Congressmayproposeamendments,\"whenevertwo-thirdsofbothhousesshalldeemitnecessary.\"ThissecurestheStatesagainstanyactionuponthesubjectbythepeopleatlarge.Inlikemanner,Congressmaycallaconventionforproposingamendments,\"ontheapplicationofthelegislaturesoftwo-thirdsoftheseveralStates.\"Itisremarkablethat,whetherCongressortheStatesactuponthesubject,thesameproportionisrequired;notlessthantwo-thirdsofeitherbeingauthorizedtoact.Fromthis,itisnotunreasonabletoconclude,thattheconventionconsideredthatthesamepowerwouldactinbothcases;towit:thepoweroftheStates,whomighteffecttheirobjecteitherbytheirseparateactionasStates,orbytheactionofCongress,theircommonfederativeagent;but,whethertheyadoptedtheonemodeortheother,notlessthantwo-thirdsofthemshouldbeauthorizedtoactefficiently.
Theamendmentsthusproposed\"shallbevalidtoallintentsandpurposes,aspartofthisConstitution,whenratifiedbythelegislaturesofthree-fourthsoftheseveralStates,orbyconventionsinthree-fourthsthereof,astheoneortheothermodeofratificationmaybeproposedbyCongress.\"Itistheactofadoptionorratificationalonewhichmakesaconstitution.
Inthecasebeforeus,theStatesalonecanperformthatact.ThelanguageoftheConstitutionadmitsofnodoubt,andgivesnopretextfordoubleconstruction.ItisnotthepeopleoftheUnitedStatesintheaggregate,merelyactingintheirseveralStates,whocanratifyamendments.Three-fourthsoftheseveralStatescanalonedothis.Theideaofseparateandindependentpoliticalcorporationscouldnotbemoredistinctlyconveyed,byanyformofwords.IfthepeopleoftheUnitedStates,asonepeople,butactingintheirseveralStates,couldratifyamendments,thentheverylanguageoftheConstitutionrequiresthatthree-fourthsofthemshallconcurtherein.
Isitnot,then,trulywonderfulthatnomodehasyetbeenprescribedtoascertain,whetherthree-fourthsofthemdoconcurornot?Bywhatpowercanthenecessaryarrangementuponthispointbeeffected?Inpointoffact,amendmentshavealreadybeenmade,instrictconformitywiththisprovisionoftheConstitution.Weaskourauthor,whetherthree-fourthsofthepeopleoftheUnitedStatesconcurredinthoseamendmentsornot;
andiftheydid,whencedoeshederivetheproofofit?