And discuss what, informally or otherwise? Did the instructions given to the so-called negotiators allow for a possible end of the rebellion? No. They called for recognition of the confederacy as a sovereign nation. Nothing more and nothing less. So any discussions held would have accepted as fact the legitimacy of the southern rebellion. And Lincoln was not about to do that so early in his term. But given the lack of support in the North for forcing the south to remain, who knows what might have happened in a few weeks or a few months. Had the resupply effort at Sumter been allowed to proceed unmolested then Lincoln may have been forced to accept southern independence by default. But we'll never know that, because such a course would have left the Davis regime with a smaller nation than they were prepared to accept.
That's a good point. A call for volunteers, just flat-footed, so to speak, might have met with a tepid response.
President Lincoln was a canny player, and what he did in regards to Fort Sumter was pretty clever. But he badly understimated the sentiment for Union in the south. Of course he was new in the job. Later in the war, he steered the national course safely amid many rocks and shoals.
Walt
Secession, the forts, avoiding a war, or AT THE VERY LEAST maintaining the status quo by inaction on both sides in hopes that time would allow cooler heads to prevail.