SECESSION

meaning withdrawal. As used in United States history the withdrawal of a state from the Union, such action being claimed as a right, based _on the doctrine of state sovereignty. The idea first found expre ion in New England when strong opposition developed regarding the Louisiana purchase. The Federalists feared that the acquisition of the territory might cause New England to lose her preponderance in the Union. Opposition to annexation was based on the Constitution which was made for only 13 States. In 1832 di atisfaction with the new protective - tariff started a nullification movement in South Carolina; spoken threats were made but nothing further was done. From that time the slavery question was bound up with that of sece ion. The annexation of Texas, the question of excluding slavery in territories helped to strengthen the sece ion movements in many states. In 1847 Calhoun invited the slave states to secede but they did not respond. What were known as ‘compromise measures’ in 1850 gave fresh impulse to the sece ion movyement. ‘The sece ion of the Southern States from the Union was caused by laws concerning fugitive slaves, in free states, by John Brown’s raid, and Lincoln’s election. The South Carolina State convention in 1860 repealed the Act of 1788 ratifying the Constitution, and declaring the union of South Carolina with the other states of the Union di olved. The governor of South Carolina proclaimed sece ion of the State December 24, 1860. Other southern states seceded in the following order: Mi i ippi, January 9, 1861; Florida, January 10, Alabama, January li, Georgia, January 19, Louisiana, January 26, Texas, February 1, Virginia, in April, Arkansas, and North Carolina in May, and Tenne ee in June. The Civil War followed.