Niall did you even read what you posted? I think it only confirms and strengthens my point that preventing secession was the reason for the civil war. If you want to call me biased in relation to the author, go ahead and do so.
But look at how that author merely asserts that secession was 'immoral and illiberal' multiple times. Is that an impartial view of the situation?
If you regard secession as immoral, like this author and Lincoln do, then perhaps taking military action to prevent it is justified.
But that is the central question of the civil war - which is my only point.