Can federal laws be nullified ???

I have heard complaints about Dr. Ron Paul's statements about nullifying federal laws. Supposedly, the so-called US Civil War decided that issue permanently.

From my perspective, the main achievement of the Civil War was to destroy the sovereignty of the states.

But even Lincoln acknowledged that the people retained their sovereignty:

This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.

Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Also according to Lincoln, the Civil War was fought for the following purpose:

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Both of these speeches confirm, at least from Lincoln's perspective, that the people are sovereign.

Why then are we allowing the sniveling weasels of today to argue that we are not?