THE CONSTITUTION, Washington, D.C., Aug. 17, 1859  

* Rare pro-slavery publication 
* Pre-American Civil War D.C.

The front page contains five documents headed: "By the President Of The United States", each signed in type by him: James Buchanan.
This was a strongly democratic (pro-slavery at the time) paper with an editorial stance that was decidedly anti-Republican. It stands in dramatic contrast to the Northern papers, which certainly dominate in the collector market. They almost exclusively used the term "Black-Republicans" rather than "Republicans" as it held to the belief that slavery was acceptable and necessary, with much editorial effort to dissuade any anti-slavery or abolitionist efforts. Consequently, the Constitution had a short life, having begun in April, 1859 and ending in January, 1861 upon the advent of the Lincoln administration.
Four pages, very nice condition.

Background: Published on August 17, 1859, this rare four-page issue of Washington, D.C.’s The Constitution serves as a stark, pristine artifact from the volatile cusp of the American Civil War, embodying the aggressive pro-slavery, anti-Republican editorial stance that dominated the Buchanan-era capital. Operating for only twenty-one months before collapsing upon Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration in January 1861, the paper’s systematic use of the derogatory term "Black-Republicans" highlights a calculated political strategy designed to stoke racial anxieties, delegitimize the rising anti-slavery movement, and vigorously defend the institution of human bondage. The historical significance of this specific August 1859 date is profoundly amplified by its timing: it hit the streets just two months before John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry—the ultimate catalyst that radicalized both Northern and Southern factions—capturing a fleeting, highly combustible moment when the nation's political discourse was fracturing beyond repair. Because pro-slavery organs in Washington vanished overnight as Southern lawmakers seceded, this short-lived publication stands in dramatic contrast to the more widely preserved Northern press, offering collectors and historians an exceptional, highly coveted window into the desperate rhetorical defense of the Old South from inside the heart of the federal government.