I did, why don't you?
MONTGOMERY, February 27, 1861.
The President of the United States:
Being animated by an earnest desire to unite and bind together our respective countries by friendly ties, I have appointed M. J. Crawford, one of our most settled and trustworthy citizens, as special commissioner of the Confederate States of America to the Government of the United States; and I have now the honor to introduce him to you, and to ask for him a reception and treatment corresponding to his station and to the purpose for which he is sent. Those purposes he will more particularly explain to you. Hoping that through his agency. &c. [sic.]
JEFF'N DAVIS.
For the purpose of establishing friendly relations between the Confederate States and the United States, and reposing special trust, &c., Martin J. Crawford, John Forsyth, and A. B. Roman are appointed special commissioners of the Confederate States to the United States. I have invested them with full and all manner of power and authority for and in the name of the Confederate States to meet and confer with any person or persons duly authorized by the Government of the United States being furnished with like powers and authority, and with them to agree, treat, consult, and negotiate of and concerning all matters and subjects interesting to both nations, and to conclude and sign a treaty or treaties, convention or conventions, touching the premises, transmitting the same to the President of the Confederate States for his final ratification by and with the consent of the Congress of the Confederate States.
Given under my hand at the city of Montgomery this 27th day of February, A.D. 1861, and of the Independence of the Confederate States the eighty-fifth.
Nowhere in there is any indication that an end to secession was open for discussion. First and foremost it was to obtain recognition of confederate independence and the legality of the confederate actions to date, including the seizure without compensation of federal property. Only when such recognition was obtained is there a vague offer to discuss "subjects of interest" which may, or may not, have included compensation for stolen federal property.
It's there in black and white. No need to read between the lines. Lincoln's position wasn't of interest to them because they weren't empowered to negotiate an end to secession. The commissioners were there to get U.S. recognition, period. They wanted Lincoln's surrender. Without that there was nothing to discuss.
Secession was a fact by that time. I see no threats, simply an attempt to establish formal and friendly relations.
Lincoln could have accepted the status quo, and many lives would have been saved.
They wanted recognition. Lincoln could have done the right thing and spared lives.