Question: Did Lincoln experience a change of heart sometime between Wednesday, January 12, 1848 and Friday, April 12, 1861, the start of the American Civil War, when a number of the states from the South attempted to secede from the Union? In this portion of his speech to the House where Lincoln clearly echoes the views of the Declaration of Independence, it might suggest so. Or is he otherwise espousing his view that one has the right to secede however, in order to be successful, one must also have the power?

If the latter is the case, it seems to pose at least one interesting and contradictory implication, i.e. the necessity of power to successfully exercise an existing right as expressed in our Constitution.

to Bob, Charlotte, VT
your source is Robert Owen, founder of Utopian Socialism

I also think EGL, LA has an interesting observation ...

five stars for several reasons some obvious, some not so.