Actually, Lentulus answered you quite well I think.
No matter WHICH commissioners, the bottom line here, NS, is that Lincoln had ample opportunity to make peace with the South, on an equitable basis. He did not have ANY intention of doing so, he wanted all or nothing. That isn’t compromise. War suited his agenda, and that is exactly what he got. What he didn’t foresee, is that he would be a casualty of the conflict he chose to initiate.
Except that Lincoln didn’t initiate the secession, didn’t precipitate the hostilities, and did respond to the aggressions of the rebellious south. Other than that I’m right there with ya!
Again, no. Lincoln had a chance to surrender to the Southern ultimatum, which is what the tone of Davis' letter to him was. Recognize confederate sovereignty, period. Lincoln's position of a unified country wasn't open for discussion, only the South's demands were on the table. And had Lincoln surrendered, only then was there a chance to talk of 'matters and subjects interesting to both nations' which may or may not have included payment for debt, property stolen, or national obligations the South walked away from. Only if the confederacy found those 'interesting' would they have talked about them. So your claim that Lincoln walked away from a chance to 'make peace' is wrong. Lincoln walked away from a chance to surrender. Peace was not a matter or subject interesting to the confederacy.
He did not have ANY intention of doing so, he wanted all or nothing. That isn’t compromise. War suited his agenda, and that is exactly what he got.
You have just summed up the rebel position to a tee.
What he didn’t foresee, is that he would be a casualty of the conflict he chose to initiate.
Exactly the opposite. By choosing to start a war to get Sumter, the confederates committed national suicide. It just took 4 years for the body to hit the floor.