Thereis,however,arestrictiononthispoint,whichmustbenoticed。Nostatecanbeformedorerectedwithinthejurisdictionofanyotherstate,norcananystatebeformedbythejunctionoftwoormorestatesorpartsofstates,withouttheconsentofthelegislaturesofthestatesconcernedaswellasofcongress。
4。ItiswithgreatdeferencethattheauthorventurestodissentfromthispartoftheopinionofthelearnedchiefjusticeoftheSupremeCourtinthe,caseofCohenv。Virginia,6Wheaton,390。itwasnotthepointincontroversy,andseemstohavebeenintroducedinthatflowofluminousdiscussionforwhichheissoremarkable,bywayofanswertopartoftheargumentsofcounsel。Everythingthatfallsfromsuchaquarterexcitestoreflection,andtheopinionhavinggoneforthtotheworld;itseemsadutyonhimwhoprofessestotakeageneralviewoftheConstitution,tonoticewhatevermayinhisapprehensionamounttotheslightesterrorinprinciple。
5。Somedoubtshavingbeenentertainedwhetherthisaddresswasnotwrittenbyanotherhand,itisduetothememoryofthisgreatmantomention,thatbytheresearchesofThePennsylvaniaHistoricalsociety,ithasbeenfullyascertainedthatitwastheentireworkofthepresident。
WilliamRawle:AViewoftheConstitution:AppendixIAPPENDIX,NO。I。PERHAPSthefollowingviewoftheelectionsofpresidentandvicepresident,sincetheretirementofPresidentWashington,maynotbeuninteresting。
In1796,thevotesweregivenunderthefirstsystem,asheretoforeexplained。Thehighestinvotesbecamethepresident,andthenexthighest,thevicepresident。
JohnAdams,whohadbeenvicepresidenteightyears,had71votes。
TheequalityofthevotesforMr。JeffersonandMr。Burrproducedanarduouscontestinthehouse,thehistoryofwhichisworthpreservation。
Thedeclarationofthevotestookplaceinthesenatechamber,onWednesday,the11thofFebruary。Afterthedeclarationthatachoicehadnotbeenmadebytheelectors,andthatitdevolvedonthehouseofrepresentatives,thehouseconvenedinitsownchamber,andfurnishedseatsforthesenate,aswitnesses。Thehousehadpreviouslyadoptedrules,thatitshouldcontinuetoballot,withoutinterruptionbyotherbusiness,andshouldnotadjourn,buthaveapermanentsessionuntilthechoicebemade;andthatthedoorsofthehouseshallbeclosedduringtheballoting,exceptagainsttheofficersofthehouse。
Thefollowingwasdirectedtobethemodeofballoting:
Eachstatehadaballotboxinwhichthemembersbelongingtoit,havingpreviouslyappointedateller,putthevotesofthestate,thetelleronthepartoftheUnitedStateshavingthencountedthevotes,duplicatesoftherestwereputbyhimintotwogeneralballotboxes。Tellersbeingnominatedbyeachstateforthepurposeofexaminingthegeneralballotboxes,theyweredividedintotwoparts,ofwhomoneexaminedoneofthegeneralballotboxes,andtheotherexaminedtheother。Uponcomparingtheresult,andfindingthemtoagree,thevoteswerestatedtothespeaker,whodeclaredthemtothehouse。
Thenumberofstateswasatthattime16?ninewerenecessarytoachoice。OnthefirstballotMr。Jeffersonhadeightstates,Mr。Burrsix,andtwoweredivided。
Thefirstballottookplaceabout4o\'clock,P。M。Sevenotherballots,withsimilarresultssucceeded,whenarespitetookplace,duringwhichthemembersretiredtothelobbiesandtookrefreshment。Atthreeo\'clockinthemorningofthe12th,twootherballotstookplace,andat4o\'clockinthemorning,thetwenty-firsttrial。At12atnoon,ofthe12th,thetwenty-eighthballottookplace,whenthehouseadjournedtothenextday,havingprobably,insecretsession,dispensedwiththeruleforthepermanentsession。OnFriday,the13th,thehouseproceededtothethirtiethballotwithoutachoice,andagainadjournedtothenextday。OnSaturday,the14th,theballotingshadthesameresult。OnTuesday,the17th,atthethirty-sixthballot,thespeakerdeclaredatoneo\'clock,thatMr。Jeffersonwaselected,havingthevotesofNewYork,NewJersey,Pennsylvania,Virginia,Kentucky,Georgia,Tennessee,NorthCarolina,Maryland,fourvotesforJeffersonandfourblanks,andVermontonevoteforJeffersonandoneblankvote。Thusendedthecontest,anditmeritstheattentionoftheenemiesofrepublicaninstitutions,whoarefondofanticipatingtheoccurrenceoftumultandviolenceonsuchoccasions。Thedecorumwithwhichthewholewasconducted,andthereadyandpeaceableacquiescenceoftheminority,evinceboththesoundtextureoftheConstitution,andthetruecharacteroftheAmericanpeople。Theelectionin1804,wasunderthepresentsystem?
