A lot of the discussion of secession assumes that somehow these were harmless or laudable rebels. People would come to different conclusions about the Constitution if it were another group with a different philosophy that tried to break away.
Indeed. That is why Richard Bensel's book, which is not light reading, but which I recommend to all ("Yankee Leviathan") is a must. He methodically and systematically compares all forms of government intrusion and oppression, not just a couple of jailed editors (but does EXCLUDE slavery . . . a biggie!) and finds that the south overwhelmingly violated the rights of free men more deeply than the north, and more often.