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To: central_va
I read that before, and other similar reports.
They don't tell us who elected the secession convention, or how.
I might assume it was selected by the SC state assembly, just like presidential electors, but can't confirm that.
55 posted on 02/27/2016 11:19:40 AM PST by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: BroJoeK; central_va
From central va's link, it appears that the South Carolina legislature appointed a "Convention" with the specific purpose of drafting an Ordinance of Secession. It was probably not the whole of the legislature, nor composed exclusively of legislators. My guess is you have a mix of state legislators, prominent businessmen, and "people of society."

Lest we forget or confuse why South Carolina chose the path of Secession, lets look at it in their own words. And review the declaration of causes from Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia and Texas as well:

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/declarationofcauses.html

When you get down to it, it wasn't "state's rights," it was slavery. The South didn't want to give up owning people, and they thought the Republicans were going to make them do it. The only curious exception was Texas, who had in independent basis for Secession in addition to abolition of slavery. They claimed that the Federal government was not securing their border against Mexico or against the Commanche Indians. That has a familiar ring to it.

Given that the value of slaves was $3 Billion or $4 Billion, and with Dred Scott v. Sanford requiring compensation for Emancipation, the south should have cashed out their slaves and reaped the economic windfall. Instead, the "value" of those slaves was wiped out completely with the 13th and 14th Amendments.

By the way, even if the "value" of the slaves exceeded all of the value of the industry in the North, the value of northern industry was tangible and lasting. The "value" of slaves as property was zero, once they were declared to be free, which tells me there really wasn't a value there at all.

57 posted on 02/27/2016 2:20:52 PM PST by henkster
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