The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-12-12

she might seeede from tbe Union.
What crushing argument would this have
proved against those who dreaded that the
rights of the States would be endangered By the
Constitution. The truth is that il was not un
ill many years after the origin of the Federal
Government that such a proposition was first
advanced 1t was then met and refuted by the
conclusive arguments of General Jackson, who
in his Message Of 10th January, 1888, transmit.
ting the nulliyin9 ordinance of South Carolina
to Congress, employs The following language:-
d" The right OF the people of single State tC
absolve themselves AZ will without the consent
of the other States. from the most solemn obi.
cations, and hazard the liberty and happiness
OF the millions composing this Union, cannot bt
acknowledged. Such authority is believed IL
be utterly repugnant, both to the principles up
on which the general Government is conStitu
ted, and to the objects which it is expressly
formed to attain" 1t is not pretended that any
clause in the Constitution gives counteDance TO
such theory-it is altogether founded upon
interence--nut from any language contained in
the Instrument itself, but from the sovereign
character OF the several States by which it was
ratified. Bat it beyond the power of State
like an individual, to yield portion Of its SOW.
ereign right, To secure the remainder?
In the language of Mr. Madison. who has
been called tn Father of the Constitution, Il,
was formed by the Siates-that is by the peo
pie OF each Of the States, acting in their sover
eign capacIty-and formed, consequently, by
the same authority which formed the State Con
sttutons. Nor X the Government of the Uni
ted States, created by the Constitution, less a
Government in the Sirictest sense Of the term
within the sphere of its powers, than the Gov.
ernmcnts created by the Constitutions of the
states are within their spheres. Its, like them
organized into legislative, Executive and Ju
dical departments. 1t operates, like them, d
rectly on persons and things, and, like them, ii
has at command a physical force for executing
the powers committed to it, 1t was intended
10 be perpetual, and not TO be annulled at the
pleasure of any one Of the contracting parties
The old articles of confederation were entitled
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Tn
ion between the States" and by the 18th Ar
ticle il is expressly declared that "the Articles
Of this Confederation shall he inviOlably OBJ
served by every State, and the Union shall be
perpetual The preamble to the Constitution
OF the United States having express reference
to the Articles of Confederation, recites tha,
it was eStabised in "order 10 form more per
feet Union, aud yet it is contended that this
more perfect Union does not include the eS
Sential attribute OF perpetuity; but that the
Union Was designed to be perpetual, appears
conclusiyely from the nature and extent of the
powers conferred by the Constitution on the
Federal Government. These powers embrace
the very highest attribute of national sover
eighty. They place both the sword and the
purse under its control
Congress has power TO make war and 70
make peace, 10 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 the value there
Of and TO regulate commerce with t0reig gu ma
tons, and among the several States.
1t is not necessary TO enumerate the other
high powers which have been conferred upon
the Federal Government. In order to carry
the enumerated powers into effect, Compress
possesses the exclusive right to Jay and collect
duties on imports. and in common with the
States to lay and collect all the other taxes
But the Constitution has not only conferred
these high powers upon Congress, but it has
adopted eflectual means to restrain the States
from interfering with their exercise. For tha,
purpose it has in strong prohibitory language
expressly declared that mo State shall enter
into any treaty. alliance or confederation, grant
letters of marque and reprisal, coin money, emit
bills of credit make anything but gold and sill
Yer coin tender in payment OF debts, pass
any bill of attainder, expost facto law or law
impairing the obligation Of contracts More
over. without the consent Of Congress, nc
State shall lay any mposts or duties on imports
or exports except what may be absolutely
necessary for executing its inspection laws
and if they exceed this amount the excess shall
belong to the United States. And mo State
SHALL without the consent of Congress, lay any
duty Of tonnage, keep troops or ships Of wal
in time of peace, enter into any agreement Oi
compact with another State or with foreign
power or engage in war; unless actually inya
ded, or in such imminent danger as will not
admit OF delay
! In order still further 10 secure the uninter
rupted exercise of these high powers against
State interpositioD, it is provided " that thi:
Constitution and the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof, anC
all treaties made, or which shall be made un
der the authority of the United States, shall bt
/ the supreme law Of the land, and the Judge
in every State shall be bound thereby, any
| thing in the Constitution or laws of any State
/ TO the contrary Notwithstanding. The solemn
sanction Of religion has been superadded t
the obligations of official duty, and all Sena
/ tors and Representatives of the United States
all members of the State Legislatures, and al
Executive and Judicial officers both of th,
| United States and OF the several States, shall
be bound by oath or affirmation to supper
this Constitution"
In order to carry into effect these powers
the Constitution has established perfect Gov
ment in all its forms, legislative, executive ant
judicial, and this Government, to the extent Q
its powers acts directly upon the individual
citizens of every State and executes its owl
decreecs by the agency of its own officers Ii
this respect it differs entirely from the Govern
ment under the old Confederation, which wa
confined 10 making requisitions on the State
in their sovereign character. This left it in tb
discretion Of each whether to obey or to re
fuse, and they often declined to comply will
such acquisitions. 1t thus became necessar,
for the purpose of removing this barrier. AM
in order to form a more perfect Union" to es
tablsh Government which could act direct
upon the people and execute its own laws with
out the intermediate agency of the States
This has been accomplished By the Constitu
tion Of the United States.
In short, the Government created by tn
Constitution, and deriving its authority fron
the sovereign people of each Of the Severa
States has precisely the same right to eyerciS