JohnC。Calhounwaselectedvicepresidentbyagreatmajorityoftheelectoralcolleges。
Intheelectionof1828,thegreatmajorityofvotes,infavourofAndrewJackson,renderedarecoursetothehouseofrepresentativesunnecessary。
Ofthe261electors,178votedforGeneralJacksonand83forMr。Adams。
JohnC。Calhounobtained171votesforvicepresident,83weregivenforRichardRush,and7forWilliamSmithofSouthCarolina。
WilliamRawle:AViewoftheConstitution:AppendixIIAPPENDIX,NO。II。INpage75noticeistakenofthedifficultiesunderwhichCongresslabouredduringtheconfederation,inrespecttoenforcingtheobservanceoftreaties,andtheletterfromcongresstotheseveralstatespreparedbyMr。Jayisreferredto。
Asanhistoricaldocumentvaluableineveryrespect,wehereinsertit:?\"Friday,April13,1787。
\"Thesecretaryforforeignaffairs,havinginpursuanceofanorderofcongress,reportedthedraughtofalettertothestates,toaccompanytheresolutionspassedthe21stdayofMarch,1787:thesamewastakenintoconsideration,andunanimouslyagreedtoasfollows:
\"SIR?Oursecretaryforforeignaffairshastransmittedtoyoucopiesof,alettertohim,fromourministeratthecourtofLondon,ofthe4thdayofMarch,1786,andofthepapersmentionedtohavebeenenclosedwithit。
\"WehavedeliberatelyanddispassionatelyexaminedandconsideredtheseveralfactsandmattersurgedbyBritain,asinfractionsofthetreatyofpeaceonthepartofAmerica,andweregretthatinsomeofthestates,toolittleattentionappearstohavebeenpaidtothepublicfaithpledgedbythattreaty。
\"Notonlytheobviousdictatesofreligion,moralityandnationalhonour,butalsothefirstprinciplesofgoodpolicy,demandacandidandpunctualcompliancewithengagementsconstitutionallyandfairlymade。
\"OurnationalConstitutionhavingcommittedtousthemanagementofthenationalconcernswithforeignstatesandpowers,itisourdutytotakecarethatalltherightswhichtheyoughttoenjoywithinourjurisdictionbythelawsofnationsandthefaithoftreaties,remaininviolate。Anditisalsoourdutytoprovidethattheessentialinterestsandpeaceofthewholeconfederacy,benotimpairedorendangeredbydeviationsfromthelineofpublicfaith,intowhichanyofitsmembersmayfromwhatevercausebeunadvisedlydrawn。
\"Letitberemembered,thatthethirteenindependentsovereignstateshave,byexpressdelegationofpower,formedandvestedinusageneralthoughlimitedsovereignty,forthegeneralandnationalpurposesspecifiedintheconfederation。Inthissovereigntytheycannotseverallyparticipate,(exceptbytheirdelegates,)norwithithaveconcurrentjurisdiction;
forthenintharticleoftheconfederationmostexpresslyconveystousthesoleandexclusiverightandpowerofdeterminingonwarandpeace,andofenteringintotreatiesandalliances,&;c。
\"Whenthereforeatreatyisconstitutionallymade,ratifiedandpublishedbyus,itimmediatelybecomesbindingonthewholenation,andsuperaddedtothelawsoftheland,withouttheinterventionofstatelegislatures。
Treatiesderivetheirobligationfrombeingcompactsbetweenthesovereignofthisandthesovereignofanothernation;whereaslawsorstatutesderivetheirforcefrombeingtheactsofalegislaturecompetenttothepassingofthem。Henceitisclearthattreatiesmustbeimplicitlyreceivedandobservedbyeverymemberofthenation;forasstatelegislaturesarenotcompetenttothemakingofsuchcompactsortreaties,soneitheraretheycompetentinthatcapacity,authoritativelytodecideon,orascertaintheconstructionandsenseofthem。Whendoubtsariserespectingtheconstructionofstatelaws,itisnotunusualnorimproperforstatelegislatures,byexplanatoryordeclaratoryacts,toremovethosedoubts:but,thecasebetweenlawsandcompactsortreatiesisinthiswidelydifferent;forwhendoubtsariserespectingthesenseandmeaningofatreaty,theyaresofarfrombeingcognizablebyastatelegislature,thattheUnitedStatesincongressassembled,havenoauthoritytosettleanddeterminethem:
