>No place does the Constitution say, “The Articles are rescinded.” No place does the Constitution say, “The formerly perpetual union is now temporary and transitory.” The Convention didn’t have an objection to continuing the perpetual union thing, so they left it the way it was. Nothing dubious about it at all.
The Constitution created a Federal government called the United States, correct?
The Constitution sets up the structure of that government, correct?
The Constitution also delineates specific powers & responsibilities to that government, correct?
The Constitution makes no mention of secession, correct?
The Constitution also says, in the Tenth Amendment, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people,” correct?
Therefore, if secession [or using force to prevent it] is not specifically mentioned [delegated] to the United States by the Constitution then it must be reserved to the States or the People, correct?
Prior to the 10th Amendment, prior even to the Constitution, the perpetual union already existed, the states already had agreed to surrender any right to secede. If the 10th Amendment was intended to abolish the perpetuity of the union, the 10th amendment would have said so specifically. The founders were certainly very specific about Perpetual Union in the Articles of Confederation, and the founders were not big on “emanations from the penumbra”.
I also refer you to MNJohnnie’s post #78 above, where Madison trashes secessionism.