With regard to Confederate efforts to peacefully conclude an agreement, South Carolina issued a formal letter to the administration in late January of 1861 offering compensation for Union facilities on SC soil.
Shortly thereafter, Jefferson Davis offered the same to the Buchanan administration from all the seceded states.
On March 2, the first Confederate peace commissioner arrived in Washington to meet with Lincoln to discuss peace and compensation that had been authorized by the Confederate government.
They stayed in Washington for nearly five weeks, waiting to be seen by the new administration.
Lincoln refused.
Documentation please. I'm aware of the letter Davis sent to Lincoln in February about a week after he was appointed, offering nothing of the sort. When was this generous letter sent to Bucahanan?
On March 2, the first Confederate peace commissioner arrived in Washington to meet with Lincoln to discuss peace and compensation that had been authorized by the Confederate government.
False. They were there to demand Lincoln's recognition for the legitimacy of their acts of secession and confederate sovereignty. They were not there to discuss anything unless Lincoln first caved to that demand. And had Lincoln surrendered, then they might discuss payment but only if it was of interest to them. The idea that they were there to negotiate peace and payment is Southron myth.
They stayed in Washington for nearly five weeks, waiting to be seen by the new administration.
And what was there to talk about? Lincoln had Davis' ultimatum, he'd gotten it almost two weeks before. Unless Lincoln was prepared to surrender to rebel demands then there was no point in meeting.