Mr. BROMWELL. I will come to that, as soon as I can in w t little more I have to say. I was approaching t point. I wish to show to gentlemen that the compact of Government has been so violated y es. y, asiStifeEms "."That iswhat I have been Under our institutions every State is an osed to have the right to call a convention y its Legislature. It is a right which eve State holds to be unquestionable. Now, ta e the State of Alabama, for instance. Its Legislature is a law lbody, and has the consenting and disposing power of the State of Alabama, J subject only to the limitations in this compact of nion, which binds the State of Alabama to the other States severally and to the whole. The Legislature, then, had the power, which has been exercised in at least 3 4ths of our States; to call a convention to correct, to alter, amend, or otherwise deal with its own constitution. Now, sir, from what I 1st said concerning the manner in which States have their origin it is evident that the Constitution of the U.S. is a part of the constitution of Alabama, and such a part that without it the constitution of Alabama cannot exist even for a moment. The constitution of Alabama derives its life out of that which is generated by the Consti 1021tution of the Union for Alabama is not a State otherwise than as s e is a State of this Union and under this Constitution. Therefore the Constitution of the U.S. was a part and parcel and a fundamental part of the constitution of the State of Alabama. But then herdelegates were lawfully elected; that is to say, they were elected in the lawful form. The animus which prompted them might lve been devilish, illegal, and treasonab e; but the forms of the law were filled while electing those delegates. this a principle of our Government upon which the representative system is based, that the people are chargeable for the acts of their representatives; and on this principle you hold every State responsible for the acts of the rep— Representatives of the people. Nay, more; you hold the people themselves responsible. For the Legislature is the people, re need for convenience to a limited selected number, the selection made by all, and all being in contemplation of law present and consenting to that which is done. This convention met; and what did it do? It passed an ordinance of secession. This act was but one of a series—