[Delacon]

“Where does the Constitution lay out the procedure you propose? In fact, where in the Constitution is secession made illegal?”

Article 5 of the constitution lays out how the constitution can be changed. It has no provision for breaking this contract. Surely if the founders felt that states could simply walk away from the union they would have allowed for it in the constitution. Article 5 is the closest they come to anything like that. And it don’t come anywhere near to allowing states to abandon the union.

[rustbucket]

Article 5 of the constitution lays out how the constitution can be changed. It has no provision for breaking this contract.

Article V deals with how the Constitution could be amended. It is interesting that once states started seceding there were several attempts by Republicans in Congress to propose amendments that would have made secession difficult. Why would they have done that if what you say were true and states already couldn't leave without an amendment.

Also, once states started seceding, more than one of the Northern states started changing their laws that had frustrated and blocked the return of fugitive slaves, something required by the Constitution.

Speaking of amendments, I commend the Tenth Amendment to your attention. The power to prevent secession was not given to the Federal Government, it was not prohibited to the States, therefore it must remain in the reserved powers of the states or the people.

[stand watie]

in other words, you either have NOT read or do NOT understand the TENTH Amendment to the BOR???

secession was/IS a lawful means of a state/states departing the union, should it become necessary in their informed self-interest. furthermore,i don't believe you can show us ANYTHING in the Constitution, which indicates (much less proves) that secession was a POWER/RIGHT ceded to the central government.

remember, the individual STATES created the union. as such, the STATES remain free to MODIFY, withdraw from and/or ABOLISH the union at any time.

free dixie,sw

[Colt .45]

"Surely if the founders felt that states could simply walk away from the union they would have allowed for it in the constitution. Article 5 is the closest they come to anything like that."

So if I am reading you correctly, you seem to think that when the Original Sovereign and Independent States ratified the Constitution they ceeded all their sovereignty (recognized by King George III in the Treaty of Paris 1783) to the Federal Government. WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP! The States retained their sovereignty and COULD seceed if the people of that State wished to. I would suggest you read up on the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions to see how Statte sovereignty was viewed.