in many cases dissidenting doesn't harm anyone, and in fact adds to the diversity of the country. however, during civil war, dissidents could be seen as committing treason.
Ahh...disagreeing with the policies of your country is treason. I see. No wait, I don't.

i guess i agree with you here. I don't think Lincoln had a way around it, though.
Au contraire; there is a very simple way around it: Lincoln could have let the case be brought to court to determine the legality of imprisonment. The very thought of it!
amendments were a big part of flexibilty. but many of the statements in the constitution were purposely broad so that those basic ideas could be interpreted as the times changed.
Umm...why would the framers of the constitution want their basic ideas to be changed? Doesn't that sort of nullify the purpose of having a written constitution? I would appreciate some evidence of this claim.
because they wouldn't reunite voluntarily. a country divided cannot stand.
Interesting assumption. "A country divided cannot stand." Numerous countries have split and somehow managed to "stand."