi
|, zens of the United States in the peacea
bic enjoyment of their slave property
and finally he proclaims, as the CRANE
climax of his argument, that slavery be
ing an institution in violation of natura
right, and opposed to natural justice, nc
human power can give tia legal existence
Spooner is an abolitionist, and does no
, feel insulted when so called he has fur
| nished the text for all of the republican
leaders, and sixty republican members o
, Congress, including KELLOGG, LEACH ant
WALDRoS, of Michigan, have given thei
{ unqualified endorsement of hisillogical ant
worse than silly conclusions. The editor o
the Sagina,0 Enterprise mourns over thu
righteous judgment that has been exc
| cuted upon John Brown AMI his murder
!. Gus crew, and regrets that the hero o
, Harper's Ferry did not take mer
, enough with him to rout and full!
r conquer" and brutaly murder the peace
E able citizens of the cold Dominion. "
Still these men are republicans, not abOll
}. tionists. Perhaps they are not, but tn
). difference consists only in this. TIL,
y Garrisonian aboltionists who have 70
years found advocates in such men a
Wendell Phillips, Gerrit Smith, Rev
v John Pierpoint, the late James G. Birney
}. and others, sought to effect the abolition
f of slavery peaceably, through the inau
y ence of moral suasion. The black reput
@ licans, whose advocates are such men a
# Seward, Giddings, Greedy, and the edito
G of the Sqgi'aaw Enterprise, etc., ETC., see
s to abolish slavery by force, and to sunde
g this Union in civil war, fraternal blood
shed, and universal anarchy, whereof tn
hellish raid Of John Brown and his 70
!; lowers at Harper's Ferry was the blood
al prototype.
e ABoLITIoNIsM IN CoyGREss.-The make
le question of the abolition and interdictio
g. of slavery in the United States, was pre-
to sented in the House of Representative
20 20 on Monday, by resolution proposed b
m Mr.. Blake, Black Republican mcmbe
from Ohio; and when forced by the m
nority to q vote, receired the support OF a