Their Rights As Free And Independent States example essay topic

Secession of South Carolina- Following the election of Abraham Linc lon as President of the United States in 1860, South Carolina was the first of 7 states to secede from the union. They claimed, as their reasons for secession, frequent violations of the Constitution by the federal government and encroachments upon the reserved rights of the Senate. But did South Carolina have the right, legally or morally, to secede from the Union and establish its own Confederacy After all, didn't they fight so hard to become a free and independent country from Great Britain in the American Revolution less then a century ago And now they are seceding from their own country that they fought for, and are causing a war in an attempt to establish their own country Legally, South Carolina had the right, but not morally. Following the American Revolution, all (at that time) 13 states signed a Declaration of Independence stating "that they are and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; and that, as free and independent states they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do". In 1783, a treaty was signed with Great Britain that acknowledged them as "FREE SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT STATES having the right to govern itself, and the right of the people to abolish a government when it becomes destructive of the ends for which it was instituted". Then in 1787 the Articles of Confederation was revised becoming the Constitution of the United States.

This added to the Articles of Confederation that "exercises were restrained necessary for their existence of sovereign states amendment added-declared that powers not delegate to the US by the constitution or prohibited by that States were reserved for the States". This is clear proof that South Carolina had every legal right to secede from the Union. After all, between 1776 and 1787 the state signed 3 documents establishing them as free and independent states and grating their rights as free and independent states. There are, however, some moral issues involved in South Carolinas secession from the union.

For instance, they had all fought together for their independence from Great Britain less then a century ago in the American Revolution. This gave all the states a bond between each other. They had come together to fight for their rights as a nation. Now they are going to revolt to be separated from their own country This doesn't seem like a very moral thing to do. It's kind of like a mother fighting for custody of her child following a divorce from her husband. Then, after all the trouble of the trial, she disowns her child because she didn't agree on some things that he did.

It's just not right, you don't fight for something, and then turn against it. Another thing is that when South Carolina signed the Declaration of Independence, the preamble stated that it was created "to form a more perfect union, establish domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity". Notice the part: form a more perfect union. South Carolina seceding from the union does not help in doing this but prevents it. In conclusion, South Carolina had every legal right to secede from the Union following Lincoln's election in 1860. They had signed 3 documents prior to that establishing them as free and independent states.

They did not, however, have any moral right to do so. One of there goals as a state in the United States was to form a more perfect union. Seceding and causing a civil war between a country that fought for its independence, as a country is not a good example of how to form a perfect union.