The debate over secession was rooted in the long-standing conflict between the Northern and Southern states over the issue of slavery. The Southern states, which relied heavily on the institution of slavery as a source of cheap labor, were concerned about the growing political power of the Northern states, which were predominantly against slavery. They feared that the Northern states would eventually use their power to abolish slavery in the South, and they believed that secession was their only way to preserve their way of life.
The Southern states' argument for secession was based on the principle of states' rights. They argued that the Constitution was a compact between sovereign states, and that each state had the right to determine for itself whether it wanted to remain in the Union. They also argued that the federal government had overstepped its powers by passing legislation that interfered with the institution of slavery, and that this gave them the right to secede.
The Northern states argued that the Union was a perpetual union, and that the Southern states did not have the right to secede unilaterally. They argued that the Constitution was a legally binding document that created a nation, and that the Union could not survive if individual states were allowed to leave at will. They also argued that the Southern states' secession was based on the desire to preserve slavery, and that this was a moral wrong that justified the use of force to preserve the Union.
The debate over secession ultimately led to the Civil War, which began in 1861 and lasted until 1865. The war resulted in the victory of the Northern states and the abolition of slavery, and it effectively ended the debate over the right of secession.