forasthelegislatureonly,whichconstitutionallypassesalaw,haspowertoreviseandamendit,sothesovereignsonly,whoarepartiestothetreaty,havepowerbymutualconsentandposteriorarticles,tocorrectorexplainit。
\"Incasesbetweenindividuals,alldoubtsrespectingthemeaningofatreaty,likealldoubtsrespectingthemeaningofalaw,areinthefirstinstancemerejudicialquestions,andaretobeheardanddecidedinthecourtsofjusticehavingcognizanceofthecausesinwhichtheyarise,andwhosedutyitistodeterminethemaccordingtotherulesandmaximsestablishedbythelawsofnationsfortheinterpretationoftreaties。
Fromtheseprinciplesitfollowsofnecessaryconsequence,thatnoindividualstatehasarightbylegislativeactstodecideandpointoutthesenseinwhichtheirparticularcitizensandcourtsshallunderstandthisorthatarticleofatreaty。
\"Itisevidentthatacontrarydoctrinewouldnotonlymilitateagainstthecommonandestablishedmaximsandideasrelativetothissubject,butwouldprovenolessinconvenientinpracticethanitisirrationalintheory;
forinthatcasethesamearticleofthesametreatymightbylawbemadetomeanonethinginNewHampshire,anotherthinginNewYork,andneithertheonenortheotheroftheminGeorgia。
\"Howfarsuchlegislativeactswouldbevalidandobligatoryevenwithinthelimitsofthestatepassingthem,isaquestionwhichwehopenevertohaveoccasiontodiscuss。Certain,howeveritis,thatsuchactscannotbindeitherofthecontractingsovereigns,andconsequentlycannotbeobligatoryontheirrespectivenations。
\"Butiftreaties,andeveryarticleinthembe,(astheyare,andoughttobe,)bindingonthewholenation,ifindividualstateshavenorighttoacceptsomearticlesandrejectothers,andiftheimproprietyofstateactstointerpretanddecidethesenseandconstructionofthem,beapparent,stillmoremanifestmustbetheimproprietyofstateactstocontrol,delayormodifytheoperationandexecutionofthesenationalcompacts。
\"Whenitisconsideredthattheseveralstatesassembledbytheirdelegatesincongress,haveexpresspowertoformtreaties,surelythetreatiessoformedarenotafterwardstobesubjecttosuchalterationsasthisorthatstatelegislaturemaythinkexpedienttomake,andthattoowithouttheconsentofeitherofthepartiestoit;thatisinthepresentcasewithouttheconsentofalltheUnitedStates,whocollectivelyarepartiestothistreatyontheoneside,andhisBritannicmajestyontheother。
Werethelegislaturestopossessandtoexercisesuchpower,weshouldsoonbeinvolvedasanation,inanarchyandconfusionathome,andindisputeswhichwouldprobablyterminateinhostilitiesandwar,withthenationswithwhomwemayhaveformedtreaties。Instanceswouldthenbefrequent,oftreatiesfullyexecutedinonestate,andonlypartlyexecutedinanother;andofthesamearticlebeingexecutedinonemannerinonestate,andinadifferentmanner,ornotatall,inanotherstate。Historyfurnishesnoprecedentofsuchlibertiestakenwithtreatiesunderformoflawinanynation。
\"Contractsbetweennations,likecontractsbetweenindividuals,shouldbefaithfullyexecuted,eventhoughtheswordintheonecase,andthelawintheother,didnotcompelit。Honestnations,likehonestmen,requirenoconstrainttodojustice;andthoughimpunityandthenecessityofaffairs,maysometimesaffordtemptationstoparedowncontractstothemeasureofconvenience,yetitisneverdonebutattheexpenseofthatesteem,andconfidenceandcredit,whichareofinfinitelymoreworth,thanallthemomentaryadvantageswhichsuchexpedientscanextort。
