WHAT IS THIS TALK ABOUT SECESSION?

 


There has been much talk lately about secession, coming first from the Baxley group, then from the League of the South and then from the Cook group. It is apparent that many are using this term as a rallying call; sort of a defiance or protest against the Federal Government of the United States and a hopeful recruiting tool. We picked up on that and used it for a while in Texas also. Then we learned the error of our ways. We hadn't fully investigated the legal and historical ramifications of secession. Once we did, we stopped using the term for Texas and removed it from our platform. Does that shock some of you? Why I suppose some may even think it means we have abandoned the Southern cause.


With this in mind, I challenge each of you to prove that secession is legally reasonable in your State! You must study history in your State to meet that challenge.


Did your State secede from the United States in 1860 or 1861 and join the Confederacy? If it did, then it can not secede again from the United States unless the legally elected officials of your State legally rescinded that act of secession of the 1860s. We would like to know about your State and it is your job to do the research for your own State. We need historical facts. Partial history follows:


CONFEDERACY Votes on Secession Electoral Votes
STATE Secesion Date In Favor Against 1860 2000
South Carolina 20 Dec. 1860 169 100% 0 8 8
Mississippi 9 Jan. 1861 85 85% 15 7 7
Florida 10 Jan. 1861 62 90% 7 3 25
Alabama 11 Jan. 1861 61 61% 39 9 9
Georgia 19 Jan. 1861 208 70% 89 10 13
Louisiana 26 Jan. 1861 113 87% 17 6 9
Texas 1 Feb. 1861 166 95% 8 4 32
Virginia 17 Apr. 1861 Open Convention 15 13
Arkansas 6 May 1861 Open Convention 4 6
Tennessee 8 May 1861 Referendum passed 12 11
North Carolina 20 May 1861 Legislature passed 10 14
Missouri 31 Oct. 1861 Legislature passed 9 11
Kentucky 20 Nov. 1861 Referendum passed 12 8
Maryland Overrun by Yankees Fought for CSA 8 10
Delaware Overrun by Yankees Overrun by Yankees 3 3
West Virginia Yankee State Troops to both sides 0 5
N. Mexico Territory Fought for CSA 0 5
Arizona Seceded as a territory? Fought for CSA 0 8
Oklahoma Territory Fought for CSA 0 8
[Electoral votes as a measure of population] TOTALS 120 205

Unlike the unanimity of opinion evidenced in the Palmetto state (S. Car.), secession was more contested elsewhere. Specifically, delegates to the conventions tended to split into three factions: immediate secessionists, cooperationists, and unconditional unionists. The cooperationists were strongest in Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana, and they advocated collective action among the Southern states, perhaps on the model of the 1850 Nashville Convention, rather than each state seceding individually. However, there were differences of opinion among the cooperationists, on timing and strategy. Some, known as cooperative secessionists evinced clear and uncompromising support for secession, but believed that their efforts would be more successful if the states stood together and presented a united front while others were willing to move ahead with just a few states to start with. I suppose that the Federation of States is a cooperationist organization.


As for Texas, we seceded on Feb. 1, 1861 and it has never been undone. The mere act of killing our citizens, plundering our assets, depleting our defense forces and taking over our State government had no legal effect such as rescinding our secession from the United States. Nor did that establish a true State of the United States, but only a fake satellite State. Because today's State government is a fake, it would be ludicrous for us to clamor for secession from the United States for it. Rather, the real State of Texas (of the people who voted 95% for secession) is a State of the Confederate States of America.


Some States were only territories in 1861 and others either were overrun by the illegal invading armies of the United States before they were able to complete secession or the measure failed referendum. If your State was one of those, secession would be a valid goal for States that have never seceded from the United States.


However, some of you have grown to love the term secession so much that you can't give it up, even when you learn that your State already seceded and had become a State of the Confederacy. To such I ask, who are you going to secede from; the United States or the Confederate States? Surely you do not wish to concede both victory and surrender of your Confederate State to the United States do you?


What you really must mean is that you want Liberty back for your State and Independence from United States occupation. The terms "Liberty, Independence and Freedom from Occupation" are positive words that will be well supported by people all over the World.


WHAT KIND OF STATE DO YOU HAVE?


Did the Feds (Yankees) come in to your State in 1865 or thereabouts and force your State Legislatures and Governor out of the Statehouse and replace them with Washington approved people?


Did those Yankee appointees then pass bills that were not the will of the citizens such as application for re-admittance as a State in the United States?


Did those Yankee appointees change your State Constitutions to suit themselves and Washington?


Do they now allow true Southrons to be elected in your Statehouses or do they give to you Northern born or Northern loyal candidates bought and paid for by Yankee owned Corporations?


Is your State today simply a Satellite of the United Socialist States of America (USSA)?


DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT AS LEGITIMATE?


If you do, then you turn you back on our dead Confederate ancestors who fought and died for our freedom and independence and you accept the scallywags furnished as your rulers who pass laws to tax you, falsely educate your children and continually tread upon your rights.


ATTITUDE OF A SOUTHRON


If you know that neither Jefferson Davis nor anyone else in authority of the Confederacy every surrendered the nation of the Confederate States of America and, although those holding office therein are now deceased, the legal government of the CSA still exists as does its Constitution, then you have the knowledge and attitude of a true Southron.


If you believe your present State government is a Yankee controlled satellite of the United States, then you have even more understanding and the attitude of a true Southron.


Clearly then you must believe, if your State was one that did secede from the United States, that such secession was a legal right and since it was never rescinded by the citizens of such State, the secession is still a legal fact. You must then clearly see that the thing that is wrong is the illegal occupation and control of your State by Yankee influencing corporate campaign donations and the United States government.


The job ahead for Southrons is to organize their people in their own States so they can elect Southrons to the State Legislature and as Governor.


LIBERTY, INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM


Once Southrons are in control of our Statehouses and Governors' offices, we are then in the political position to be free. Then can the work begin to return the laws and the Constitution of those States to that of constitutional republics which can then pass bills for Secession where necessary, and/or for Liberty, Independence and Freedom.


Then shall we proclaim Liberty throughout our land and demand our Independence. Then shall we throw off the yolk of slavery and regain our Freedom and sovereignty. We shall have our Legislatures pass Bills of Reaffirmation of our Statehood in the Confederate States of America and Bills of Liberation with the termination of foreign occupation of our land (State). Our Cry shall be: "LIBERTY, INDEPENDENCE, FREEDOM!"


Then shall we re-establish our free and sovereign Nation, the Confederate States of America. And then shall we know that the LORD hath delivered his people and He shall be their LORD and they shall be His people and none shall make them afraid.


Vance Beaudreau, Secretary -- Federation of States


Our thanks to John S. Mosby for putting us on to this issue.