[Non-Sequitur]

No...he could have recognized the Confederacy, and the CSA wouldmight have PAID for Ft. Sumter, etc., OR He could have simply withdrawn from Ft. Sumter, NOT recognized the Confederacy, and could have allowed for a "cooling off" period of time.

I corrected your statement for you. Hope you don't mind.

Either way Lincoln rewards the southern states for what Lincoln saw as illegal actions. Some choice.

The stickler is that Lincoln refused to even MEET with any commissioners.

The commissioners were there to obtain recognition of the confederacy, a stamp of approval that legitimized their actions. That's the only option open. So they were there, in effect, to present an ultimatum. Given that what was there to meet about?

[TexConfederate1861]

Source?

I don't recall that being their only mission.