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Lincoln offered the state of Virginia that he would pull troops out of Sumter if VA would drop the idea of secession.

This did not constitute a recognition of secession in any way. He continued to claim that all Union property in the CSA still belonged to the Union. He merely recognized that efforts to reoccupy it would at the moment be unwise.

He also never recognized the legitimacy, legality or constitutionality of secession.

To Lincoln the seceded states never left the Union de jure, however de facto that separation was.

So he was lying to Virginia as well as to the rump confederacy? If he was going to give up Ft. Sumter to placate Virginia, then how was he going to argue he was "just kidding" about permitting the "rump" to secede? What presumably was Virginia to gain to induce it to remain in the Union?

Someone remarked earlier that I should be a member of the trial lawyers association for my bit of analysis regarding Maryland citizens attacking Union troops from Massachusetts, but I think the honor is more befitting of your dissembling in order to justify what Lincoln contemplated versus what he did.

He also never recognized the legitimacy, legality or constitutionality of secession.

Then what sort of "good faith" agreement could he have possibly made with Virginia? What was he trading them of any value? Did he think Virginians were so stupid that they would take some magic beans in exchange for their cow?

What is the matter with you in putting forth such nonsense? You need to face the ugly fact. Lincoln was a very clever manipulator who was willing to compromise on fundamental issues so long as it would maintain power.

Sorry.

He never permitted the rump to secede. Prior to the start of the war he pursued every approach he could think of to bring the seceded states back into the Union. If that wasn’t possible immediately, he tried to prevent the outbreak of fighting with the hope that reunion could be negotiated eventually.

Seems to me both are quite honorable.

Got to go to work now. May check back in this evening.

DiogenesLamp to Sherman Logan: "So he was lying to Virginia as well as to the rump confederacy?
If he was going to give up Ft. Sumter to placate Virginia, then how was he going to argue he was "just kidding" about permitting the "rump" to secede?
What presumably was Virginia to gain to induce it to remain in the Union?"

First of all, before the Battle of Fort Sumter, Virginia did vote to remain in the Union, because that's what the majority of Virginians wanted.
What Virginians "gained" was preservation of their political inheritance.

But they remained in convention, threatening to secede if the Federal Government took any actions against secessionists.
What Lincoln wanted was for Virginia's convention to go home so he could take care of business with the Confederacy, and for that, he offered to abandon Fort Sumter.

But Virginia's Fire Eaters didn't want Fort Sumter to end peacefully, since some kind of military battle, any battle, was necessary for them to persuade the majority of Virginians to declare secession.
Lincoln's offer was therefore ignored.

So, please explain, what exactly is your problem comprehending this?