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[–] OricaTonithos ago 

The threat to national survival that would've been created had several southern states created a separate union was unacceptable. The result would quite possibly have been the north (and south) becoming conquered by foreign interests and resulted in the eventual dissolution of the awesome individual rights that the first constitution was designed to protect.

States were afforded the "right to secede" from the union, but realistic minds understood that it meant doom. Slavery was a huge topic when it came to creating solidarity enough to promote a war with the south. For the south, the abolition of slavery would've meant a devastating economic upset for those who had land, but didn't see the possibility of a labor force without a large wage difference (aka servitude).