central_va: "Abe Lincoln said in is second inaugural that agents were in DC, why didnt he negotiate?"
Same reason outgoing Democrat President Buchanan didn't negotiate: as you well know, constitutionally, those people needed to talk to Congress, which of course they refused to do.
306 posted on 01/23/2016 12:24:10 PM PST by BroJoeK
(a little historical perspective...)