Constitution Quote by Andrew Jackson
“I consider, then, the power to annul a law of the United States, assumed by one state, incompatible with the existence of the Union, contradicted expressly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which it was founded, and destructive of the great object for which it was formed.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address to Congress, 1832
The power of a state to nullify federal law contradicts the Constitution and the Union’s purpose.
In simple terms: State nullification opposes the Constitution and Union.
Key Takeaway
Guard federal supremacy.
Themes
constitution
federalism
union
law
state rights
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- legislative debates
- court challenges
- political activism
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
Constitutional law
political theory
federalism
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms ensure federal law supremacy?
- How can states express dissent without breaking the Union?
A Different Perspective
Nullification can provoke sectional conflict and weaken national unity.
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