What major issue surrounded the topic of secession in Georgia?

The major issue surrounding the topic of secession in Georgia was the sectional conflict over slavery. This conflict represented a fundamental divide between the North and the South, with the South strongly supporting slavery as an integral part of its economy and social order. As tensions escalated leading up to the Civil War, many Southern states, including Georgia, viewed the election of anti-slavery President Abraham Lincoln and the potential restriction of slavery as existential threats to their way of life.

In this context, secession was seen as a means of protecting their interests and maintaining the institution of slavery, which was deeply ingrained in the economic and cultural fabric of Southern society. The debate over slavery's expansion into new territories further exacerbated these tensions, illustrating the importance of this issue in shaping Georgia's decision to secede from the Union.

While preservation of peace, establishment of trade agreements, and formation of new states were all relevant to the broader discussions of the time, they did not capture the central conflict driving the secessionist movement in Georgia as powerfully as the issue of slavery did.