On Secession and Southern Independence
In light of the recent interest in secession, there are some fundamental
points we need to understand in order to counter those who claim that this
time-honoured remedy against tyranny is un-American and even treasonous.
The voluntary union (or confederacy) of States known as the United States
was born of a secessionist movement against Great Britain, and our
Declaration of Independence is, at base, a secessionist document. How, then,
can secession legitimately be called un-American?
When our Founding Fathers broke the bonds of political association with the
British Empire in 1776, the former colonies became free and independent
States constituting thirteen separate communities, each asserting its
sovereignty. This arrangement received confirmation in the Articles of
Confederation (1778) and the Treaty of Paris (1783). Americans themselves,
as well as their British foe, acknowledged that each State was a separate
and sovereign entity.
The sovereignty of the separate States is an important issue in
understanding how the United States was formed under its Constitution of
1787-88. When delegates met in Philadelphia in May 1787, they came as
representatives selected by the people (i.e. citizens) of their respective
States. The people of the States did not give their delegates any authority
to make binding agreements; rather, they could only discuss proposed changes
to the Articles of Confederation. Any changes to the Articles would become
effective only if ratified in convention by the citizens of the separate
States.
The result of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 was, of course, the U.S.
Constitution. However, the document was not binding until nine of the
thirteen States ratified it for themselves. That happened in 1788, and those
nine States entered into a compact (or contract) with each other and, by
doing so, created the political union known as the United States (or, more
accurately, the States United). Four States, for a time, remained outside of
the union and thus were not bound by the compact. Eventually, though, all
thirteen States ratified and united.
It is important to note that no State (or States) could answer for another
State. Each State acceded to the compact by its own sovereign will.
Moreover, all of them understood that they might secede from the compact by
those same means-by a ratifying convention of their citizens or
representatives.
Nowhere does the Constitution forbid a State from seceding from the union.
In fact, the Tenth Amendment (contained in the Bill of Rights of 1791)
expressly confirms "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." The power to force a State against its will
to remain in the union is absent among the powers delegated to the general
(or federal) government; therefore, the right of secession is reserved to
the States, or more precisely, to the people of the States.
Some of the New England States threatened to secede several times before
1860 (e.g. 1803, 1807, 1814, and 1844-45). At no time did the Southern
States deny them this right. However, when a number of Southern States
seceded in 1860-61, Lincoln and the Republican Party went to war to prevent
them from exercising their Constitutional right. Simply put, Lincoln placed
the forced "unity" of the States above the Constitution itself, and this
action set him in opposition to the principles of the American Founders.
Northern victory in 1865 marked the end of true Constitutional government in
America. In its place, the American Empire now defines the limits of its own
power without serious regard to the Constitution. Formerly free and
sovereign States have become little more than administrative provinces of an
all-powerful central government in Washington, DC.
Without a serious challenge to its authority, which the acknowledged right
of secession is, our government will not reform itself. We are not free
people if we are not free to leave.
Our colonial ancestors acknowledged what our present government (and popular
opinion) denies: that, at some time, dissolving our political bonds might be
a necessary and proper course. That time came in 1860-61, and The League of
the South believes it has come again.
Secession, as Thomas Jefferson acknowledged, is the assertion of the
inalienable right of a people to change their form of government whenever it
ceases to fulfill the purposes for which they created it. Under our
Constitution, this should be a peaceful remedy. The decision of a State or
States to withdraw peacefully from a political association is not
revolutionary or rebellious. On the contrary, the government that is no
longer responsive to its people, a government that denies its people their
inalienable rights, is revolutionary. The right of secession is never more
necessary than when it is denied.
Some say that secession is impractical and/or unattainable. It certainly is
both as long as the people of the States remain ignorant of it as a remedy
to tyranny handed down to them by earlier generations.
We, the people of the States, still have the weapon and the legitimate power
of reform (sovereignty)
wield it.
Thanks to Dr J Michel Hill for the inspiration We Call Them Southrons
The Southern people are the descendants of men who marched twenty miles in
the heat of August, subsisted on rations that would not fill the belly of a
child, fought an enemy that outnumbered them three-to-one, and won the day.
They are a patient people, jealous of their freedoms, and determined to
succeed. A States-Rights, Fire-Eating New England Secessionist:
The concept of a "higher law" than the constitution had not yet been
invented when Josiah Quincy wrote the following in 1811, nor was he familiar
with the voluntary union being indivisible as Abraham Lincoln later
invented. He was aware of the States being sovereign and in a voluntary
compact; and like many other Americans of the antebellum era, Quincy found
his own native State to be his home and country.
In his speech on the Passage of the Bill to Enable the People of the
Territory of Orleans to Form a Constitution and State Government, the
Massachusetts Congressman spoke the following on January 14, 1811:
"Mr. Speaker, The bill, which is now proposed to be passed (to form
Louisiana into a State), has this assumed principle for its basis; that the
three branches of this national government, without recurring to conventions
of the people, in the States, or to the legislatures of the States, are
authorized to admit new partners to a share of the political power, in
countries out of the original limits of the United States.
"Now, this assumed principle, I maintain to be altogether without any
sanction in the constitution. I declare it to be a manifest and atrocious
usurpation of power; of a nature, dissolving, according to undeniable
principles of moral law, the obligations of our national compact; and
leading to all the awful consequences, which flow from such a state of
things.... Sir, what is this power, we propose now to usurp? Nothing less
than a power, changing all the proportions of the weight and influence,
possessed by the potent sovereignties composing this Union. A stranger is to
be introduced to an equal share, without their consent. Upon a principle,
pretended to be deduced from the constitution, this government, after this
bill passes, may and will multiply foreign partners in power, at its own
mere motion; at its irresponsible pleasure; in other words, as local
interests, party passions, or ambitious views may suggest.... This is not so
much a question, concerning the exercise of sovereignty, as it is who shall
be sovereign.
