Discombobulated,Again,, that was left to each State individually, not the collective, again see the tenth. If the power to prevent secession was not delegated by the States, they retained it by the agreement itself to themselves individually. That was the agreement.
As for moral equivelancy, all are equally guilty. Is it your assertion that Southern people are less moral than Northern people? Or one color less than another?
How is that possible when there is no mention of secession anywhere in the Constitution.....explicit or implicit.
That is the very purpose of the tenth amendment, Again.....
Amendment X
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."
It is impossible to enumerate every single power that is reserved to each State individually, or to enumerate every power that the United States, (the collective) could hold, therefore all power not delegated is retained by each State individually.
That is all the 1787/1789 U.S. CONstitution is, is an agreement in which the States have come together to establish among themselves, a central body to handle certain explicit duties in union, all other duties, and powers are their own business, and none of that of the collective together in union. Its called sovereignty, and every sovereign power other than the explicit powers delegated and enumerated are reserved to each State individually.
"To the States, respectively, or to the people" have been reserved "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States." Each State is a complete sovereignty within the sphere of its reserved powers. The Government of the Union, acting within the sphere of its delegated authority, is also a complete sovereignty.
To the Government of the United States has been intrusted the exclusive management of our foreign affairs. Beyond that it wields a few general enumerated powers. It does not force reform on the States. It leaves individuals, over whom it casts its protecting influence, entirely free to improve their own condition by the legitimate exercise of all their mental and physical powers.
Not even a vague reference to secession.
So?
Secession wasn't illegal..and (arguably) it isn't now.