The constitutional union., 1860-12-21

 In this manner our thirty-three States may resolve themselves into as many petty, iarring and hostile republics, each one retiring from the Union without responsibility, whenever any sudden excitement might impel them to such . course; by this course the Union might be entirely broken into fragments in J few weeks which cost our f0reiathcrs many years of toil .privation and hardship to establish Such principle ia wholly inconsistent with the Constitution; 1t was framed with the greatest 3eliberation and care; 1t was submit ted to Conventions Of the people of the seyer- al States for ratification; its provisions were discussed at length in these bodies composed of the first men of the country Its opno- nets contended that 1t conferred power on the Federal Government dangerous to the rights of the States, whilst its advocates maintained that under fair construction of the instru- mert, there was 10 foundation l6r such aprrc- tensions. Tn that mighty struggle between the first inteIIects of this or any country, 1t never occurred to any individual, either
 'Goug jts opPoner5 or advooa es, to assert or even to intimate that their efforts were all vain labor, because the moment any State felt
 
 Union. What q crushing argument would this have proved against those who dreaded that the rights Of the State would De endan- gcred by the Constitution The truth is, that 1t was not unt,I many years after the ori- gin of the Federal Government that such a proposition was first advanced. IL was then met and retutej by the conclusive arguments of General Jackson, who, in his Message of 10th January, 1853. transmitting the nuIlity- ing or,liance of South Carolina to Congress. employs the following language. "The right of the people of single State to absolye themselves at will without the consent of other States from their most solemn obiiga- tons, hazardng the liberty and happiness of the millions composing this Union, cannot bc acknowledged. Such authority k believed to be utterly rcpu-ndnt both to the principles upon which the General Government is con situtod, and to the objects which 1t was ex- pressy formed to attain It is not pre- tended that any clause in the Constitution gives c9uMteuance to such thcory-it is aI- together founded upon intercnce-not from any language contained in the instrument it. self, but iroui tAe sovereign character of the several States ]! !gwhjch it was ratified. But is beyond the CT Of State, like an inli- FlauaI to yield 8 portion of its sovereign rights to secure the remainder? in the language oE Mir. Madison, who has been called the father Of the Constitution. 1t was formed by the Htates-that is, by the people i'll each cf the States, acting in their high sovereign capacity formed, consequently
 by the same authority which formed the State Constitution; nor is the Government of the United States, created by the Constitution less 2 government, in the strictest sense Of the term, within the sphere of its powers than the governments created Lv the consti- tutIons ot the States are within their several $. aeros t *, like them. organized into I4a~- +.auyc. lEcrut"c and Judiciary departments. r operates like them directly 0a pcrsoas and things, and, Ike tlcn, it Las at command a physical force for executing the powers con- nItted 5o 1t, and it WAS intended to be per- rotuai and not to Lc anuuIled at the pleasure of any one of the contracting parties of the { Nontaderation-a perpetual Union between the States; and by the 18th article it is cX- prr~~Iy declared that the articles of this Con- federation shall a1 inevitably observed by every State and the Union shall De perpetual
 IEr preamble to the Constitution ot the ! United $,ate having express reference to the articles of confederation, asserts it was esta0- Gshea In order to form a more perfect Jnion. bu. does no, include the essential attribute of rorpouitv. But that the Union was designed to be perpetual appears concuivcly from the nature and extent oi the powers conferred by the Consultation on the Federal Government. These powers embrace tic very highest attri- bute, of national s3yeroignty. They place both thc sword and the purse under it's con- ] troi. Congress ha, power to make war and make peace-ro raise and support armies and nayes. and to conclude treaties with foreign . governments. 1t is invested with the power to coin money. and to regulate tho value thereof. and to regulate commerce with for cicn nations. and among the several States ! t io not necessary to cnWnera,e the other high powers which have been conferred upon ,hc Federal Government. ii order t0 carry ! the enumerated powers into effect. Congress ! possesses the exclusive right to lay and collect duties on imports. and in common with the ! States, to lay9md collect all the other taxes ' But the Constitution has not only conferred | these high powers upon Congress- but 1t has adopted ehectual means to restrain the States from interfering with their exercise for that purpose. It has, in strong prohibitory Ian guage, expressly declared that no State shall enter into any treaty alliance, or contelera- tou-grant letters of marqua and reprisal
 coin money, emit bills of credit. make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts, pass any bill of attaindcr
 eXro,t tacto law, or laws mpairing the oblga- ton of contracts. Moreover. without the con sent of Congress, no State shall lay any i'm. posts or duties on any imports or exports, ex
 cept what may De absolutely necessary fo1 executing ifs inspection laws, and if they ex
 ceed this, the excess shall belong to the United States; and no State shall without the con
 sent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage
 keep troops or ships of war in time of peace
 enter into any agreement or compact with an
 other State or with foreign power. or engage
 in war, unless actually invaded, or in sucI
 immediate danger as will not admit of delay
 Tn order still further to secure tho uninter
 rupted exercise of these high powers agains
 State interpostion it is provided that tht
 Constitution and laws of the United States
 which shall be made in pursuance thereof anC
 all treaties made. or which shall be lnadt