Secession Is An Acceptable Right Of States

From postcrescent.com and Rebellion:

Letters: Secession considered as acceptable right


August 14, 2010



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Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A I note that, in Miles Vander Molen's Aug. 5 letter, he appears to be a victim of what I described in my earlier letter — studying and then espousing history as written by the "victor."







The Confederacy formed in February 1861 with seven states, added four more by June and was soon joined by Missouri and Kentucky. These last two states were reabsorbed into the Union before the war's end. Since these states had joined the CSA, there were 13 states, not just 11.



About Mr. Vander Molen's assertion that there's no right to leave the Union, I could not disagree more. While he's correct in saying nothing about secession is mentioned in the Constitution, that doesn't mean it's illegal.



The right of any state to secede was accepted by both northerners and southerners since the beginning of the Union. For example, the New England states threatened to secede five times: in 1803, over Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase; in 1807, over the Embargo Act; in 1812, over Louisiana's admission to the Union; in 1814, over the War of 1812; and in 1845, over Texas' annexation.



Regarding the first secession threat, Thomas Jefferson said, "If any state in the Union will declare that it prefers separation … to a continuance in union … I have no hesitation in saying, 'Let us separate.'"



Both Abraham Lincoln and Congress stated that the war was fought to preserve the Union and not over slavery. Even from England, Charles Dickens could see through that tired idea: "The Northern onslaught upon slavery was no more than a specious humbug designed to conceal its desire for economic control of the Southern states."



As being offended goes, I'm offended at having those who simply tried to peaceably leave a voluntary association referred to as "traitors."



Randy Hamby,



Appleton