"Again, if one state may secede, so may another; and then when all shall have seceded, none is left to pay the debts. Is this quite just to creditors? Did we notify them of this sage view of ours when we borrowed their money? If we now recognize this doctrine, by allowing the seceders to go in peace, it is difficult to see what we can do, if others choose to go, or to extort terms terms upon which they will promise to remain... "
A. Lincoln, 7/4/61
Secession was definitely an attack on the United States.
At least that is what a majority of Americans thought in 1861.
I mean after all, Lincoln's call for volunteers in April had been met to overflowing; the Congress supplied $400 million right away and much more later.
Even when Union war dead exceeded rebel war dead by a considerable margin, the people kept faith with the Lincoln administration.
Even while rebel armies were riven by destertion, Union armies were maintained by voluntary reenlistments.
What you are pushing, as usual, is just so much bunkum and bosh.
Walt
One problem Walt, is that Lincoln is not stating that seccsion is illegal, he's stating that it would be illegal to leave without settling the bill. And a delegation was sent to Washington to meet with him to discuss this, aided by the efforts of US Supreme Court Justice Campbell. The south was more than willing to repay any debts, Licoln was unwilling to allow the golden goose to leave.