Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/68

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS No stronger case can ever arise than existed under those laws; no States can ever entertain a clearer conviction than the New England States then entertained; and if they had been under the influence of that heresy of opinion, as I must call it, which the honorable member espouses, this tjnion would, in all probability, have been scattered to the four winds, I ask the gentleman, therefore, to apply his principles to that case ; I ask him to come forth and declare whether, in his opinion, the New England States would have been justified in interfering to break up the embargo system under the con- scientious opinions which they held upon it? Had they a right to annul that law? Does he admit or deny? If what is thought palpably unconstitutional in South Carolina justifies that State in arresting the progress of the law, tell me whether that which was thought palpably unconstitutional also in Massachusetts would have justified her in doing the same thing? Sir, I deny the whole doctrine. It has not a foot of ground in the Constitution to stand on. No public man of reputation ever advanced it in Massachusetts in the warmest times, or could maintain himself upon it there at any time. I must now beg to ask, sir, Whence is this supposed right of the States derived? Where do they find the power to interfere with the laws of the Union? Sir, the opinion which the hon- orable gentleman maintains is a notion founded on a total misapprehension, in my judgment, 58