Can't come up with anything to defend his actions, huh? That's OK. I honestly can't see how you or anyone else could.
Jefferson Davis did what he did with the approval of the Confederate Congress. And though some things were indeed regretable, he was not the born politician Lincoln was, nor the Dictator.
And if I tried to use that same justification for the actions that you criticize Lincoln for you would laugh me right off the forum. Davis did what he did in defiance of the requirements of the confederate constitution and in the face of opposition from those governors who actually believed that state's rights mattered. And as for Dictator, I would point out that Lincoln ran in and won two presidential elections. Davis, on the other hand, never once won an election where he had an opponent. Not for congress, not senate, not president of the confederacy.
Walt
That is interesting. I believe that Lincoln actually lost more elections than he won. But consider:
"But there were limits to what Lincoln would do to secure a second term.
He did not even consider canceling or postponing the election. Even had that been constitutionally possible, "the election was a necessity." "We can not have free government without elections," he explained; "and if the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election, it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us." He did not postpone the September draft call, even though Republican politicians from all across the North entreated him to do so. Because Indiana failed to permit its soldiers to vote in the field, he was entirely willing to furlough Sherman's regiments so that they could go home and vote in the October state elections -but he made a point of telling Sherman, "They need not remain for the Presidential election, but may return to you at once."
Though it was clear that the election was going to be a very close one, Lincoln did not try to increase the Republican electoral vote by rushing the admission of new states like Colorado and Nebraska, both of which would surely have voted for his reelection. On October 31, in accordance with an act of Congress, he did proclaim Nevada a state, but he showed little interest in the legislation admitting the new state. Despite the suspicion of both Democrats and Radicals, he made no effort to force the readmission of Louisiana, Tennessee, and other Southern states, partially reconstructed but still under military control, so that they could cast their electoral votes for him. He reminded a delegation from Tennessee that it was the Congress, not the Chief Executive, that had the power to decide whether a state's electoral votes were to be counted and announced firmly, “Except it be to give protection against violence, I decline to interfere in any way with the presidential election.”
"Lincoln", pp. 539-40 by David H. Donald
Don't forget though:
Lincoln opposed slavery, so he is attacked. Davis favored slavery, so he gets a free pass.
Walt