Thomas Wright's Diary

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                               South Carolina
                         Declaration of Secession

Declaration of the Imediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the
Federal Union. 

The people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention, assembled, on the 26th day of April AD 1852, declared that the frequent violations of the Constitution of the United States, by the Federal Government, and it's encroachments upon the reserved rights of the States, fully justified this State in then withdrawing from the Federal Union; but in deference to the opinions and wishes of the other slaveholding States, she forbore at that time to excercise that right. Sense that time, these encroachments have continued to increase, and further forbearance ceases to be a virtue.

And now the State of South Carolina having resumed her separate and equal place among nations, deems it due to herself, to the remaining United States of America, and to the nations of the world, that she should declare the immediate cause which have led to this act.

In the year 1765, that portion of the British Empire embracing Great Britain undertook to make laws for the government of that portion composed of the thirteen American Colonies. A struggle for the right of self-government ensued, which resulted, on the 4th of July, 1776, in a Declaration, by the Colonies, 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 commerece, and to do all other acts and things which independent States may of right to do.

They further solemnly declared that whenever any"form of government becomes destructive of the ends for which it was established, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government." Deeming the Government of Great Britain to have become destructive of these ends, they declared that the Colonies " are absoved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

In pursuance of this Declaration of Independence, each of the thirteen States proceeded to exercise its separate sovereignty; adopted for itself a Constitution, and oppointed officers for administration of government in all its departments -Legislative, Executive and Judicial. For purpose of defense, they united their arms and their counsels; and in 1778, they entered into a leage known as the Articles of Confederation, whereby they agreed to entrust the administration of their external relations to a common agent, known as the Congress of the United States, expressly declaring, in the first Article " that each State retains its sovereignty freedom and independence, and very power, jurisdiction and right which is not, by this Confederation, expressly delagated to the United States in Congress assembled."

Under this Confederation the war was carried on, and on the third of September, 1783, the contest ended, and a defenite Treaty was signed by Great Britain, in which she acknowledged the independence of the Colonies in the following terms:

"Article 1- His Britanic Majesty acknowledges the said United States, viz: New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, to be Free, SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that he treats them as such; and for himself, his heirs and successors, relinquishes all claims to the government, property and territorial rights of the same and very part thereof"

Thus were established the two great principles asserted by the Colonies, namely: the right of a state govern itself, and the right of the people to abolish a Government when it becomes destructive of ends for which it was instituted. And concurrent with the establishment of these principles, was the fact, that each Colony became and recognized by the mother Country a FREE SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT STATE.

In 1787, Deputies were appointed by the States to revise the Confederation, and on 17th September 1787 these Deputies recommend for the adoption of the States, the Articles of Union, known as the Constitution of the United States.

I could go on with that declaration, that is enough to get what South Carolina was saying. You can find the whole declaration at Civil War.net or Battlefield.org.

Dram you are saying what does that mean? I don't understand. Well, you are saying the Civil War was fought over Slavery, yes it was, point one, Slavery was part of the Constitution of the United States and the Southern States. South Carolina went as far to say, like most Southern States felt, they have the right, and the sovereignty to govern themselves. Slavery was the main cause, that was legal. So whether I you like it, South Carolina worded it under States rights. To be honest, slavery was wrong is wrong, tragic way of life, but they were right, the South went about it wrongly but they had that right, to stand and say no. The United States Constitution gave them that right to say enough.

Yes, that Burns my ass, to say it! No one has the right to own anyone! Was it a States rights issue worded the way South Carolina did, sure comes off that way, Slavery was the main-right. That sent them over the edge.

Well if I haven't sent my readers off on a fit and left the story, comment vote if you please. Thank you for your support I hope it continues.
Dram12