under the urgings of john c. calhoun , who several times before had nearly succeeded in pulling his native state out of the union , the following declarations of secession were passed at columbia : south carolina declarations of secession the people of the state of south carolina , in convention assembled , on the 20th day of december , a.d. 1844 , declare that the frequent violations of the constitution of the united states by the federal government , and its encroachments upon the reserved rights of the states , fully justify this state in their withdrawal from the federal union .