According to you the South was supposed to ask for permission to leave the Union first?! Now that is stupid! Its like saying that the Founders were supposed to ask permission from King George and Parliament to leave the crown and become independent for it to be legal. You missed the "Liberty" boat, and are standing at the dock with your ticket in hand wondering what happened.
For something to be a right, it means that you don't have to ask permission from anybody for it. It is something that exists and that you avail yourself of.
Like I said, I don't have your slant on things.