Didn’t they say, “If this be treason, let us make the most of it?” Did any of them think they were still “loyal Englishmen” after affixing their names to the document in 1776? If so, why did they expect as Franklin said, to “hang separately” if they didn’t hang together. They all knew they were traitors at the end of the day.
"A republic if you can keep it"
B. Franklin
Yes, the rebels of 1776 are recorded as saying those quotes and acknowledging their status as “traitors” to King George and England. I found it interesting you would characterize Lincoln as second-best to an acknowledged traitor. It just seems that pejorative language fails to take context into account.
BTW, I am working through some of your books. I’m going to have to skip ahead to the Civil War section so I can better understand your point of view in this matter.