[Old Teufel Hunden]

"why didn’t he just seek a ruling from the Supreme Court to put the stamp of law to it?"

Lincoln was installed as our 16th President in March 1861. Fort Sumter was fired upon and captured in April 1861. The South really didn't give him much time as President to pursue the legal option now did they?

[central_va]

Read the Illinois Butcher's™ second inaugural speech. He even says there was a peace delegation in Washington negotiationg when he arrived in DC. Para. 2:\

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it—all sought to avert it. While the inaugeral [sic] address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissole [sic] the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.

[central_va]

In case you missed it in Lincoln's own words:

insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war