An entire consolidation of the States into one complete sovereignty would imply an entire subordination of the parts; and whatever powers might remain in them, would be altogether dependent on the general will. But as the plan of the Convention (“of 1787”) aims only at a partial union or consolidation, the State governments would clearly retain all the rights of sovereignty which they before had, and which were not, by that act, exclusively delegated to the United States. This exclusive delegation, or rather, this alienation, of State sovereignty, would only exist in three cases: where the Constitution in express terms granted an exclusive authority to the Union; where it granted in one instance an authority to the Union, and in another prohibited the States from exercising the like authority; and where it granted an authority to the Union, to which a similar authority in the States would be absolutely and totally contradictory and repugnant.[63] The implication of the extinguishment of the powers of the State Legislature by the powers of Congress can arise only where exercise of State authority is “absolutely and totally contradictory and repugnant to the power delegated to Congress.”[64] Therefore “where the authority of the States is taken away by _implication_, they may continue to act until the United States exercise their power, because until such exercise there can be no incompatibility.”[65] The principle here laid down is illustrated by laws fixing the standard of weights and measures; bankruptcies; counterfeiting the coin and securities of the United States; copyrights and patent rights. If Congress legislates on these subjects, such legislation excludes State legislation in conflict with it. In the absence of congressional and in the presence of State legislation, on these (and some other subjects falling in the same class) the respective State legislation is supreme within the jurisdiction of the State.[66] Stated in a different way, this principle of American constitutional law would read,—the mere grant to the federal government of power over a subject does not necessarily extinguish State authority over the same subject. Thus the State has power by common law, or by statute, to fix a standard of weights and measures. The issue here is not one merely of authority but of relative authority. The exercise of authority by Congress is not, by that fact, prohibition of exercise of authority by a State. This exercise is radically different from that of legislation on coining money, making treaties, granting titles of nobility, issuing letters of marque and reprisal,—or any other subject over which Congress has exclusive, and a State no jurisdiction. Here the question is one of exclusive, or sole authority. Thus, State Legislatures have authority to pass bankrupt or insolvent laws, provided there is no act of Congress, on the subject, in force establishing a uniform system of bankruptcy conflicting with