US Civil War

alan peacock · Post by **alan peacock** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:40 pm

Was there any provision in the US constitution or the laws

of the individual states of the union to secede from the Union

if a state so wished in 1861 ?

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:39 pm

The decision to secede from the Union was a decision that was made by the individual state legislatures.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:08 am

http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html

http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Amend.html

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/browse.html

Here's the constitution, amendments, and some extra information about interpretations, etc.

The right of a state to secede from the union is stipulated in the clause that anything not mentioned in the constitution as a power of the fed is left to the states.

Our great nation was originally created with a weak Fed and powerful states. Lincoln violated the Constitution many time to preserve the union and broaden federal government powers. Further power grabs were made during the Great Depression and WWII. Today, people meekly accept that all power flows from the great and glorious Washington DC. If we could harness the power generated by our forfathers' grave-spinning, we could be independent of foreign oil.

alan peacock · Post by **alan peacock** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 12:35 pm

Many thanks for your reply, I looked up the websites you suggested

on the US constitution and found the appropriate clause you mentioned.

As I understand the clause, would it be fair to say that any state has

or had the right to secede, without fear of intervention by force or

otherwise by the Federal Union. If this is so, was it technically illegal

for the federal government to use force of arms against the seceding

states in 1861. Hence the quote 'The war of Northern agression'. ?

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 12:45 pm

>

Dig 'em up!

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:55 pm

alan peacock wrote: Many thanks for your reply, I looked up the websites you suggested

on the US constitution and found the appropriate clause you mentioned.

As I understand the clause, would it be fair to say that any state has

or had the right to secede, without fear of intervention by force or

otherwise by the Federal Union. If this is so, was it technically illegal

for the federal government to use force of arms against the seceding

states in 1861. Hence the quote 'The war of Northern agression'. ?
Yup. :yh_flag