1. Alexander Stephens, in his "A Constitutional View of the Late War Between the States," submitted, the central government, the common agent of the people of the states, is legitimate only so long as it exercises its delegated powers within the bounds established by the people through the Constitution.
2. The Declaration of Independence clearly states that governments are institutions that can be defined as “deriving their power from the consent of the governed.” Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence also stated: Whenever "any Form of Government becomes destructive" of the inalienable rights granted by the Creator, "it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government."
3. Secession is not a new idea:
1798-99 Virginia and Kentucky Resolves. Said states could nullify national law if they violated individual state rights!1804: Massachusetts plotted to secede and tried to get New York to withdraw from the union and establish a "Northern Confederacy".
1807 Embargo Act: New Jersey was going to secede due prohibition of foreign trade
1814: delegates from several New England states threatened to secede over President James Madison's war policies against England.
1844: the Massachusetts Legislature threatened secession when Congress started debating whether to admit Texas into the Union.
As to the first part of 3, 1798-99 Virginia and Kentucky Resolves. Said states could nullify national law if they violated individual state rights!: That's not the same as seceding.
As to the rest of part 3, they apparently changed their minds about 1860.
The 'Government of the United States' is not the 'United States.' The Feds confuse that issue all the time. They think that because one opposes the Government misusing its power that one opposes the United States. It's not the same thing.