"One could argue that Lincoln's Government was not a legitimate government over the seceeding states, because of his minority status in the election"
David,
If you mean he had less than 50% of the popular vote, I can agree with that, but he did have the highest percentage of the popular vote ( 39.8%), Douglas had 29.5, Breckinridge had 18.1 and Bell had 12.6. In terms of the Electrol college he more than 300 votes or 59% of the college. It is true that he was at that time unable to enforce law in the states in rebellion. Of course that might have been one of the reasons that European powers did not recognize the COnfederacy as a country. They saw them much like Mr. Lincoln saw them a part of the USA in rebellion.
Frank