The signers of the DOI didn't present their arguments in terms of counties, cities, and neighborhoods. They styled their revolution based on colonies and states.
Read what they wrote: “We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
The signers of the DOI never indicated, that I know, that neighborhoods or villages could levy war - it was “Independent States may of right to do.”
For your purpose you may want to stretch the concept of freedom to contend the upper torso can rebel against the lower torso. Fine. But it's misreading the DOI to say that's what the signers intended, or that was what the Confederates were contemplating.
“The signers of the DOI didn’t present their arguments in terms of counties, cities, and neighborhoods. They styled their revolution based on colonies and states.”
In and of itself that does not mean the same arguments could not be presented in terms of counties, cities, and neighborhoods.
“The signers of the DOI never indicated, that I know, that neighborhoods or villages could levy war - it was ‘Independent States may of right to do.’”
But if the people of a neighborhood or village found it necessary to “...dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them . ..”, they could establish or become an Independent State which “may of right to do”.
You left out “cities” this time. There are City States such as Singapore, Monaco, Ancient Athens and Sparta, and Ancient Rome before it became an empire.
“For your purpose you may want to stretch the concept of freedom to contend the upper torso can rebel against the lower torso. Fine. But it’s misreading the DOI to say that’s what the signers intended, or that was what the Confederates were contemplating.”
I’m not trying to stretch the concept of freedom. More like I’m exploring the concept of it becoming “necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them...” and of secession. That embracing those concepts may have unintended consequences, consequences that the DOI signers did not intend or the Confederates contemplate...well, such things happen.