The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-07-02

.
S. and they asked the question with some
show of triumph. if the Constitution OF the
lnited States could be greater than the Con
! stltution of the State, inasmuch as the State
! Governments were its creator 10 which
reply, that the Constitution of the United
States, equally with the Constitutions OF the
States. is the creature of the people, not OF
the States. The people are master. and
supreme over both. and can alter either as
they see proper. and can transfer and locate
/ powers in whichever they see proper.
| MIR. MILLER. viii the gentleman from
Cecil Mr. ScowTl answer the question,
whether the majority of the people OF the
, Cnitc,! States can alter the Cons titution OF
/ the United States?
! Mr.. SCOTT. In the manner prescribed by
that instrument they can.
! Mr.. MILLER. They cannot do it; it is
impossible.
| Mr.. scoTT. They can do it in a manner
they have themselves prescribed. The peo-
! pie of the United States formed the Gov
crnments of the States and of the United
States and according to the doctrine we
all agree upon, that the people are sovereign
III this country, then the people are not only
/ masters of the State Governments. but mas
tiers Of the Government OF the 'nitcd States.
and can change either or both at their pleas
ure.
AT first. owing to the operation Of the
Articles of Confederation, the sovereign
, power was only partially lodged in the Gov
erhment of the United States But that
was evidently so imperfect and unfit for the
purposes for which ii was intended, that the
| people formed new Government. and
| enlarged and increased the power of that
Government. by IA direct grant of powers
! from the people. and in that Government
they enumerated. 10y expressly naming them
particular functions OF sovereignty that they
wished that Government to enjoy and eXcr
else. Now, take away from any sovereign
| in Europe. the mIghiicst there. the powers
| and functions enumerated IN the Cunstitu
ton Of the United States. and what a sorry
sovereign you would leave. A sovereign
| that could not raise an army; that could
| not build fri gate that could not make
peace or war that could not send or
| receive an Ambassador: that could not coin
money, or regulate commercial intercourse !,
that is the kind of sovereign he would be.
he Government that holds and exercises
these essential and important attributes of
sovereignty must he The supreme power :.
| and, II so, the paramount allegiance o! the
CITIZEN or SUBJECT. Is due to that power
his divcsts the question of all the difficulty
II. winch the opposition seemed to suppos.
they had involved us. in regard to the cica.
'ure beng above the creator as there is no
attempt 10 put the Government above the
| people. they being supreme, and above both
State and General Governments.
he gentleman from Prince George :
MIR. BEIrl said the people were sovereign
Ahstfactly that is So but practically that
| is not so; for allegiance is not due ironronc
| man to another and back again The mob
b.t Al ,,l Il, u, -,
were sovereign IN one sense. at thar time :;
hey were master for the time. What /
| understand Ivy the sovereignty Of the peo-
pie. Is that particular manifestation of ii
which we call Government. Government
consists Of n constitution and laws made
in pursuance thereto, and officers appointed
10 carry ont the will of the people, as man
| Tested in that Constitution and those laws.
That embodiment and manifestation of the
sovereignty of the people, is that to which
allegiance is due. As the Government OF
he United States holds the most important
powers without which there can be no SOY
ercgniy at all, without which we would be
he prey Of every one that saw fit to modest
| us-as the Government of the United States
nolds all these important powers. those thai
'nhcrc in, aud necessarily belong to, sovcr
"ignty, to that Government unqucstiouahil
,,, l a., " ~ '' WV
;rl ". "', ,
,'e rv'i,. w" "l''''I' ''osc Po"trS "
,L', s"'s ,I''' Wv 'olv."'l'e'' "n" invest
", ,I ~ ,am'' JoS' ~ I'.'' 'her r"'t"Sr
Wv" ~ p.','uI' =! .''''' !" 'nr ."''
,,h, T. '',I l'Ui'e -" Pr"l'er' ."'s
overcome by the General Government. thar
the General Government was too strong toe
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u. " o w. I, ,I i - CIV y''n c"She ~ 'l'"n
az az p''rm ~ "s ,"'ssh ,'o,cS ""'e ""9'u
| '''" 100, '"iV"3 ""'." 20 "' J"S' ",'
3'' ,I ,I"',' ne ""ef'tt9"'y I" he Pe"p'e
or" '''' 'e' r''' cay NAV ""tre ''e treas
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| NhuH'''a NC SohCihdts ti'ht IL "'uiu nv Dc