[EternalVigilance]

I blame Lincoln (and even more so the radical abolitionists of the time)for allowing relations between northern and southern states to fester to the point that the southern states were backed into a corner and forced (in their opinion) into what was ultimately illegal acts of secession.

Shoot, I don't see why you should blame Lincoln for that, any more than any other American. Secession was in full swing by the time he even took the oath. There was no time for any "festering."

[central_va]

There were at least two peace delegations, perhaps more, in DC on the day of Lincolns inaugural. He refused to parlay.