It seems quite apparent that the question of secession of one or more states, had been discussed, debated, and ruled on, and accepted long before the 1860's. Surely it was no surprise to the country when the Southern states withdrew and formed the Confederacy. What happened next, was the destruction of that unique and well thought out doctrine, the American Constitution. The defeat of the Confederacy, was the defeat of the Constitution as drawn up by the Founding Fathers. If they were alive today, they would not recognize the form of government the American people have today!