Actually Frank we did leave and left by legal means since there was no law at the time against secession. As a matter of fact Mississippi had to rewrite here state constitution to be readmitted to the Union and was denied readmitted along with Alabama and Georgia, I believe. Why should the slave-owners do away with slavery? It was well within their legal rights. Why didn't the free states simply say you are welcome to bring your slaves here but keep them under control? Why do you think the other states should be able to dictate to the South what goes on within their borders? Same difference. Lincoln left no other choice but to have a shooting war. Frank my point is this you expect the South to make all the concessions, the same as the North expected the South to do in 1860. Life doesn't work that way.

"Had you not attacked the United States at Sumter, you would still have all those slaves if you wanted them."

Exactly Frank that is way the war was not about slavery, but about ownership of federal property and broken treaties.

GP