[Happy Rain]

Whether the South would have collapsed without slavery is not the issue-the South BELIEVED it would at the time and thus acted in their best interest at the time.

Succession was possibly the greatest and most unfortunate example of, “it seemed like a good idea at the time” in American history.

[southernsunshine]

Happy Rain - Thank you, and your family, for your service.

Whether the South would have collapsed without slavery is not the issue-the South BELIEVED it would at the time and thus acted in their best interest at the time.

I respectfully disagree. Arkansas seceded due to Lincoln's demand for troops. It had nothing to with a belief that the South would collapse in the absence of slavery. Arkansas rejected the notion that the Federal government had the authority to use force to coerce the seceded states back into the Union.