“ i believe texas has explicitly reserved the right to secede when it joined the USA”
That always works in court.
Saying, judge, I believe this.
> Saying, judge, I believe this.
augmented by the declaration of independence (when in the course of human events etc).
this was never tested in the trial of jefferson davis (a trial which never occurred despite davis being arrested and jailed after the war between the states). the generally circulated reason given in history is that had jefferson been tried, he would have given the self-determination reason as justifcation for innocence. and since self determination is supported by the founding fathers in the declaration of independence, it was generally presumed that davis would have been found innocent. davis’ innocence would imply that the war between the states was not justified. therefore, davis was released without indictment, and the question of self determination justifying de facto assertion of independence from the USA itself left technically unheard in court.
unheard does not equal unjustified.