The Ordinances were all that mattered. They were the legal documents stating intent and action.
Any honest reading of them clearly reveals that the cause of maintaining and defending individual state sovereignty was the reason for them. The wording is clear, it’s meaning beyond doubt.
The interesting thing about the Ordinances is the fact that slavery is not even mentioned in most of them, and only fleetingly in the rest.
That’s because to the seceding states, slavery was a constitutionally protected institution, not an issue at all if only the Federal Union would honor it’s compact to the states and it’s sacred oath to the constitution.
But the Federal Union preferred to meddle in the affairs of the sovereign states, force it’s will upon them, and violate the very constitution it was sworn to uphold and defend.
Sound familiar? It should, since the liberty-smothering machinations of the central government oppress the states to this day.
That is because the Ordinances declared what they were doing while the Declarations spelled out why they were doing what they were doing.
That’s because to the seceding states, slavery was a constitutionally protected institution, not an issue at all if only the Federal Union would honor it’s compact to the states and it’s sacred oath to the constitution.
But the federal union did honor its compact insofar as slavery was concerned. It wasn't until after the southern states rebelled and committed acts of insurrection against their fellow states did the union react.
Exactly, not so much why.
Any honest reading of them clearly reveals that the cause of maintaining and defending individual state sovereignty was the reason for them. The wording is clear, it’s meaning beyond doubt.
State sovereignty for slavery, as the Declarations say.
The interesting thing about the Ordinances is the fact that slavery is not even mentioned in most of them, and only fleetingly in the rest.
Because as even you yourself just said, it was intent and action, not so much the why.
That’s because to the seceding states, slavery was a constitutionally protected institution, not an issue at all if only the Federal Union would honor it’s compact to the states and it’s sacred oath to the constitution.
It was enough of an issue that secession immediately followed the election of a president hostile to slavery.