"(Is) there a moral principle of public law better settled, or more
conformable to the plainest suggestions of reason, than that the violation
of a contract by one of the parties may be considered as exempting the
others from its obligations?
and Atlantic States will, or ought to look on with patience and see
representatives and senators from the Red River and "Missouri, pouring
themselves upon this and the other floor, managing the concerns of a
seaboard fifteen hundred miles, at least, from their residence? It is the
part of a wise man to foresee danger and to hide himself. This great
usurpation, which creeps into this House, under the plausible appearance to
giving content to that important point, New Orleans; starts up a gigantic
power to control the nation.
"With respect to this love of our union...It grows out of the affections;
and has not, and cannot be made to have, anything universal in its nature.
Sir, I confess it; the first public love of my heart is the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. There is my fireside; there are the tombs of my ancestors.
The love of this union grows out of this attachment to my native soil, and
is rooted in it. I cherish it, because it affords the best external hope of
her peace, her prosperity, her independence. The bill, if it passes, is the
deathblow to the Constitution. It may, afterwards, linger; but lingering,
its fate will, at no distant period, be consummated.
Thanks to Bernhard Thuersam, Cape Fear Historical Institute for the
inspiration Is It 1860 All Over Again in Georgia?
Consider the following YouTube video by a liberal Democrat running for
governor in our sister state of Georgia who is outraged that four other
gubernatorial candidates love their home State more than the federal abuse
of power. One of those four candidates is our favorite Southern Nationalist,
Ray McBerry! The other candidates just recently jumped on the States' Rights
bandwagon when they suddenly realized that such a stand is extremely popular
among their Georgia voters. Ray McBerry has been pro States' Rights and pro
secession for many years!
Video>> Georgia Gubernatorial Hopeful Fears Secessionists
As you can see from the video by this anti-States' Rights buffoon, the talk
of secession is really heating up in Georgia! Maybe the federal government
will finally wake up and take notice that all is not happy in Dixie. Our
people have had enough and Southern leaders like Ray McBerry are in the
vanguard of the movement to make things right! We desperately need a
candidate such as this to run for Governor in our beloved Florida in these
tumultuous times. Any takers?
While we realise this strong stance may freighten some readers, especially
if you have never ridden the secession wagon with the rest of us, it's time
to put away your fears and get onboard. History is passing you by. If you're
one of those that fell off the secession wagon a long time ago, you might
want to dust yourself off and get back onboard. Don't wait for our long and
hard won victory before you decide to become a sunshine Southern patriot and
join when it's easy.
To understand just how a true Southern Patriot would govern and protect his
home state, click here to view Ray McBerry's stance on this important issue
of independence. A win for Ray McBerry will be a win for all of Dixie!
Reliving Florida's Past
MAY 1 1562 French Huguenot leader Jean Ribault landed at the mouth of the
St. John's River today. He and his followers were seeking to establish a
colony for French religious dissenters.
MAY 1 1901 Jacksonville was swept by a devastating fire today. More than 600
acres of buildings in the center of the city were destroyed. The loss was
estimated at $15,000,000 in 1901 dollars.
MAY 6 1851 Dr. John Gorrie, a physician in Apalachicola, patented his
ice-making machine today. Gorrie, 1802-1855, looking for a way to cool
patients suffering from malaria fever, was granted Patent No. 8080. His
invention led the way for commercial ice making machines and eventually for
the development of air conditioning. He is one of two Floridians honored
with a statue in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C.
MAY 7 1877 The Bank of Jacksonville was founded today by William Boyd
Barnett. This band ultimately became a statewide operation under the name
Barnett Bank until it was sold to Nations Bank in 1998. Today it is part of
the Bank of America chain.
MAY 10 1861 Union president Abraham Lincoln unlawfully suspends the writ of
habeas corpus in Florida, citing the existence of an "insurrection" against
the United States in that state.
MAY 12 1861 Florida newspapers report that three former residents of St.
Augustine, Abraham Dupont, William Quincy, and Thomas Mirando, participated
in the assault against Fort Sumter.
MAY 16 1824 Edmund Kirby Smith, Confederate general and Commander of the
Confederate Trans-Mississippi West, was born today in St. Augustine.
Smith was a graduate of West Point (1845), fought in eight battles of the
Mexican-American War, taught mathematics at West Point, was wounded in
Indian fighting, and was a noted botanist. In 1861, he resigned his position
with the United States Army to enter Confederate service.
Florida selected him as one of two individuals (John Gorrie was the second)
to represent the state in the Hall of Statues in the Capitol in Washington,
D.C.
MAY 22 1907 The Florida Legislature approved the incorporation of Pablo
Beach (now Jacksonville Beach) today.
MAY 29 1586 Sir Francis Drake, the famous English "Sea Dog" burned and
sacked the town of St. Augustine today. Internet Links of Educational
interest:
A Parting of the Ways: Moving Forward to Freedom
State Sovereignty - A Long Standing American Tradition
Is Secession Crazy? You be the Judge (Video)
Statement of Purpose
The League of the South seeks to advance the cultural, social, economic and
political well-being and independence of the Southern people by all
honorable means.
For information on how you can help restore your freedom and responsible
government, and learn the truth about the history of our country, its
founders and its documents, contact the League of the South at the Freedom
First Website
Get the facts they don't teach you in school.
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