The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-10-09

citizens "all privileges and immunities OF
citizens in!the several States" in defiance Of
State Rights. 2. "New States may be I'D.
mitted by the Congress into this Union. -
According to these words. the States cannot
even determine their associates, but arc de-
pendent in this respect upon the will OF Con-
gress. 3. But not content with taking
from the States these important powers Of
sovereignty, It is solemnly declared that the
Constitution, and the laws of the United
States made IN pursuance thereof, and oil
treaties under the authority Of the United
States, "sHALL De THE SUPREME LAW or THE
LAND. anything in tho Constitution or laws
of any State to the contrary notwithstand-
ing" Thus arc State Rights again subor.
dinated to tho National Constitution, which
is erected into the paramount authority. a.
But this is done again by another provision,
which declares that "the members of tho
several State legislatures. and oil executive
and judicial officers of the several States,
shall bo bouud by oath or affirmation to sup.
port this Constitution :" so that not only
State laws, and all other State officers, are
constrained to declare their allegiance to this
Constitution, thus placing the State, alike
through its acts and agents, in complete sub.
ordination to tho sovereignty of the United
States. 5. But this sovereignty is further
proclaimed in the solemn injunction, that
"thc United States shall guarantee to every
State in this Union republican form ofgov.
ernment, and shall protect each OF them
against INVASION" Here are duties of guar.
anty and protection imposed upon the Uni
ted States, by which their position is fixed us
tho supreme power. There can bc no such
guaranty without the implied right to exam.
inc and consider the governments OF the sev.
eral States, and there can be no such protec-
tion without similar right to examine and
consider the condition OF the several States
thus subjecting them to the rightful super.
vision and superintendent of the national
government.
Thus, whether we regard the large powers
vested in Congress, the powers denied to the
States absolutely, the powers denied to the
States without the consent Of Congress, or
those other provisions which accord suprem-
acy to tho United States, wo shall find the
pretension of State sovereignty without foun-
dation, except in tho imagination Of its par.
tisans Before the Constitution such sover-
cignty may have existed, II was declared in
the Articles of Confederation but since then
it has ceased to exist. 1t has disappeared
and been lost in the supremacy Of the nation.
al government, so that 1t can no longer be
Perverse men, insisting that it
still existed, and weak men, mistaking the
shadow Of former power for the reality, have
made arrogant claims in its behalf. When
tho Consultation was proclaimed, and George
Washington took his oath to support 1t as
President, our career Us nation began, with
oil the unity ola nation. The States re-
maincd as living parts Of tho body, impor.
tant to the national strength, and essential
to those currents which maintain national
life, but plainly subordinate to tho United
States, which then ard there stood forth
nation, one and indivisblc.