This sophism derives much---perhaps the whole---of its currency,from the assumption,that there is some omnipotent,and sacred supremacy, pertaining to a State---to each State of our Federal Union.Our States have neither more,nor less power,than that reserved to them,in the Union, by the Constitution---no one of them ever having been a State out of the Union.The original ones passed into the Union even before they cast off their British colonial dependence;and the new ones each came into the Union directly from a condition of dependence,excepting Texas.And even Texas,in its temporary independence,was never designated a State.The new ones only took the designation of States,on coming into the Union, while that name was first adopted for the old ones,in,and by,the Declaration of Independence.Therein the "United Colonies''were declared to be "Free and Independent States'';but,even then,the object plainly was not to declare their independence of one another,or of the Union;but directly the contrary,as their mutual pledge,and their mutual action,before,at the time,and afterwards,abundantly show.The express plighting of faith,by each and all of the original thirteen,in the Articles of Confederation,two years later,that the Union shall be perpetual,is most conclusive.Having never been States,either in substance,or in name,outside of the Union,whence this magical omnipotence of "State rights,''asserting a claim of power to lawfully destroy the Union itself?Much is said about the "sovereignty''of the States;but the word,even,is not in the national Constitution;nor,as is believed,in any of the State constitutions.What is a sovereignty,''in the political sense of the term?Would it be far wrong to define it "A political community,without a political superior''? Tested by this,no one of our States,except Texas,ever was a sovereignty. And even Texas gave up the character on coming into the Union;by which act,she acknowledged the Constitution of the United States,and the laws and treaties of the United States made in pursuance of the Constitution, to be,for her,the supreme law of the land.The States have their status IN the Union,and they have no other legal status.If they break from this, they can only do so against law,and by revolution.The Union,and not themselves separately,procured their independence,and their liberty. By conquest,or purchase,the Union gave each of them,whatever of independence,and liberty,it has.The Union is older than any of the States;and,in fact,it created them as States.Originally,some dependent colonies made the Union;and,in turn,the Union threw off their old dependence,for them,and made them States,such as they are.Not one of them ever had a State constitution,independent of the Union.Of course, it is not forgotten that all the new States framed their constitutions, before they entered the Union;nevertheless,dependent upon,and preparatory to,coming into the Union.This sophism derives much---perhaps the whole---of its currency, from the assumption, that there is some omnipotent, and sacred supremacy, pertaining to a State---to each State of our Federal Union. Our States have neither more, nor less power, than that reserved to them, in the Union, by the Constitution---no one of them ever having been a State out of the Union. The original ones passed into the Union even before they cast off their British colonial dependence; and the new ones each came into the Union directly from a condition of dependence, excepting Texas. And even Texas, in its temporary independence, was never designated a State. The new ones only took the designation of States, on coming into the Union, while that name was first adopted for the old ones, in, and by, the Declaration of Independence. Therein the "United Colonies’’ were declared to be "Free and Independent States’’; but, even then, the object plainly was not to declare their independence of one another, or of the Union; but directly the contrary, as their mutual pledge, and their mutual action, before, at the time, and afterwards, abundantly show. The express plighting of faith, by each and all of the original thirteen, in the Articles of Confederation, two years later, that the Union shall be perpetual, is most conclusive. Having never been States, either in substance, or in name, outside of the Union, whence this magical omnipotence of "State rights,’’ asserting a claim of power to lawfully destroy the Union itself? Much is said about the "sovereignty’’ of the States; but the word, even, is not in the national Constitution; nor, as is believed, in any of the State constitutions. What is a "sovereignty,’’ in the political sense of the term? Would it be far wrong to define it "A political community, without a political superior’’? Tested by this, no one of our States, except Texas, ever was a sovereignty. And even Texas gave up the character on coming into the Union; by which act, she acknowledged the Constitution of the United States, and the laws and treaties of the United States made in pursuance of the Constitution, to be, for her, the supreme law of the land. The States have their status IN the Union, and they have no other legal status. If they break from this, they can only do so against law, and by revolution. The Union, and not themselves separately, procured their independence, and their liberty. By conquest, or purchase, the Union gave each of them, whatever of independence, and liberty, it has. The Union is older than any of the States; and, in fact, it created them as States. Originally, some dependent colonies made the Union; and, in turn, the Union threw off their old dependence, for them, and made them States, such as they are. Not one of them ever had a State constitution, independent of the Union. Of course, it is not forgotten that all the new States framed their constitutions, before they entered the Union; nevertheless, dependent upon, and preparatory to, coming into the Union