[central_va]

While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war--seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation.

Why would Abe put in that sentence? Admitting that the South wanted to negotiate peace and avoid war. Odd seems like a guilty conscious speaking to me.

[BroJoeK]

central_va: "Admitting that the South wanted to negotiate peace and avoid war.
Odd seems like a guilty conscious speaking to me."

Not at all.
Jefferson Davis' emissaries came representing a "foreign government" to negotiate surrender from Lincoln's administration.
Both Buchanan and Lincoln refused to deal directly with such people.

But had such emissaries gone to Congress and secured new laws approving their secession, Lincoln said he would enforce such laws.
But lacking Congressional approval, Lincoln refused to surrender to Davis' emissaries.

No shame in that.

[HandyDandy]

I think I can help you two out on this one. Lincoln didn’t “urgent agents”. He said “insurgent agents”. Does that help?