I thought the Civil War effectively ended the right of states to secede.
You are correct.
The south never had the legal right to secede in the first place but Texas v. White (1869) confirmed that succession was illegal.
There is no right one way or the other, Only whether one is willing to force the other. I live in Texas, and, frankly, if Zero wins re-election I will support secession. Texas is in the unique position to do so, we have agriculture, oil, seaports. No one will attack us over it, so why not? It won’t necessarily cause civil war, could actually prevent one.
It’s never been tested in the courts that I’ve been able to determine.
“I thought the Civil War effectively ended the right of states to secede.”
Power ended the right of states to secede. When the US falls apart, it will be over failure of central power, either actual power or will.
It will be a long time before Texas can secede without war. The tax revenue from Texas is too big for the folks in Washington to surrender. The Gulf ports are too valuable. And, Texas is too close to the mouth of the Mississippi river, which remains the United States’ most valuable natural asset.
The logic of Lincoln’s response to the Mexican attempt to occupy Texas during the Civil War still holds, except that Texas, in addition to its geopolitical location, now generates huge tax revenue.
Texas was previously an independent republic. It is written in its constitution that, that is one of their rights Somehow it is also written in the deal they made with the USA when granted statehood
Its only legal if you win.
The war ended with one side winning but the question of secession was never answered. Why? Because if an amendment post war had been proposed and ratified that would ex post facto have made it legal, pre war. Making Lincoln's war illegal and vindicating the South. THe USC is totally silent on the issue, and remains so.
There are times in the course of history when a state needs to create its own rights. Asking "Pretty please, may we secede?" of our federal government will only get a state so far in its desire to fulfill its needs.
Now let me remind you, that the freedom we have enjoyed since the 1700’s was not negotiated. It was bought with the blood of Patriots and Tyrants. If a split ever happens it will be the same again. The “right of states to secede” will be irrelevant.
—
Texas is not where you were born but a Stat of Heart, Mind and Attitude. May it always be so.
Legally, sure, effectively being a function of force of arms, or will. Lacking that, and it's lacking, a rather silly concept.