[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Jefferson even went so far as to adress the idea of disolving the union during his first inaugural adress."

I believe you are referring to this:

"We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it."

He is using rhetorical flourish to talk about tolerance of opinion. Certainly not that he thinks it should be dissolved. He also does not say here that states can simply choose to dissolve without some process, such as an amendment. Notice how he says that these people are in error of opinion.

[An.American.Expatriate]

The error of opinion is in WANTING to disolve the union - not in whether it is possible to do so!

I conceed that I may have implied that Jefferson was in favour - that is incorrect (pardon my wording on that!).

NONE of the founders favoured secession - but they DID adress those who did!

I mainly used this reference to show that after 10 years - there was already talk of leaving, disolving, etc ... this continued right up to the civil war.

IMHO this issue, like so many others today really boils down to whether the consitution - as originally written, i.e. without the Bor etc - was a confederation of sovereign states for a common cause or the creation of a central absolute sovereign of subject states.

In todays world, it is obviously the later. I contend it was originally the former - but I conceed that opinions on this differ - sometimes extremely! :D