[jeffersondem]

“The question is how to go about it, and James Madison gave what is likely the best process: “A rightful secession requires the consent of the others, or an abuse of the compact, absolving the seceding party from the obligations imposed by it.”

Later a fire-eater from one of the slave states said on the floor of Congress what most people of the time believed:

“Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better.”

That Congressman then was still known as Honest Abe.

[DoodleDawg]

You keep overlooking the “...and having the power...” part of that quote. The South was so inclined. And they did try to rise up and shake off the existing government. But they didn’t want it badly enough to win their rebellion, unlike our Founding Fathers. They were lacking in power. Or perhaps it was because they were motivated by slavery and in the end that really wasn’t worth the struggle.