If the Federal gov't was abusing its power the people have a right to change that gov't as is the right of revolution (which Lincoln never denied)
Secession is not an option since the nation was formed by the people and it must be the people as a people who change it.
Well, they did have that right, but Lincoln did deny it w/ respect to the South -- secession being a species of revolution. Secession is also the mildest of all the forms of revolution, since it doesn't involve destroying the original establishment. When the Roman plebs left town and withdrew ("secede" <= Lat. se "aside" + cedere "go", "progress", "retreat"), they didn't overthrow the Roman government or interfere with the magistrates or the institutions of the city's government.
Secession is not an option since the nation was formed by the people and it must be the people as a people who change it.
No, look at the Chase opinion I quoted upthread in Texas vs. White, on the nature of the equation between "People" and "State". Each State is a People and vice versa; and the People of each State acted independently in ratifying the Constitution. The Southern States basically reconvened those same conventions and rescinded their prior acts of ratification, and walked.
Remember the pecking order:
God
People = State
Constitution
U.S. and State Governments
Everything else.
The fedgov was created by the people of the states, not the people of a non-existant nation.