74 U.S. (7 Wall.) 700 (1869)
Texas v. White is a seminal United States Supreme Court case from 1869 that holds critical constitutional significance.
Can a state legally secede from the United States, and what is the status of financial transactions made by a secessionist government during the Civil War?
The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not allow a state to unilaterally secede from the United States. Once admitted to the Union, a state remains a part of it, rendering null any attempts to withdraw or any acts by a secessionist government.
The Supreme Court held that secession was constitutionally impossible, and actions taken under the purported authority of a seceding state were null and void. Thus, the sale of the bonds by the secessionist Texas government was invalid.
Texas v. White is a landmark decision emphasizing the constitutional principle of an enduring Union. It addressed the legal aftermath of the Civil War, clarifying the status and validity of actions conducted under a secessionist regime. The case reinforces federal authority, providing clear guidance about state participation in the Union, solidifying doctrines of state sovereignty balanced with federal oversight. It is a foundational case in American constitutional history, regularly cited to illustrate the permanence of the United States as one nation.