By Steven J. Grisafi, PhD.
Americans take it as their highest duty to defend the Constitution. Every member enlisted or commissioned within the United States Armed Services must pledge to defend the Constitution. This is true of all personnel within the militias of the States as well. The Commonwealth of Virginia had the right to secede from the Union. This was granted by the Tenth Amendment within the Bill of Rights of the Constitution expressing that all powers and rights not enumerated within the document belong to the States. Lieutenant Merryman was defending that right granted by the United States Constitution. That he was acting under the authority and the orders of the Governor of Maryland, his obedience to the chain of command reflects the State of Maryland”s defense of the Constitution of the United States.