I mean not by
these reflections to insinuate, that the new federal government will not
embrace a more enlarged plan of policy than the existing government may
have pursued; much less, that its views will be as confined as those of
the State legislatures; but only that it will partake sufficiently of
the spirit of both, to be disinclined to invade the rights of the
individual States, or the preorgatives of their governments. The motives
on the part of the State governments, to augment their prerogatives by
defalcations from the federal government, will be overruled by no
reciprocal predispositions in the members.
Were it admitted, however, that the Federal government may feel an equal
disposition with the State governments to extend its power beyond the
due limits, the latter would still have the advantage in the means of
defeating such encroachments. If an act of a particular State, though
unfriendly to the national government, be generally popular in that
State and should not too grossly violate the oaths of the State
officers, it is executed immediately and, of course, by means on the
spot and depending on the State alone.
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