While I was not an original secessionist and voted for Union Candidates for the convention, yet when the north determined to wage war on the South; when Lincoln called on Virginia for her quota of troops to coerce the seceding States, and when Virginia seceded, it did not take me two seconds to cast my lot with Virginia and the other Southern states ...
The people of the South had gotten tired of the sectional domineering, hectoring spirit of the North, ... and determined to sever the bonds that bound them together; Peacefully if they could, forcefully if they must
The question of Southern Slavery was not an issue at the beginning of the war, as many believe...
... Lincoln, in his inaugural address expressly declared he had no authority to interfere with slavery in the States [where it already existed] and no intention of doing so.
And not until the Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect 1 January, 1863, made without shadow of right or law, and in direct violation of his solemn declaration and oath of office, was the issue raised as a war measure, to strenghten the Union Cause, which was then on the wane among the abolitionists at home and abroad ...
[the] rabid Abolitionists, now demanded emancipation as the price of their loyalty to the Union cause ...
And we're about to see history repeat itself when Obama uses a similar proclamation to declare all the illegals in this country citizens ... you watch ...
Try reading article one section nine of the confederate constitution
A misremembering of history on his part. It was universally reported - at the time - by both northern and southern papers - that VA joined the CSA in spirit on receipt of word that fighting had broken out. People danced in the street in joyous relief that the decision had finally been made.
That was on April 12. The Convention reconvened on the 13th to reconsider secession. Lincoln issued his call for troops on the 15th, which was then used as the pretext for secession. But VA made its decision on the 12th.
The people of the South had gotten tired of the sectional domineering, hectoring spirit of the North, ... and determined to sever the bonds that bound them together; Peacefully if they could, forcefully if they must
Thanks for the quote. To restate it, southerners had, quite humanly, become sick and disgusted of being told the institution on which their way of life was based was evil.
The only problem being that it WAS.
IOW, there was no horrible oppression justifying secession. They seceded because (some) northerners said mean things about them and hurt their feelings.
700k+ dead men later, I hope it was worth it.