Nowhere in the document itself is there any word as to that great power which has been exercised by the Federal courts of declaring null and void laws or parts of laws that are regarded as in contravention to the Constitution.

There is little doubt that the more important men in the Convention, such as Wilson, Madison, Gouverneur Morris, King, Gerry, Mason, and Luther Martin, believed that the judiciary would exercise this power, even though it should not be specifically granted.

The nearest approach to a declaration of this power is to be found in a paragraph that was inserted toward the end of the Constitution.

Oddly enough, this was a modification of a clause introduced by Luther Martin with quite another intent.

As adopted it reads: "That this Constitution and the Laws of the United States...