\"Butalthoughcontractingnationscannot,likeindividuals,availthemselvesofcourtsofjusticetocompelperformanceofcontracts;yetanappealtoheavenandtoarmsisalwaysintheirpower,andoftenintheirinclination。
\"Butitistheirdutytotakecarethattheyneverleadtheirpeopletomakeandsupportsuchappeals,unlessthesincerityandproprietyoftheirconductaffordsthemgoodreasontorelywithconfidenceonthejusticeandprotectionofheaven。
\"Thusmuchwethinkitusefultoobserve,inordertoexplaintheprinciplesonwhichwehaveunanimouslycometothefollowingresolution,viz。\"\'Resolved,Thatthelegislaturesoftheseveralstatescannotofrightpassanyactoractsforinterpreting,explaining,orconstruinganationaltreaty,oranypartorclauseofit;norforrestraining,limiting,orinanymannerimpeding,retardingorcounteractingtheoperationandexecutionofthesame;forthatonbeingconstitutionallymade,ratifiedandpublished,theybecomeinvirtueoftheconfederation,partofthelawoftheland,andarenotonlyindependentofthewillandpowerofsuchlegislatures,butalsobindingandobligatoryonthem。\'\"Asthetreatyofpeace,sofarasitrespectsthemattersandthingsprovidedforinit,isalawtotheUnitedStateswhichcannotbyalloranyofthembealteredorchanged,allstateactsestablishingprovisionsrelativetothesameobjectswhichareincompatiblewithit,mustineverypointofviewbeimproper。Suchactsdoneverthelessexist;butwedonotthinkitnecessaryeithertoenumeratethemparticularly,ortomakethemseverallythesubjectsofdiscussion。Itappearstoussufficienttoobserveandinsist,thatthetreatyoughttohavefreecourseinitsoperationandexecution,andthatallobstaclesinterposedbystateactsberemoved。
WemeantoactwiththemostscrupulousregardtojusticeandcandourtowardsGreatBritain,andwithanequaldegreeofdelicacy,moderationanddecisiontowardsthestateswhohavegivenoccasiontothesediscussions。
\"Forthesereasonswehaveingeneralterms,\"\'Resolved,Thatallsuchactsorpartsofactsasmaybenowexistinginanyofthestates,repugnanttothetreatyofpeace,oughttobeforthwithrepealed;aswelltopreventtheircontinuingtoberegardedasviolationsofthattreaty,astoavoidthedisagreeablenecessitytheremightotherwisebeofraisinganddiscussingquestionstouchingtheirvalidityandobligation。\'\"Althoughthisresolutionappliesstrictlyonlytosuchofthestatesashavepassedtheexceptionableactsalludedto,yettoobviateallfuturedisputesandquestions,aswellastoremovethosewhichnowexist,wethinkitbestthateverystatewithoutexceptionshouldpassalawonthesubject。Wehavetherefore,\"\'Resolved,Thatitberecommendedtotheseveralstatestomakesuchrepeal,ratherbydescribingthanrecitingthesaidacts;
andforthatpurposetopassanactdeclaringingeneraltermsthatallsuchacts,andpartsofactsrepugnanttothetreatyofpeacebetweentheUnitedStatesandhisBritannicmajesty,oranyarticlethereof,shallbe,andtherebyarerepealed;andthatthecourtsoflawandequityinallcausesandquestionscognizablebythemrespectively,andarisingfromortouchingthesaidtreaty,shalldecideandadjudgeaccordingtothetrueintentandmeaningofthesame:anythinginthesaidacts,orpartsofacts,tothecontrarythereofinanywisenotwithstanding。\'\"Suchlawswouldanswereverypurpose,andbeeasilyformed。Themoretheywereoftheliketenorthroughoutthestatesthebetter。Theymighteachrecitethat,\"WhereascertainlawsorstatutesmadeandpassedinsomeoftheUnitedStates,areregardedandcomplainedofasrepugnanttothetreatyofpeacewithGreatBritain,byreasonwhereofnotonlythegoodfaithoftheUnitedStatespledgedbythattreaty,hasbeendrawnintoquestion,buttheiressentialinterestsunderthattreatygreatlyaffected。