Webster s Speech On Congress Addressing The Proposition...

Webster’s second reply to Hayne is the account of Massachusetts senator Daniel Webster’s speech to Congress addressing the proposition given by Senator Robert Hayne for states to have the right to nullify laws passed by Congress. Webster starts the speech off by affirming that what he understood Haynes stance to be concerning States Rights and Constitutionality was indeed correct. From Webster’s perspective he ascertained that Hayne believes that the states had the sovereign right to annul laws passed and approved by Congress if they considered the law to be unconstitutional. Then he goes on to counter Hayne’s belief by asking several vital questions: â€Å"Whose prerogative is it to decide on the constitutionality or unconstitutionality of the laws?† and â€Å"Who is the source and origin of the Government’s power?† Thus Webster launches into how the Government’s power resides with the people. He elaborates that it is the peopl e who have made the government what it is and the constitution the supreme law. After establishing the people as the foundation of government he goes on to concede that the individual States are indeed sovereign; however they are not sovereign over the people. Following this key element of Webster’s speech, he then distinguishes the attributes of the General and State Governments. According to Webster both general and state governments derive their power from the same source, yet each form has its unique identity and powers. The federal government is general