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Where you and the writer from the London Spectator both err in common is that you overlook the fact that Lincoln had no authority to abolish Slavery in the Union.

And Lincoln's argument in raising an army was that the seceded states were still in the Union.

He maintained this throughout the war. It was his legal justification for doing what he did.

If he had no power to abolish slavery in the Union, how can he have power to abolish it in the Southern states which he maintained were still in the Union?

Can you really say, with a straight face, that “Lincoln didn’t want to stop slavery in loyal states”?

He didn't want it as badly as he did control of the Southern states.

He promoted the passage of the Corwin Amendment, didn't he?

I think he probably didn't like slavery, though i've read claims that he was in reality indifferent to it, but knew he had to articulate this position for political reasons.

You keep mentioning the proposed Corwin Amendment. I do not think it means what you think it does. It had more to do with State vs Federal rights over the peculiar institution. Only you would read permanent Slavery into it.
Speaking of Slavery, here is what Abe had to say about it:

” My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.

I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men every where could be free.”
Yours, A. Lincoln

You see things that aren’t there (Ayn Rand) and miss the oft-expressed personal wish of Lincoln.

DiogenesLamp: "If he had no power to abolish slavery in the Union, how can he have power to abolish it in the Southern states which he maintained were still in the Union?"

Even in the Revolutionary War armies declared slaves of rebels freed -- See Lord Dunmore's & Sir Clinton's (Philipsburg) Proclamations.

In 1861 the US Congress authorized confiscation of Rebels "Contraband" property.