The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-13
Goal of Secession
(Texas Magazine)


jefferson Davis this year was marked
by the usual reminders that the SOL
diers Of the south did not fight in
defense Of slavery, but rather in de-
tense Of the right Of their states to
secede. This Is true, but it occurs to
US that the question might easily
arise In the mind of an unbiased
listener as to why the southern states
seeded. One may grant the right
Of secession, and yet not approve the
act of secession itself. One can
imagine such listener asking If they
did not secede In order to preserve
slavery. And unless one Is familiar
with more American history than Is
usually taught in the schools. one
might find that question difficult.
What was the goal Of secession?
Abolition Of slavery within the United
States would have required an
amendment to the constitution, which
involved the assent Of three-fourths
Of the states. Barely half the states
voted for Lincoln, and much less than
half OF the voters. There was no i'm
mediate danger of abolition. On the
other hand, such questions as that
Of the return OF fugitive slaves from
northern states and that Of the right
Of slave owners to take their slaves
into the unorganized territories would
be settled against the south by seces-
sion. Secession would bring Canada
to the Ohio and the Potomac, 50 to
speak, and citizens Of the southern
states would lose all their rights in
the unorganized territories Of the
United States. Secession, therefore,
would not help slavery. On the con-
trary, 1t would prescribe 1t. Why,
then, lid the people Of the southern
states decide by such overwhelming
majorities to secede from the Union?
A clue to the answer may be found
by examining the constitution OF the
Confederate States Of America. In
what particulars did 1t differ from
the constitution Of the United States?
The southern states were free to
write any kind Of constitution they
wanted. What kind did they write?
The answer to that question ought
to give clue to the goal Of secession
As q general statement It may be
said that the goal of secession was
independence from the north. But
independence for what purpose?
What kind Of constitution was pro-
vided for the government over which
Jefferson Davis presided?
Well, aside from i'm m a terial
changes. like the new preamble and
the provision of single six-year term
for the president, the Confederate
constitution contained only three pro.
visions that were not in tho consti.
tuition OF the United States. It pro.
hibited a. the levying Of tariff duties
to promote any one form Of industry
the protective tariff, (2) the pay
ment Of bounties, and 60 federal ap.
preparations for internal improve.
ments within the states.
This Is the iniquitous trinity from
which the cotton and tobacco states
had suffered during thirty years priol
to secession. South Carolina wa
ready to secede IN account Of then
in 1882. The triumph Of . narrowl!
sectional party like that which elect
ed Lincoln, meant that hencefortl
the opposition Of the south to thes'
things would be hopeless and futile
And the aftermath OF the Civil wa
proved this appraisal to be correct
Secession would have freed the soutl
from these handicaps to its prosper
ity-heavy government expenditure
for bounties and internal improve
ments, and q high tariff system t
raise the revenue for such expendi
lures. Secession failed. and 50 tn
finhk still remains.