[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "As I pointed out in my previous reply, do you have any idea how nonsensical that sounds?
How can he "abandon Fort Sumter" if there is no one to abandon it to?
Was he to pull out of it and let nature take it?
Let it be overgrown with trees and bushes or something? "

Again, I admit to underestimating how utterly ignorant of real history you are, and how eager to distort and mock it.

So I'll briefly repeat my post above: Lincoln met & discussed with representatives from Virginia's secession convention, at one point suggesting to them that a Virginia pledge of loyalty to the Union could be enough to allow Lincoln to abandon Fort Sumter.

But the importance of Virginia's pledge was in-no-way to recognize the Confederacy, but rather to free Lincoln's hands, without threat of further secessions, to take such actions as Lincoln deemed necessary & proper to restore the Union!

[DiogenesLamp]

Again, I admit to underestimating how utterly ignorant of real history you are, and how eager to distort and mock it.

I'm getting less interested in responding to you. You are trying to sell the idea that abandoning Ft. Sumter was a good negotiating tactic on the one hand, but a Rubicon on the other. "Principles" as I understand the word, are not so flexible. When they are so flexible, they are not principles.

From my perspective, you seem to be flailing and pinwheeling, and I think i'm just as well off to get out of the way and let you. :)