Succession from USA Constitutional Unity by the state of
South Carolina in Convention assembled, on the 26th day of
April, A.D., 1852,
These ends it endeavored to accomplish by a Federal
Government, in which each State was recognized as an
equal, and had separate control over its own institutions.
The right of property in slaves was recognized by giving to
free persons distinct political rights, by giving them the
right to represent, and burthening them with direct taxes
for three-fifths of their slaves; by authorizing the
importation of slaves for twenty years; and by stipulating
for the rendition of fugitives from labor.
Abraham Lincoln was demonized in the South long before
he took office as President in 1861. During the four-way
campaign in 1860, Lincoln was demonized as a black
Republican whose election would split the Union. Historian
Arthur Cole wrote: “Lincoln was pictured in many quarters
not only as a black Republican but ‘as an Abolitionist; a
fanatic of the John Brown type; the slave to one idea, who,
in order to carry that out to its legitimate results, would
override laws, constitutions, and compromises of every
kind’, as a Robespierre ready to overturn the whole fabric of
society.” 1 Historian Michael Burlingame wrote that Lincoln
told a Tennessee visitor in the secession winter that “to
execute the laws is all that I shall attempt to do. This,
however, I will do, no matter how much force may be
required.
Lincoln stated in his First Inaugural Address: “I hold, that in
contemplation of universal law, and of the Constitution, the
Union of these States is perpetual. Perpetuity is implied, if
not expressed, in the fundamental law of all national
governments. It is safe to assert that no government proper,
ever had a provision in its organic law for its own
termination. Continue to execute all the express provisions
of our national Constitution and the Union will endure
forever – it being impossible to destroy it, except by some
action not provided for in the instrument itself.”
South Carolina seceded. It was soon joined by Alabama,
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and
Texas.
About a week later, USA President Lincoln was quoted as
saying: “I will suffer death before I will consent or will
advise my friends to consent to any concession or
compromise which looks like buying the privilege of taking
possession of this government to which we have a
constitutional right; because, whatever I might think of the
merit of the various propositions before Congress, I should
regard any concession in the face of menace the destruction
of the government itself, and a consent on all hands that our
systems shall be brought down to a level with the existing
disorganized state of affairs in Mexico. But this thing will
hereafter be as it is now, in the hands of the people; and if
they desire to call a Convention to remove any grievances
complained of, or to give new guarantees for the
permanence of vested rights, it is not mine to oppose.” 98
Not all Republicans agreed with him. Historian Russell
McClintock wrote that Republican “moderates disagreed
over whether the unionist backlash could occur without
Republican assistance. Some, like Seward and John
Sherman, joined conservatives in the belief that Republican
intransigence was crippling the Southern unionist effort;
others, including Lincoln and Trumbull, agreed with the
radicals that concessions would encourage secessionism
and destroy the Republican Party.”
The question of secession (from the Union) has had a long
history in American politics. The first region to threaten
secession was New England during the War of 1812. The last
serious attempt occurred during the American Civil War
(1861–65) when 11 southern states declared independence;
war soon broke out. Since then most efforts have met with
little support. Modern attempts at serious state
independence have arisen in Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont as
well as through the efforts of southern organizations like
the League of the South.
Nov. 7, 2012 saw a renewal of petitions for USA Succession
when “Michael E” from Slidell, Louisiana[3] created an
online petition requesting the Obama administration
“Peacefully grant the State of Louisiana to withdraw from
the United States of America and create its own NEW
government.”[4] The petition originally started as a
response to the 2012 presidential election but since then it
has grown into a national movement and encompasses
many grievances, namely economic problems and the
expansion of the federal government. By 6 AM (EST), Nov.
14th, the various petitions had garnered over 675,000
signatures.[5] Such petitions are largely symbolic in nature
and few, if any, people expect any state to actually secede as
a result of these petitions
These petitions were started by individual citizens, and not
by the states these petitions have little to no legal standing
Petitions that receive over 25,000 signatures within 30 days
of their filing make them eligible to receive an official
response from the White House. Over time, several elected
officials have responded.
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A spokeswoman for Alabama governor Robert Bentley
said in an email “Governor Bentley believes in one nation
under God.” “We can disagree on philosophy, but we
should work together to make this country the best it can
be.”[10]
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Tennessee‘s governor, Bill Haslam, said “I don’t think
that’s a valid option for Tennessee…I don’t think we’ll be
seceding.”[11]
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Texas governor Rick Perry‘s press secretary Catherine
Frazier released a statement saying “Gov. [Rick] Perry
believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing
should be done to change it…” “But he also shares the
frustrations many Americans have with our federal
government.”[12]
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Speaking on the matter, a spokeswoman for Republican
presidential candidate and US Representative from Texas
Ron Paul said “[He] feels the same now” as he did in
2009 when he said “It’s very American to talk about
secession — that’s how we came into being.”[13]
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