In March of 1776, Colonists living in South Carolina decided they were fed up with British rule and seceded from the empire.

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That was the first "Palmetto Republic."

A little less than a century later, in 1860, there was another secession, which lasted until South Carolina joined the Confederate States of America two months later.

That was the second Palmetto Republic.

Now, there's a movement afoot to secede once again from the United States of America and create a third Palmetto Republic.

Spearheading the effort is Tom Utley, a 32-year-old sales engineer and a firm subscriber to Thomas Jefferson's beliefs on states' rights. From his perspective, the federal government has grown way too big and the only way to wrest back control is to secede from the union. He calls it a "complete evacuation from the United States."

Understandably, reaction is mixed.

"You're going to start another war?" is a common comment in this Southern state, along with accompanying charges of racism.

The Third Palmetto Republic's Web site emphasizes several times that this is a peaceful movement.

"We all know who won the war, but brute force and bloody combat doesn't prove ideas right or wrong, it simply subjugates those who disagree," the Web site states.

As for the second charge, Utley points out that minorities would actually receive greater representation in a scaled-back state government than they do on the federal level.

"Independence would be a step forward," Utley said.

If guns and cannons aren't an option, how would South Carolina become a free state? Utley sees several ways.

A statewide referendum to nullify the state's bonds with the United States is one option. The state Legislature could dissolve those bonds or it could be done in a special session attended by representatives of each of the state's counties.

One outstanding issue would be what to do with federal property in the state, such as military bases and armories. A solution would be to keep them in place under a special agreement, much like U.S. bases in countries such as Germany and South Korea.

Border control is another issue, although Utley envisions a soft border regulation like the one once shared with Canada that only required a driver's license to pass through.

In spite of the Third Palmetto Republic's peaceful intentions, a complete secession from the United States would inevitably end with a showdown between South Carolina and the federal government, said Don Doyle, a history professor at the University of South Carolina and the author of several books on secession.

"It may stop short of force, but federal taxes might be withheld or military establishments withdrawn," Doyle said.

South Carolina, of all states, should know the consequences of secession. It was at Fort Sumter in Charleston that the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

Doyle said about half of the nations in the world, including the United States, were formed as breakaway states, so the power of history is on the Third Palmetto Republic's side.

There can't be a new nation formed, however, every time someone is unhappy with a vote or representation.

"The question is, 'Where does it stop?' " Doyle said. "Will our front yard become a nation?"

Though there is growing discontent with the federal government, Utley distances himself from grassroots groups such as the Tea Party.

The Third Palmetto Republic, which is an incorporated nonprofit entity, has no political affiliations and no official allies, Utley said.

Their purpose at this juncture is a "push to educate the people of South Carolina and anyone who will listen" about "self-government independence as opposed to centralized power," Utley said.

He and his partner, Michael Cushman, are harnessing the power of social media to bring that message. Their Web site, palmettorepublic.org, is updated daily and features Facebook links, Twitter messages and recorded programs called podcasts. Its efficiency was proved recently when a few people from Atlanta attended a roadside rally in North Augusta.

Cushman, 33, has been advocating state secession since he attended Silver Bluff High School in Aiken. For Cushman, it's not a matter of "if" but "when" the states break off from federal control.

"Things are becoming unsustainable for federal government," Cushman said.

Recent unpopular mandates such as the health reform bill are pushing the country to an edge and the states are learning that suing in federal court won't solve the problem, Cushman said.

"The odds are stacked against them," he said.

Cushman is working toward a master's degree in history at Augusta State University and cites the precedent behind their effort. Scotland and Wales, for instance, have been pushing for years for independence from the United Kingdom, and there is growing discontent among the member countries of the European Union, Cushman said.

Cushman's position on secession is met with skepticism, but when he asksfor a better solution, "No one has a good answer," he said.

Voting Republican or Democratic obviously isn't working, because "we've been doing that all along," Cushman said.