government rested upon the consent of the governed.  In every form of expression it uttered the same idea, community independence, and the dependence of the government upon the community over which it existed.  It was an American principle, the great spirit which animated our country then, and it were well if more inspired us now.  But I have said that this State sovereignty—­this community independence—­has never been surrendered, and that there is no power in the federal government to coerce a State.  Does any one ask, then, how it is that a State is to be held to its obligations?  My answer is:  by its honor, and the obligation is the more sacred to observe every feature of the compact, because there is no power to force obedience.  The great error of the confederation was that it attempted to act upon the States.  It was found impracticable, and our present form of government was adopted, which acts upon individuals and does not attempt to act upon States.

The question was considered in the convention which framed the constitution, and after discussion the proposition to give power to the general government to enforce upon a resistant State obedience to the law was rejected.  It was upon this ground of exemption from compulsion that the compact of the States became a sacred obligation; and it was upon this honorable fulfilment principally that our fathers depended for the security of the rights which the Constitution was designed to secure. [Applause.]

The fugitive slave compact in the Constitution of the United States implied that the States should fulfil it voluntarily.  They expected the States to legislate so as to secure the rendition of fugitives.

And in 1788 it was a matter of complaint that the colony of Florida did not restore fugitive negroes from the United States who escaped into that colony, and a committee, composed of Hamilton, of New York, Sedgwick, of Massachusetts, and Madison, of Virginia, reported resolutions in the Congress instructing the committee for foreign affairs to address the charge d’affaires at Madrid to apply to his majesty of Spain to issue orders to his governor to compel them to secure the rendition of fugitive negroes to any one who should go there entitled to receive them.  This was the sentiment of the committee, and they added, by way of example, as the States would return any slaves from Florida who might escape into their limits.

When the Constitutional requirement was imposed, who could have doubted that every State faithful to its obligations would comply without raising questions as to whether the institution should or should not exist in another community over which they had no control.  Congress was at last forced by the failures of the States, to legislate on the subject, and this has been one of the causes by which you have been disturbed.  You have been called upon to make war against a law which would never have been enacted, if each State had faithfully discharged the obligation imposed by the compact of the Constitution. [Cheers.]