No, they weren't. Their actions were sovereign actions of the People, tantamount to ratification of the Constitution itself, or to its repealer. When you are sovereign, you may change your government for another more pleasing, and they did.
So, who do you think was sovereign instead of the People? You've never answered that question, as many times as I've asked it.
Who owns America, Non-Sequitur? Who is invested with the right and power to tell the People, "no, you may not," and "do as I say"?
No, they tried. They launched their rebellion in an attempt to change their government, and they got their head handed to them. And have then spent the last 140 years complaining about it.
So, who do you think was sovereign instead of the People? You've never answered that question, as many times as I've asked it.
I do believe the people are sovereign. All the people, North and South, the people of the United States. I don't belive that the states are sovereign over the people, I don't believe that the Southern people were more sovereign than those in the North, and I don't believe that only the South had rights that deserved to be protected.