Aquestionwasmade,whethertheauthoritiesofPennsylvaniashouldnotdeliverupDeLangechampstotheFrenchGovernment,tobedealtwithattheirpleasure.ItdoesnotappearthattheFederalGovernmentwasconsideredtopossessanypoweroverthesubject,orthatitwasdeemedpropertoinvokeitscounselorauthorityinanyform.Thiscaseoccurredin1784,aftertheadoptionoftheArticlesofConfederation;butifthepowersoftheFederalGovernmentwerelessunderthosearticlesthanbefore,itonlyprovesthat,howevergreatitspreviouspowersmayhavebeen,theywereheldatthewilloftheStates,andwereactuallyrecalledbytheArticlesofConfederation.Thusitappearsthat,intheimportantfunctionsofraisinganarmy,ofprovidingapublicrevenue,ofpayingpublicdebts,andgivingsecuritytothepersonsofforeignministers,theboasted\"sovereignty\"
oftheFederalGovernmentwasmerelynominal,andoweditsentireefficiencytotheco-operationandaidoftheStategovernments.Congresshadnopowertocoercethesegovernments;norcoulditexerciseanydirectauthorityovertheirindividualcitizens.
AlthoughthepowersactuallyassumedandexercisedbyCongresswerecertainlyverygreat,theywerenotalwaysacquiescedin,orallowed,bytheStates.Thus,thepowertolayanembargowasearnestlydesiredbythem,butwasdeniedbytheStates.Andinorderthemoreclearlytoindicatethatmanyoftheirpowerswereexercisedmerelybysufferance,andatthesametimetolendasanctiontotheirauthoritysofarastheychosetoallowit,itwasdeemednecessary,byatleastoneoftheStates,topasslawsindemnifyingthosewhomightactinobediencetotheresolutionsofthatbody.8
Aconclusiveproof,however,ofthetruerelationwhichthecoloniesholdtotherevolutionarygovernment,evenintheopinionofCongressitself,isfurnishedbytheirownjournals.InJune,1776,thatbodyrecommendedthepassingoflawsforthepunishmentoftreason;andtheydeclarethatthecrimeshallbeconsideredascommittedagainstthecoloniesindividually,andnotagainstthemall,asunitedorconfederatedtogether.Thiscouldscarcelyhavebeenso,iftheyhadconsideredthemselves\"agovernmentdefactoanddejure,\"clothedwith\"sovereignauthority.\"Theauthor,however,isnotsatisfiedtoresthisopinionuponhistoricalfacts;heseeksalsotofortifyhimselfbyajudicialdecision.Heinformsusthat,\"soonaftertheorganizationofthepresentgovernment,thequestion[ofthepowersoftheContinentalCongress]wasmostelaboratelydiscussedbeforetheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates,inacasecallingforanexpositionoftheappellatejurisdictionofCongressinprizecauses,beforetheratificationoftheConfederation.Theresultofthatexaminationwas,thatCongress,beforetheConfederation,possessed,bytheconsentofthepeopleoftheUnitedStates,sovereignandsupremepowersfornationalpurposes;and,amongothers,thesupremepowersofpeaceandwar,and,asanincident,therightofentertainingappealsinthelastresort,inprizecauses,eveninoppositiontoStatelegislation.AndthattheactualpowersexercisedbyCongress,inrespecttonationalobjects,furnishedthebestexpositionofitsconstitutionalauthority,sincetheyemanatedfromthepeople,andwereacquiescedinbythepeople.\"
Thereisinthispassagegreatwantofaccuracy,andperhapssomewantofcandor.Theauthor,asusual,neglectstocitethejudicialdecisiontowhichhealludes,butitmustbethecaseofPenhallowandothersagainstDoane\'sadministrators.3Dallas\'Reports,54.Congress,inNovember,1775,passedaresolution,recommendingtotheseveralcoloniestoestablishprizecourts,witharightofappealfromtheirdecisionstoCongress.