[Non-Sequitur]

man respecting the letter of the law? The same man who takes it upon himself to declare war ? An act that should only have been done by the Congress of the United States of America?

Lincoln didn't declare war. You declare war on another country and the confederacy was a group of states in rebellion, nothing more and nothing less. Congress gave the president the power to mobilize the militia to put down invasion or rebellion when Congress was not in session. Lincoln's actions were perfectly legal.

[fightu4it]

the confederacy was a group of states in rebellion

To be more precise they were a group of Sovereign States in the legal process of leaving the Union.