SOVEREIGN. A chief ruler with supreme1 power; one possessing sovereignty. (q. v.) It is also applied2 to a king or other magistrate3 with limited powers.
2. In the United States the sovereignty resides in the body of the people. Vide Rutherf. Inst. 282.
SOVEREIGN, Eng. law. The name of a gold coin of Great Britain of the value of one pound sterling4.
SOVEREIGN STATE. One which governs itself independently of any foreign power.
SOVEREIGNTY. The union and exercise of all human power possessed5 in a state; it is a combination of all power; it is the power to do everything in a state without accountability; to make laws, to execute and to apply them: to impose and collect taxes, and, levy6, contributions; to make war or peace; to form treaties of alliance or of commerce with foreign nations, and the like. Story on the Const. §207.
2. Abstractedly, sovereignty resides in the body of the nation and belongs to the people. But these powers are generally exercised by delegation7.
3. When analysed, sovereignty is naturally divided into three great powers; namely, the legislative8, the executive, and the judiciary; the first is the power to make new laws, and to correct and repeal9 the old; the second is the power to execute the laws both at home and abroad; and the last is the power to apply the laws to particular facts; to judge the disputes which arise among the citizens, and to punish crimes.
4. Strictly10 speaking, in our republican forms of government, the absolute sovereignty of the nation is in the people of the nation; (q. v.) and the residuary sovereignty of each state, not granted to any of its public functionaries11, is in the people of the state. (q. v.) 2 Dall. 471; and vide, generally, 2 Dall. 433, 455; 3 Dall. 93; 1 Story, Const. §208; 1 Toull. n. 20 Merl. Reper. h. t.
SPADONES, civil law. Those who, on account of their temperament12, or some accident they have suffered, are unable to procreate. Inst. 1, 11, 9; Dig. 1, 7, 2, 1; and vide Impotence.
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