1339. COERCION OF A STATE, The Confederation and.—
It has been often said
that the decisions of Congress are impotent
because the Confederation provides no compulsory
power. But when two or more nations
enter into compact, it is not usual for
them to say what shall be done to the party
who infringes it. Decency forbids this, and
it is as unnecessary as indecent, because the
right of compulsion naturally results to the
party injured by the breach. When any one
State in the American Union refuses obedience
to the Confederation by which they have
bound themselves, the rest have a natural
right to compel them to obedience. Congress
would probably exercise long patience before
they would recur to force; but if the case ultimately
required it, they would use that recurrence.
Should this case ever arise, they
will probably coerce by a naval force, as being
more easy, less dangerous to liberty, and
less likely to produce much bloodshed.—
To M. de Meunier. Washington ed. ix, 291.
Ford ed., iv, 147.
(P.
1786)
