Congressional Service and Later Political Activities
Hopkinson was elected as a Federalist to the Fourteenth Congress, in 1816. He was reelected to the succeeding Fifteenth Congress. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1818.
On February 22–27, 1819, he argued before the United States Supreme Court in the McCulloch v. Maryland case as part of the defense counsel. In this case he argued against Daniel Webster, speaking directly after him, and specifically his idea of equating taxation with the power to destroy. He argued strongly for States' rights: claiming a United States Bank Branch was unconstitutional based on the prohibition of congress to delegate power, a co-equal taxation power between the federal and state governments, the enumerated nature of the federal government and the reserved powers of the states (declared in the 10th amendment).
He moved to Bordentown, New Jersey, in 1820, and served as a member of the New Jersey House of Assembly from 1821 to 1822.
Read more about this topic: Joseph Hopkinson
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