As of March 1861 some of the senators who had offered to be intermediaries, such as Robert MT Hunter, had not seceded at all. Lincoln still refused him.
President Lincoln continued the policy of the Buchanan administration.
False. The Buchanan administration had negotiated informal ceasefire situations as several of the forts such as Fort Pickens. Lincoln completely disregarded them and went about making war on his own.
False.
No it's not.
These events transpired on 12/30/60:
"That night, after the long argument had ended, Black made up his mind to to resign from the cabinet unless Major Anderson was given proper support, and his threat (supported, it was said, by Stanton and Postmaster General Holt) seems to have been decisive. The President finally made up his mind. He would deal no more with the South Carolina commissioners and he would not order the soldiers to leave Fort Sumter. Whatever might come of it, the administration henceforward would resist secession."
-- "The Coming Fury" p. 165 by Bruce Catton.
Walt