The new States, so the argument ran, were all admitted to the Union of terms of equality with the old.

Hence all were alike endowed with sovereignty.

Even the historical part of this argument was strained and fallacious.

Much was made in the South of Mr.Toombs's declaration that "the original thirteen" were as "independent of each other as Australia and Jamaica." So indeed they were as long as they remained British Colonies.

Their only connection in that condition was in their common dependence on the Crown.