Faced with the possibility of electing a Republican candidate, many southerners (all of
whom were Democrats) felt that leaving the United States was their only choice. This
was not the feeling of all southerners and a group of southern politicians, called
secession commissioners made it their mission to convince other southerners that they
needed to leave the United States if Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, was
elected. These "apostles of disunion" campaigned around the South to convince other
southern states to secede if Lincoln is elected. The legislature of South Carolina
assembled immediately after Lincoln was elected and left the Union on Christmas Eve,
1860, well before Lincoln is inaugurated. It was followed by 10 other Southern states.
In the document above, South Carolina made the case on why they seceded. What was
their main issue? How long had they debated this issue? How did they feel about the
new Republican Party? How did they feel about President Lincoln? How did they think
Lincoln's election would affect them? What roles do African Americans in the North
play in this new development? Why do the people of South Carolina oppose their
involvement? What do the people of South Carolina conclude is their only solution?