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To: ConfederateMissouri
The 10th grants no such right, or in fact, any rights to the states. It simply limits the scope of Federal authority.

Let me ask you this. Why would people like Washington, Madison, Hamilton, Franklin, Jay and the others spend a torturously hot summer sitting in Philadelphia in the middle of a Yellow Fever epidemic crafting a document that allowed the member states to simply ignore it at will? That was their complaint with the Articles. There was nothing in the Articles of Confederation that compelled the states to respect the wishes of congress or assume their responsibility to their fellow states. The Framers intended to change that defect, not to replace a defective document with another defective document. They created a stronger central government but also included significant protections against that government growing too powerful against either the states or the people. But they did give the government the power to compel states, and to compel people to the wishes of the majority. That was their intention. They did not say you are compelled only when you agree. You are equally compelled when you disagree.

Again, go to Madison for the answer. These were not foolish or naive men. It is amazing the depth of issues they considered and addressed and if they had in any way intended for the Constitution to be anything less than perpetual, they would have provided an orderly process to reach that end, just as they provided an orderly process for amending their document.

They did not expend so much effort nor stake their reputations so decisively on the Constitution only to see the Government that they created be torn apart by shrill and ambitious politicians appealing to partisan passions or local interests.

You must think the Framers were fools if you think secession at will was their intention.

330 posted on 04/05/2002 2:21:01 PM PST by Ditto
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