He had declared therein, just as Josiah Quincy had declared with reference to the acquisition of Louisiana, "that the power to unite an independent foreign State with the United States is not among the powers delegated to the General Government by the Constitution of the United States." He declared, further, that "the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, faithful to the compact between the people of the United States, according to the plain meaning and intent in which it was understood and acceded to by them, is sincerely anxious for its preservation; and that it is determined, as it doubts not other States are, to submit to undelegated powers in no body of men on earth; and that the project of the annexation of Texas, unless resisted on the threshold, may tend to drive these States into a dissolution of the Union." This resolution of Mr.Adams was unfortunate in every respect for his position in the debate on that day, since it really included and justified every constitutional heresy entertained by Mr.Calhoun, and claimed for the State of Massachusetts every power of secession or dissolution which was now asserted by the Southern States.
Mr.Webster, in one of his ablest speeches (in reply to Mr.Calhoun in February, 1833), devoted his great powers to demonstrating that the Constitution was not "a compact," and that the people of the States had not "acceded" to it.

Mr.Adams had unfortunately used the two words which, according to Mr.Webster, belonged only to the lexicon of disloyalty.

"If," said Mr.Webster, "in adopting the Constitution nothing was done but _acceding to a compact_, nothing would seem necessary in order to break it up but to _secede from the same compact_." "Accession," as a word applied to political association, implies coming into a league, treaty, or confederacy.

"Secession" implied departing from such league or confederacy.

Mr.Adams had further declared that the people of Massachusetts are "faithful to the compact according to the plain meaning and intent in which it was understood by them." But according to Mr.Webster, and in accordance with the principles absolutely essential to maintain a constitutional government, Massachusetts had no part or lot in deciding the question which Mr.Adams's resolution covered.