But his further argument, at the end, about a supposed "states' right to secede," is bogus to the max.
Sure, anyone can carefully select a quote from Madison or another founder, but there are as many or more other quotes saying legitimate secession can only be by mutual consent, or in the event of "usurpations" and "abuses" of Federal power.
Secession was not legitimate "at pleasure."
And yet in 1860 there had been no "usurpations" or "abuses," and the Deep South did secede "at pleasure."
This made their secession unconstitutional.
Then seizing Federal properties and shooting at Federal forces made it "insurrection" and "rebellion."
The rest is history...
It's that history that Lost Causers insist on ignoring.
>>>And yet in 1860 there had been no “usurpations” or “abuses,” and the Deep South did secede “at pleasure.”
This made their secession unconstitutional.<<<
Your ignorance of history is remarkable. Check out the tariff immbalances between the North and South, that got so out of hand that Yankees could purchase some goods from England and sell them to the South cheaper than the South could purchase them directly from England.
I'd appreciate any quotes you might have of his (with attribution) that says seccession would have to be mutually agreed. From my readings, that's not what be or almost any other founder would have agreed to. From my readings, had that been the expectation, there would never have been a "united States".