and the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution."
It has been asked why it was thought necessary, that the State magistracy should be bound to support the Fœderal Constitution, and unnecessary that a like oath should be imposed on the officers of the United States, in favor of the State Constitutions?
Several reasons might be assigned for the distinction. I content myself with one, which is obvious and conclusive. The members of the Fœderal Government will have no agency in carrying the State Constitutions into effect. The members and officers of the State Governments, on the contrary, will have an essential agency in giving effect to the Fœderal Constitution. The election of the President and Senate will depend, in all cases, on the Legislatures of the several States. And the election of the House of Representatives will equally depend on the same authority in the first instance; and will, probably, forever be conducted by the officers, and according to the laws of the States.
4. Among the provisions for giving efficacy to the Fœderal powers might be added those which belong to the Executive and Judiciary departments: but as these are reserved for particular examination in another place, I pass them over in this.
We have now reviewed, in detail, all the Articles composing the sum or quantity of power, delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Fœderal Government; and are brought to this undeniable conclusion, that no part of the power is unnecessary or improper for accomplishing the necessary objects of the Union. The question, therefore, whether this amount of power shall be granted or not, resolves itself into another question, whether or not a Government commensurate to the exigencies of the Union shall be established; or, in other words, whether the Union itself shall be preserved.
PUBLIUS.
