Argument for the Secession of the South

From December 1860 until March 1861 seven Deep South states, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, all seceded. Another four states seceded after the attack on Fort Sumter. These included Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas. These states left the Union rightly as they were deprived of the freedoms mentioned in the Constitution of the United States of America, and treated wrongfully by the people of the Union. The South’s main reason for seceding was to escape the chance of the abolition of slavery because the North was trying to stop the spread of slavery.Lincoln was making attempts to mend the Union without war and the South knew that this was impossible.

“All admit that an ultimate dissolution of the Union is inevitable, and we believe the crisis is not far off. ” (Doc. 1). The South could see war coming and they were ready for it. Although war is an extreme measure to take when trying to solve disagreements, it is perfectly feasible when you are being deprived of rights and under the control of a region who is attempting to take away your property simply because they believe against it.

So while slavery may have been viewed as an evil thing, it was still property of the South and if the North wanted to take it away, they would have to go about it in a very cautious way. In all their haste to abolish slavery, the North forgot about what they were doing to the South and seemed to have forgotten about the Constitution and the rights that every citizen of the United States of America had.“If for any cause the Government should become inimical to the rights and interests of the people, instead of affording protection to their persons and property, and securing happiness and prosperity, to attain which it was established, it is the natural right of the people to change Government regardless of Constitutions. ” (Doc.

3) This was exactly what the South was doing, their property, was not protected by the government. By seceding, they were changing government as to secure their rights and property, regardless of what constitutions stated.The Constitution which the North was using against the South was the very one that was written by the people of America after the Revolutionary War when the U. S.

broke free from England’s rule. And now, they were doing exactly what England did to them, they were limiting the rights of their own people. “We recognize the exact analogy between the North and the Government of George III, and the south and the thirteen revolted Provinces. ” (Doc. 6)The North was in control of the South and the South wants it’s freedom just as much as the Americans did before the Revolutionary War.

The North did not deal with the idea of secession and slavery right. “The prevailing ideas entertained by most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the Old constitution was that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically. It was evil they knew not well how to deal with. ” (Doc. 2)The north was so desperate to not allow the south to secede or to own slaves that they began reacting in bad manners and resembling people who they previously fought against.

It was almost as if the south was not part of their country. Most of their reactions to what the south did contradicted their original beliefs showing that at some points, they were more against the people of the south than what the people of the south were doing. “The principle asserted is not that a human being cannot justly own another, but that he cannot own him unless he is loyal to the United States.” (Doc.

7)This mentioned that whoever was loyal to the U. S. was allowed to keep their slaves but those who seceded were not. Obviously, this did not make sense at all. The North against the south states seceding because they knew their attempt to abolish slavery was at risk.

But by allowing states who remained loyal to keep slaves was almost a setback to most abolitionists’ ideas. The North became so angry with the south states that seceded they made choices that did not make sense with their beliefs and strong feelings against slavery.In conclusion, the south seceded rightly to protect their rights and property while the North continuously attacked the South’s ideas and increased the tension between the two regions. It is easy for us to talk against the secession of the south simply because they were leaving the Union and it may appear that they were rebelling. However, if any one of us was in their situation, it is very likely that we would do the exact same thing.

How could any citizen of the United States be satisfied with limited rights when we are known for and so proud of being a free Country?