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His actions were inconsistant with his words only when you refuse to take into account the confederate actions and the war that was forced upon him.

Nonsense. Lincoln did not have the war forced on him. Lincoln instigated the war himself. Wars of invasion and conquest are not "forced" upon the conquerer, for that is against their very nature.

At the time he made his speech, the confederates had not initiated hostilities, and they had not funded an army of 100,000 men.

Nor had Lincoln at the time initiated his own hostilities or called for an army of 75,000 men. Nevertheless he did so two months later and indicated plans to do so as early as December.

He did not try to coerce the south through invasion.

Did he not force the South to retain its membership in the union against the South's wishes?

He turned to using the army only when given no other choice.

Since when was abstaining from marching an invasion army on Richmond not a choice to Lincoln? Since when was abstaining from reenforcing Sumter by military operation not a choice for Lincoln? Your argument simply does not fly.

Since when was abstaining from marching an invasion army on Richmond not a choice to Lincoln?

"In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it."

-- A. Lincoln 3/4/61

Walt

On the contrary, Lincoln was forced to accept the war that Davis wanted and which Davis began at Charleston. Linclon's actions in reinforcing Sumter were consistent with his position outlined in the Indianapolis speech. It instigated nothing, but gave the southerners the excuse they were looking for to initiate hostilities. After that Lincoln pursued the war that was forced on him. His only other choice was to give in to the confederate actions he saw as illegal. The south brought death and destruction on itself through it's own reckless actions.