[WhiskeyPapa]

The truth is that a majority of the duly elected representatives of the people in the state legislature voted to secede.

That situation is addressed by the language of the act.

"And it be further enacted, That whenever the laws of the United States shall be opposed or the execution thereof obstructed, in any state, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by this act, it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to call forth the militia of such state to suppress such combinations, and to cause the laws to be duly executed. And if the militia of a state, where such combinations may happen, shall refuse, or be insufficient to suppress the same, it shall be lawful for the President, if the legislatures of the United States be not in session, to call forth and employ such numbers of the militia of any other state or states most convenient thereto, as may be necessary, and the use of militia, so to be called forth, may be continued, if necessary, until the expiration of thirty days after the commencement of the ensuing session."

Walt

[sheltonmac]

That is talking about a state that is still considered part of the Union refusing to honor the laws of the United States. In that respect it makes sense. A state cannot be part of the United States if it refuses to honor U.S. law. However, the law you are quoting does not address the issue of secession. If you really want to make a case against secession you would have to amend the Constitution and make it expressly forbidden to the states. No law passed by Congress can override the Constitution. As it stands, secession falls under the protection afforded by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.