[Non-Sequitur]

We agree then that the South was not the belligerent party in Civil War; when Lincoln refused the offers of peace, the North became the belligerent party.

Exactly the opposite. There was no offer of peace, just a demand for surrender. The belligerent party was the South, and the initiation of the conflict their bombardment of Sumter.

[central_va]

There was no offer of peace, just a demand for surrender.

You need the shrink....

[central_va]

I guess we have both discovered the secret, since the Federal Govt, won't accept unilateral secession(I don't agree with that, I think the USA will let go peacefully /these are not your G-G-Great Grandfathers Yankees/; but for the sake of argument I'll go with it) then bloodshed is inevitable. The only way to settle this is on a battlefield because of the unyeilding attitude of the Federalist. The Federal Boot will kick, there can be no peace. I am trying to understand that bully attitude. I do hate that thought.