AndwhereasjusticetoGreatBritain,aswellasregardtothehonourandinterestsoftheUnitedStates,requirethatthesaidtreatybefaithfullyexecuted,andthatallobstaclesthereto,andparticularlysuchasdoormaybeconstruedtoproceedfromthelawsofthisstate,beeffectuallyremoved。Therefore,\"Beitenactedby___________________anditisherebyenactedbytheauthorityofthesame,thatsuchoftheactsorpartsofactsofthelegislatureofthisstate,asarerepugnanttothetreatyofpeacebetweentheUnitedStatesandhisBritannicmajesty,oranyarticlethereof,shallbe,andherebyarerepealed。Andfurther,thatthecourtsoflawandequitywithinthisstatebe,andtheyherebyaredirectedandrequiredin,allcausesandquestionscognizablebythemrespectively,andarisingfromortouchingthesaidtreaty,todecideandadjudgeaccordingtothetenor,trueintentandmeaningofthesame,anythinginthesaidactsorpartsofacts,tothecontrarythereofinanywisenotwithstanding。
\"Suchagenerallawwould,wethink,bepreferabletoonethatshouldminutelyenumeratetheactsandclausesintendedtoberepeated:becauseomissionsmightaccidentallybemadeintheenumeration,orquestionsmightarise,andperhapsnotbesatisfactorilydetermined,respectingparticularactsorclauses,aboutwhich,contraryopinionsmaybeentertained。Byrepealingingeneraltermsallactsandclausesrepugnanttothetreaty,thebusinesswillbeturnedovertoitsproperdepartment,viz。thejudicial;
andthecourtsoflawwillfindnodifficultyindecidingwhetheranyparticularactorclause,is,orisnotcontrarytothetreaty。Besides,whenitisconsideredthatthejudgesingeneral,aremenofcharacterandlearning,andfeelaswellasknowtheobligationsofoffice,andthevalueofreputation,thereisnoreasontodoubtthattheirconductandjudgmentsrelativetothese,aswellasotherjudicialmatters,willbewiseandupright。
\"Bepleased,sir,tolaythisletterbeforethelegislatureofyourstate,withoutdelay。Weflatterourselvestheywillconcurwithusinopinion,thatcandourandjusticeareasnecessarytotruepolicyastheyaretosoundmorality,andthatthemosthonourablewayofdeliveringourselvesfromtheembarrassmentofmistakes,isfairlytocorrectthem。Itcertainlyistimethatalldoubtsrespectingthepublicfaithberemoved,andthatallquestionsanddifferencesbetweenusandGreatBritain,beamicablyandfinallysettled。ThestatesareinformedofthereasonswhyhisBritannicmajestystillcontinuestooccupythefrontierposts,whichbythetreatyheagreedtoevacuate;andwehavethestrongestassurancesthatanexactcompliancewiththetreatyonourpart,shallbefollowedbyapunctualperformanceofitonthepartofGreatBritain。
\"Itisimportantthattheseverallegislaturesshould,assoonaspossible,takethesemattersintoconsideration;andwerequestthefavourofyoutotransmittousanauthenticatedcopyofsuchactsandproceedingsofthelegislatureofyourstate,asmaytakeplaceonthesubjectandinpursuanceofthisletter。\"Byorderofcongress,(Signed)\"ARTHURST。
CLAIR,President。\"
Noonecanwishtoseethecountryagainreducedtosuchdifficultiesanddisgrace。StilllessthatbyatotaldissolutionoftheUnion,weshouldbeleftwithoutevensuchadefectiveconfederationasthiswas。Butwecannotleavethesubjectwithoutanadditionalremark。
AssoonastheConstitutionwasadopted,alllegislativemeasuresforthepurposeofenforcingexistingtreaties,eitheronthepartoftheUnitedStatesorthestates,becameatonceunnecessary。Theinstitutionofthejudicialpowerwasitselfadequatetothedesiredeffect。Thepartialviewsandlocalinterestswhich。mighthaveinfluencedstatelegislatures,orthehightonewhichmightbejealouslyimputedtothegenerallegislature,wereequallyavoided。Thepeople,bytheadoptionoftheConstitution,hadthemselveslegislatedonthesubject,andthejudicialprinciple,inregularanddignifiedprocedure,carriedtheirlegislationintoeffect。