South Carolina's Justification for Secession: Two Foundational Principles

The Historical Arguments Behind South Carolina's Claim to Sovereignty

In its 1860 Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina, the state invoked two core principles from American founding documents to assert its right to leave the Union.

1. The Right to Alter or Abolish Government (Declaration of Independence)

South Carolina cited the Declaration's assertion that "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it." The state argued that the federal government had ceased to protect the rights of Southern citizens—particularly regarding slavery and states' rights—and thus the people of South Carolina were justified in withdrawing their consent and forming a new government.

2. State Sovereignty Under the Articles of Confederation

The state also pointed to Article II of the Articles of Confederation (1781), which declared: "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States." South Carolina contended that the Constitution was a compact among sovereign states, and that any powers not explicitly granted to the federal government remained with the states—including the right to secede.

These arguments framed secession as a constitutional and revolutionary right, rooted in the very documents that created the Union.