Secession Of South Carolina- Essay, Research Paper
Secession of South Carolina-
Following the election of Abraham Linclon 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 delegated 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.
Название реферата: Secession Of South Carolina Essay Research Paper
| Слов: | 708 |
| Символов: | 4671 |
| Размер: | 9.12 Кб. |
Вам также могут понравиться эти работы: