State Sovereignty Caused the Secession of the Upper South

1stvermont

Corporal
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Oct 22, 2016
Causes of Secession the Upper South

There were two major secession's from the union. The original seven “Cotton states” and later the upper south secession of VA, NC, TENN, ARK, and Pro south MO, KY. The upper south states of VA, NC,Tenn and Ark alone had a larger free population than the deep south representing the majority in the future confederacy. The upper south originally turned down secession and stayed in the union rather than join the new confederacy. When historians and textbooks talk of the reasons for secession, they almost unanimous point to the cotton states and sadly, the upper south is almost always unrepresented. Slavery so often linked with the cotton states secession, was in fact safer in the union for the upper south than had they joined the confederacy, and was not the cause of upper south secession [see post #35].

I will support as this thread moves along that the upper south left the union over state sovereignty. I will use their words, actions and state declarations to show this is true [see post #3 and #5]. To the upper south this was a war of self government of sovereign states vs a federal government that was willing to use military force to control its populous by forcing the states to stay in the union. We would no longer be a self governing populous and collection of states, but a nation controlled by a powerful centralized federal government. Preservation of the original american republic, was the main cause of secession.

I have been told to keep my posts short so I will make the arguments as the thread moves along.


Preserving America Constitutional Republic

-Gen. Robert E. Lee Quoted in The enduring Relevance of Robert E Lee
"All that the South has ever desired was the Union as established by our forefathers should be
preserved and that the government as originally organized should be administered in purity and truth."

-Jefferson Davis Message to confederate Congress April 29, 1861
Northern States of a political school which has persistently claimed that the government thus formed was not a compact between States, but was in effect a national government, set up above and over the States...The creature has been exalted above its creators; the principals have been made subordinate to the agent appointed by themselves.”


Lincoln and the republican party had set out to transform the union from a confederation of sovereign states, to a centralized nation controlled by the federal government. Lincoln also sought to expand the central government far beyond the scope of what was intended by the founders. He was dedicated to higher tariffs, centralization, national bank, internal improvements, vast expansion of the central government, and an overall disregard for the 9th/10th amendments and state sovereignty.

-Confederate General John B. Gordon
When the South raised its sword against the Union’s Flag, it was in defense of the Union’s Constitution.”

-Private John Harper 17 Maine regiment

Southerners persistently claim that their rebellion is for the purpose of preserving this form of government”

It was commonly believed in the south, that it was the north that should secede. As Henry Wise of Virginia said “Logically the union belongs to those who have kept, not those who have broken, its covenants...the north should do the seceding for the south represented more truly the nation which the federal government had set up in 1789.” They saw the growing majority of the north interfering with their culture within their states and violating the constitution. They feared democracy would rule and mod rule would take over America. So they wished to restore America to its original Constitution republic of confederated states as originally created to safeguard individuals liberty from mob rule and democracy. As president pierce said in 1855 “the power is in states alone.”

-Confederate President Jefferson Davis
I love the Union and the Constitution, but I would rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without it.”


-The Vice-President of the Confederacy, Alexander Stephens
If centralism is ultimately to prevail; if our entire system of free Institutions as established by our common ancestors is to be subverted, and an Empire is to be established in their stead; if that is to be the last scene of the great tragic drama now being enacted: then, be assured, that we of the South will be acquitted, not only in our own consciences, but in the judgment of mankind, of all responsibility for so terrible a catastrophe, and from all guilt of so great a crime against humanity.”


-Dr. James Henly Thornwell of South Carolina
“If they (the North) prevail, the whole character of the Government will be changed, and instead of a federal republic, the common agent of sovereign and independent States, we shall have a central despotism, with the notion of States forever abolished, deriving its powers from the will, and shaping its policy according to the wishes, of a numerical majority of the people; we shall have, in other words, a supreme, irresponsible democracy...They are now fighting the battle of despotism. They have put their Constitution under their feet; they have annulled its most sacred provisions; The future fortunes of our children, and of this continent, would then be determined by a tyranny which has no parallel in history.”


-Confederate General Patrick Claiborne 1864
It is said slavery is all we are fighting for, and if we give it up we give up all. Even if this were true, which we deny, slavery is not all our enemies are fighting for. It is merely the pretense to establish sectional superiority and a more centralized form of government, and to deprive us of our rights and liberties.”
 
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