"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
In order to accomplish those goals, States needed to stay United and search for ways to settle their differences...not to take an "my way or the highway" attitude.
What's really funny is that this many years later, people on this thread refer themselves as "us" and "we" when discussing the Civil War.
They still don't consider themselves part of the "perfect Union" the Founders wished to create.
What those former southern aristocrats cant get over is the shame of losing the war and their way of life to a bunch of poorly led farmers, factory workers, and non-English speaking immigrants.