You seem to have a problem with the president preserving the country?
During the war of 1812 was the president right to attempt to preserve the union or rather protect the United States from losing parts of it’s territory?
A loaded question of course but in creating the CSA as you would have to admit the southern states created a seperate nation, foreign to the United States and captured land and property of the United States in very much the same manner as any other invading entity has done.
The only difference is that they said that as American citizens they had the right to invade their own lands and seize government property.
You might ask your Doc to up the dosage, for now, don't break them in half.