The confederates, unfortunately for them, could not. The thing about revolutions is that you need to win them, and there's no obligation for the other side to simply roll over and let it happen.
This is true, so therefore what I initially posted is true-Licoln apparently didn’t believe in the right of a free people to determine their own government, even though he stated thus himself, as he took all measures to prevent the South from doing just that, including mercenary soldiers. What he really subscribed to was “Might makes right”.