Voluntary or Involuntary Essence of the Union of States

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Referring to Official Documents and Speeches
Should the Union of States Be Voluntary?
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

History tells that, back in the eighteenth century, the thirteen colonies recognized that they were stronger and more influential together. Despite their differences and disagreements, the Union they formed gave them more power and independence. However, the question is whether this Union was voluntary, or some states were made to join the Union? Moreover, should the Union of states be involuntary, and does it even matter? This paper aims to explore the official historical addresses and documents to answer the aforementioned questions.

Referring to Official Documents and Speeches

In order to better understand the issue and answer the question of whether the Union of states is and should be voluntary, it is essential to refer to the documents that date back to the nineteenth century. Thus, Abraham Lincoln’s first and second inaugural addresses can be reviewed in order to identify the president’s view on the concept of leaving the Union. Then, his Gettysburg Address can also be informative on whether the Union should or should not allow its states to secede. Finally, in the Emancipation Proclamation, one can find information related to the factors that made some states rejoin the Union.

President Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

To begin with, Abraham Lincoln’s position regarding secession can be identified in his first inaugural speech. According to the text of this address, Lincoln proclaimed that “no State, upon its own mere motion, can lawfully get out of the Union” (4). Otherwise, the Union will become less perfect and lose its element of perpetuity. States should be united, and it is not in their authority to secede (Lincoln 5). The president declared that the states could not separate in order not to weaken the nation. Therefore, according to this speech, participation in the Union is not voluntary.

President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

Further, in his second inaugural speech, the president did not change his opinion regarding the idea of leaving the Union. Thus, Lincoln declared that the strength of the nation and country was in the unity of the states, and all of them had to heal the wounds of the U.S. together. Consequently, if the Confederate States did not manage and were not allowed to separate from the Union, the participation was and still is involuntary.

Gettysburg Address

Noticeably, the term ‘secession’ is not mentioned in the document. However, in his Gettysburg Address, Lincoln put an emphasis on the need to unite and the inability of states to separate from the Union. While people live and die, it is their power and responsibility to protect the Union and make sure that it remains perpetual (Lincoln 1). The president considered it to be their destiny to follow the lead of the nation’s fathers and finally reunite, making the country stronger, freer, and perfect. As a result, this document reinforces the idea of involuntary Union and the inability of states to leave.

The Emancipation Proclamation

Finally, it is also informative to review the text of the Emancipation Proclamation to understand the government’s attitude towards those states that left the Union in the 1860s. While some may think that this document’s purpose was primarily to put an end to slavery, this is not quite true. Lincoln only wanted to abolish slavery in the Confederate States – this would be their punishment for not rejoining the Union. Therefore, it is possible to say that this document also supports the idea of the Union of states being involuntary. When some states tried to secede, they were made to regret and cancel such a decision.

Should the Union of States Be Voluntary?

In addition to the information in the documents reviewed above, it is also necessary to apply the case to modern times. Overall, all states form one nation – they share infrastructure, laws and policies, economy, industries, trade, traveling, taxation, residence, immigration, and other concepts that are vital for a successful territory. If a state decides to secede from the Union, this long-developed system will break, and the remaining states will have to solve many issues at once. The strength and power of the U.S. will decrease since it is based on the efforts and contributions of all states. Additionally, if one is allowed to leave the Union, other states may want to do the same. Taken the Union is left with few states, the country will not be able to continue its current influential operations. Consequently, the Union of states should not be voluntary, and this concept does matter for the well-being and prosperity of the nation.

Conclusion

To draw a conclusion, one may say that the information related to the questions posed in this essay can be found in the analyzed documents and addresses. It has never been profitable for the U.S. to let the states secede. Not only does the country lose some of its strength, potential, and influence as a whole, such a separation negatively affects numerous well-established elements such as the economy, transportation, politics, and infrastructure. Finally, the fact that the Union is involuntary is also a tribute to the memory and respect for history.

Works Cited

Lincoln, A. “Emancipation Proclamation.”History, 1862.

Lincoln, A. “The Gettysburg Address.”The Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, 1863.

Lincoln, A. Inaugural Address of the President of the United States. Senate, 1861.

Lincoln, A. Second Inaugural Address. Library of Congress, 1865.

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