Texas v. White made it very clear that unilaeral state succession is illegal.
The union between Texas and the other states is perpetual and indissoluble.
When, therefore, Texas became one of the United States, she entered into an indissoluble relation. All the obligations of perpetual union, and all the guaranties of republican government in the Union, attached at once to the State. The act which consummated her admission into the Union was something more than a compact; it was the incorporation of a new member into the political body. And it was final. The union between Texas and the other States was as complete, as perpetual, and as indissoluble as the union between the original States. There was no place for reconsideration or revocation, except through revolution or through consent of the States.
because the govt was afraid the court would (correctly) rule that the South had the right to secede
Then why did the court rule that Texas did NOT have the right to secede?
Ok, if I was the leader of a group that led an insurrection that led to the deaths of 700,000+ people, I would think that after hostilities ended, I would probably go on trial for treason. Why didn’t that happen?????
“The union between Texas and the other states is perpetual and indissoluble.”
There is no man-made “union” — nor anything else man-made — that is “perpetual” and “indissoluble”.
Everything put together sooner or later.... falls apart.
That goes for nations and empires as much as it does for edifices and the other instrumentalities of life. Why should this nation be any different?
What did Mr. Shelley write about Ozymandias?