Secession: is it right?

Secession, a word that has been bandied around since the beginning of this nation of individual states and rights, something many take lightly, and others believe to be wrong. Why a state would secede from this great Union of States, and is it even legal, is the question being approached today.

Prior to the Revolutionary War our nations founding fathers got together and decided to write a letter to the King of England who at the time was the rightful ruler of this country. These same founding fathers decided that for many reasons we had the right to separate from our parent country of England and become our own nation. One reason was as follows, “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance” and another “He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.” Now some of you may say that we need certain things to make other things go tick. I say no we do not- in fact we as citizens of this nation are supposed to be the greatest of the powers and not the president or senate or even judges.

According to the Declaration of Independence the following applies, “That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States” that is right- free and independent States! The paragraph continues as follows, “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.” not as a solidified country, but as free and independent states. The principles of this nation, the founding documents make it clear that this is a country of States and Peoples rights with a Limited Federal Government. When the founding fathers were amending the Constitution and writing it, they made it clear that certain principles must be followed.

The Tenth Amendment, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” Easily one of the most ignored and yet most important of the amendments today. Abraham Lincoln attempted to destroy the freedom of the individual state by waging an illegal war against states that rightfully and legally seceded. While I disagree wholeheartedly with slavery especially in this nation, I cannot disagree rightfully with the Southern States and their legitimate complaints and even more legitimate secession. You see what is often ignored by modern Americans is the simple fact that the South seceded not just for slavery, but also to keep more of their money. The Northern states had levied massive tariffs and taxes against only southern goods being delivered to northern factories, and yet did not levy the same against the northern factories.

The time prior to secession and the War of Northern Aggression (i.e. the Civil War) was almost as bad politically as what we see today in modern America. Today we see varied methods of raping the land being put in place by politicians in power. We see trillions of dollars being spent and no forward movement, we see numerous foreign-based companies being “assisted” with billions of our dollars and yet the United States remains in debt, and having financial difficulties. We owe our children’s, children’s, children souls to China and other nations. We are allowing even more government control and more programs to be put in place, “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance”

I understand the desire to see everyone succeed however dividing what others rightfully make with those who have not earned it is wrong. This is not what the founding fathers meant when they said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, which among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” What the founding fathers meant was every man should have the ability to freely pursue their life, to be what they want to be. They meant that everyone should have the ability to earn that, which makes them happy.

Therefore, when a state or group of states, or individuals makes it clear that they are not happy with how the Federal Government is running things than it is the duty of the Federal Government to change how it operates not the other way around. It is the right of the individual states to decide whether they are better off without the Federal Government. The case I make today is that every one of us has the right to choose how we will live our lives, that is apart of our unalienable rights. No government should decide how we as individuals are to spend that which we earn, and that which makes us who we are. It was made clear upon the foundation of this nation that each of us has the right to worship as we please, and to live as we please as long as that choice does not negatively affect the lives and welfare of those around us.

Therefore, I say, viva liberation, hurrah for freedom and keep fighting for what is right. I agree that a civil war would not be a good thing, however, if that were what it takes to prevent the perversion of the Federal powers from taking over all of our rights than so is it. I would temper this by saying we must vote in such a way as to relieve the undue and unjust burdens being placed upon our children and us by a perverted and unjust government.

Understand this, if it come to that which is irreversible than I hope that those who decide upon this course of action are able to do so with the idea that we must have freedom that which so many American men and women have died to protect. That we do not approach the thought of civil war or revolution against an unjust government is for reasons of personal gain.

In conclusion, please understand that I am a supporter of the general rights and equality of all Americans, and that I shudder to think what would happen if our government forces a bloody decision upon us. Please think about every decision, and vote – vote to preserve the Union, yet do not hesitate to change that which guides this union of great States if it is necessary.

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmentx

Originally posted at Examiner.com © Jesse Mathewson

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