Robert E. Lee: American Patriot and Southern Hero

“Here I greet you in the shadow of the statue of your Commander, General Robert E. Lee. You and he left us memories which are part of the memories bequeathed to the entire nation by all the Americans who fought in the War Between the States.”

A State only has to ask permission to enter the union, not leave it.

Doesn't a state have to be granted permission to join by the other states?

Hell, even Lincoln said a State has the right to leave.

When did he say that?

re: “ A state or states could legally secede but it needs to be a mutually agreeable split among the states.

That gives pause to wonder what might have happened had the southern states not been so impetuous and hot-headed.”

Yes, I have heard of the legality argument for secession if the other states in the Union agree with the split. And, there were expressions by influential Americans at the time to let the South go its own way - especially among the abolitionists.

However, the Southern viewpoint was, “we voted ourselves into the Union, why can’t we vote ourselves out”?

If I remember correctly under the Constitution, a state “applies” for statehood from Congress. The proposed state must meet certain criteria before being considered. The Congress votes to “accept” the new state into the Union.

And, since it took the vote of all the existing states in the Union to allow a new state into the Union, wouldn’t the reverse to “leave” the Union require the vote of all the states to “accept” a state’s “dis-union” from the United States? I think that falls in line with what you were saying Chase’s position was on legal secession.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.