[Ditto]

He also co-wrote the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions that bemoaned the attempt to concentrate power "into one sovereignty" and made reference to the Constitution as a "compact to which the States are parties" and that the States are "not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government" and that "as in all other cases of compact among parties having no common judge, each party has an equal right to judge for itself, as well of infractions as of the mode and measure of redress."

Madison is stating that the Constitution is a compact that each State can judge for itself whether it has been violated and what measure of redress is required of them.

Both said that states are not bound to enforce acts of Congress which violate the Consititution, but where do either say that there is a right to unilateral secession, and exactly what features of the "compact" were being violated by the Federal government in 1860?

[Arkinsaw]

Both said that states are not bound to enforce acts of Congress which violate the Consititution, but where do either say that there is a right to unilateral secession

They said that each party has an equal right to judge for itself, was well of infractions as of the mode and measure of redress. I pointed this out to illustrate for the poster that Mr. Madison was not always consistent in his views. Their statement that States have an equal right amongst them to determine measure of redress for infractions by the Federal government is fairly consistent with the other quotes on this thread, by Mr. Madison at the Convention in opposition to use of force against a State, and Mr. Webster's comments in regard to acession/secession.

exactly what features of the "compact" were being violated by the Federal government in 1860?

I have stated on the thread several times that I am here to debate about secession as a generic political concept and am not here to defend the use of it in 1860. Thats a different thread. The analogy I used was, I may use an electrical cord to strangle someone, but that does not automatically make all uses of electrical cords evil.