Okay, here's where my little bit of Texas knowledge comes in.
It is a widely believed falsehood that Texas still has secession powers. We do not, in the strictest legal terms. Let me explain.
Upon entering the Union, Texas, since we entered in through a treaty, NOT THROUGH ANNEXATION OR ANY OTHER NONSENSE, was allowed by the United States the right to either separate itself and become 5 Union states and/or leave the contractual treaty agreement.
Unfortunately, when Texas "asked" to rejoin the Union, we had to agree that states are not guaranteed the right to secede. As far as I know the rest of the states had to also agree to such. (BTW, I say "asked" because it was not voluntary, and above I say "strictest legal terms" because those who signed the re-entry agreement were not duly elected state officials...it would be like George Bush appointing the 9/11 Commission made up of himself, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Karl Rove to find all 4 of them not guilty.)
As far as having the right to secede, regardless of your belief of whether the North or South was right, one ABSOLUTELY HAS TO recognize from the founding fathers' documents that they believed in the right to secede from a union. It's in the Declaration of Independence of the USA!!!
BTW, Daniel David, do you also take the position that John Paul Jones, Patrick Henry et al died in vain during the revolution? After all, they seceded from the British Union, which had legal claim to the colonies, and then made war with their gvernment.
Pray tell, what is the difference? Would it have made a difference if there was no slavery in the South? What about those slave-holding Northern states which Lincoln saw fit not to emancipate? Do you realize that the major reason for the Mason-Dixon Line and having slavery confined to the South is because the authors of that legislation wanted the new territories of the USA out west to be black-free? If there was slavery, there would be blacks. If there was no slavery, then laws could be passed to prohibit blacks from living in a particular state.
I'm a good ole Southern boy and a Texas boy, but truthfully I had as many kinfolks on both sides of the war...most of my Arkansas kin were Yankees simply because the Yankees had control of the area and offered to pay.
I actually had one uncle who was drafted into the Union army, went awol from there and returned to the farm, he was then conscripted by the Confederate Army and went awol from there. Family story says that when any army would come near the old farmplace Uncle Bythel would be rushed off to the fields to hide so as not to be caught awol be either side.
Back then, for many folks, they didn't know what was all going on. They did know they were poor and the offer to fight for money to help provide for their families was a great proposal. That's why my g-g-grandpa fought for the North. Not out of love for the Union, but because the South did not have control of that part of the state and could not offer the same kind of money.
Something else as well, Joseph, only Louisiana herself and part of Arkansas were part of the Louisiana Purchase, so they other Southern states were not "bought" by the USA. Some would say that part of Texas was included in this as well, but technically speaking, France did not have legal claim to sell the land anyway, all of which was owned by Spain, NOT FRANCE. In fact, the condition of France getting the "New World" land after the war was that France had to keep the land for themselves and if they did not the land would be forfeited back to Spain.
Of course, now we've got the question, did the USA legally buy Louisiana from her rightful owner? Answer, no, but I don't think anyone's going to try to change that now. I think 200 years is a pretty good statute of limitations on contested real estate transactions.
Anyway, that's a whole nuther can of worms there.
Bottom line, secession was a right recognized by almost all people up until slavery became a hot button issue and it began to look like some states might actually voice that right.
Too bad it didn't work.
Only thing that would work better for this country is a dictatorship run by me.
From a Yankee Rebel descendant, men on both sides fought valiantly for what they believed in, as well some did not. We need to make that distinction and then recognize ALL of those who fought bravely on both sides.
To belittle my g-g-grandfather's service(the Confederate on, that is) is insulting to me, my family, and tells that a person has no moral character when they will put down someone who fought for a worthy cause...FREEDOM!
