The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-03-16

should attempt by snch ordinance to inter-
frrr with err superscde the allegiance yon owe
to the General Government. cav to you,
people of Maryland. under all the responsible.
iirS which may attend the declaration that
such an ordinance would be mil and rom
rercnt such an ordinance Hould he null and
void, because it would he beyond tile powers
reserved to the States by the Constitution nf
the Union, and would be direct interference
with the powers granted by that Constitution
10 the tneial Government. \ Convention
Of the people of State is limited. ns to its
powers, to tho parccling ont anil providing
for the exercise ofth powers and rights re
served TO the States. Over the powers grant
cd to the General Government by the ConSti-
tut ion. a State Convention has no power
whatever. The Constitution Of the L. S.
is paramount to the State Convention. The
State Convention is subject to the Consitn
tnn Of the United States. The State Legis.
latnrc is subject, first to the Constitution of
m" United States, and secondly, to the Con-
slitnlion Of the State.
d,sirc to be understood. The Cnrstiu-
tion of the United States vests in the General
Governmcnt. in pcrpctuity, all the high pow.
FRS. rights and functions granted to it. and
specially enumerated in that instrument.
There can he no change in that Constitution
except BY one Of the WAYS pointed out in the
fifth article thereof BY that article it is in
substance provided that twothiids of both
Houses of Congress can propose Amendments
L" the Constitution or. at the application of
wo thirds Of the Legislatures of the States,
it stall he the duty Of Congress to cal. Con-
7rn'ior for the purpose Of proposing amend
mrnts to the Constitution. which amend
ments. III either case, shall he valid. as parts
Of the Constitution to all in,tnts and pur-
posts. when ratified by the Legislatures of
three. fonr'hs Of the States. or by Conventions
Of three f"urfS thereof. as the one or the Other
mode OF ratification may be proposed by Con-
gross.
The powers Of the General Government arc
such as the Constitution now gives or may
hereafter give to it. by either of the modes Of
amendment prescribed by the Constitution
itself. These powers arc sacred to them for
ever State Government or a State Convcn.
ton has no more right to interfere with any
of these powers so vested in the Genera! Gov
crn,ncnt than it has to interfere with the
powers of the British Par lament or of the
absolute >ovcrci IN of Russia. The Cnns,itn-
ton of he United States is paramount to the
General Government. as well as to the Gov.
>ieciiv,ly. All acts of Congress passed in
pursuance Of its Constitutional powers arc
declared. by the Constitution itself to he u" the
snpr' mr law Of he land, and the Judges in
every State shall! he lmund hereby. anything
in the Constitution or laws Of any State to the
contrary notwithstanding.
What. then, are the powers Of State Con.
vrnti"n, duly convened ! Such Convention
bag r.. ..J -, ILL.,, \
powers reserved to the States that is to say.
not granted lay the Constitution to the Gcner-
al government. Snrh a State Convention
can shape the State Government in any form
it plcascs provided it hc republican to
the apporiionmcnt and exercise of the pow.
els so reserved to the States. This has usu-
ally been done by forming State Cons'i'u-
ton. Snch State Constitution usually pro-
vlrS tina, certain Of the rcScr we'd powers shall
not he inierfrred with by the State Ieg,Sla-
'ure. and vests The other reserved powers in
snch State Legislative. Judicial and Exccu.
tive Departments as the State Constitution
provides. These State Conventions and Con.
situations have no more control over the pow
crS and rights Of the General Government
than over the powers and rights of foreign
nations.
"JhCii, F''Iit VI DcllcVe 10 nc
the true aud plain statement Of the powers
and relations of the complicated machinery
which constitutes our General and State Gov
crnmcnts.
First in order, and orrr and nLorc all, is the
Constitution Of The United States of Amer
lea, as it now exists, OF as it may hereafter
be amended in pursuance Of provisions con.
tanned within itself.
-, a. e
United States of America" which, TO the full
extent of the powers conferred upon it by the
Constitution, is over and above all State
Legislatures, OF State Conventions or State
Constitutions: and is subject only, to the
full extent OF those powers and all laws pas.
scd in pursuance thereof, to the Constitution
itself as it now is. or as it may hereafter BE-
amcndend i'll pursuance Of its own provisions.
Third in order are the State Conventions
when lawfully assembled. These State Con-
ventions have supreme power only over the
rights reserved to the States that is to say.
not granted by the Constitution to the Gen
oil Cove rnnent. These State Conventions
are clearly subject to the Constitution of
the United States, and to all acts of Con-
grcss passed thereto
-Four tn in order arc the State Governments,
.'"S''"''S VI 'HeH itplSMUNe, JUDICIAL, a'C
Executive departments all of which are
clearly snhject, first, to the Constitution of
the United States; secondly to the General
'i"vrrnment to the full extent Of its powers
as vested in it by the ConslitutioIG: and
thirdly, to the Constitutions of the respective
States.
II these things he so. shonl! there he
| question. with an, faithful and loyal citizen
of the United States. whether he will obey
Convention OF his own State acting beyond it's
| powers, or the General Government in the
exercise of its constitutional functions Is
not the very Statement Of the question its
! argument
Togo step further. State cannot leave
| the Union. even by the consent Of the Gener-
al Government Congress. or the President
and S>nate have no power TO give such
consent. The relations oflhe General Gov
eminent to the several States. and of the
several States TO the General Government,
are prescribed and fixed by the Con-
s'itution. No agreement or consent be-
tween State and the General Government t
can change these relations. Any such
! agreement would be in direct violat ION Of the
Constitution. That Constitution is nara.
mount TO the General Government. as we'll ns
. the State Governments. The separation of
State from the General Government can only
| be legalztd by an amendment to the Consti,u.
ton. according to one Of the ways pointed out
in that instrument.
Nor can the separation of a State from the