After the fact. The southern states left first and walked away from obligations and with anything they could get their hands on. So even if the delegation had been there to discuss paying for anything, and there was nothing in the letter of introduction Davis sent Lincoln that indicates they were, what leverage did Lincoln have to get fair value? It'd be like if I demanded you sign your car over to me and say I'll pay you fair value for it. You're at the mercy of whatever I consider fair. So you ask how do you negotiate when one side won't and I would reply how do you negotiate when you have no leverage to gain anything?
I think the issues you mentioned above should have been dealt with forthrightly, but again, It is my recollection that there was an attempt to do this, but Lincoln was having none of it
Shouldn't the issues have been settled before leaving? Otherwise how can both sides protect their own interests?
That potentially large Union army. That would seem to me to be a pretty good guarantor of fair value. :)
It'd be like if I demanded you sign your car over to me and say I'll pay you fair value for it. You're at the mercy of whatever I consider fair.
If you had at your beck and call a gang of rowdies, I believe I would certainly make every effort to be fair to you.
Shouldn't the issues have been settled before leaving? Otherwise how can both sides protect their own interests?
I don't think the timing is important so long as it is understood that the issue would be addressed. Before or after, the property wasn't going anywhere and neither was the degree of indebtedness. Some of these land/property disputes go on for years. I think the Spanish and the Brits are still arguing over Gibraltar.
I personally think the Confederates would have been smarter to just keep haggling instead of trying to force the issue, but Arrogance is what motivated them to act. "Pride goeth before a fall."