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The Lincoln Administration didn't take a single hostile action towards the south until they fired on Sumter.

That was the excuse for sure. Always did sound like a Gulf of Tolkin incident to me. So who knows?

So far, it appears the Walter Williams side has the edge in facts, or at least the lack of prosecution to prove him wrong.

Really? I doubt that Dr. Williams has done a day's worth of research on the subject. If he had he would have spotted the large number of errors in DiLorenzo's work. Let's just look at one example, that outrageous misquote of Thomas Jefferson. In his column, Williams wrote the following:

Fifteen years later, after the New England Federalists attempted to secede, Jefferson said, "If any state in the Union will declare that it prefers separation ... to a continuance in the union ... I have no hesitation in saying, 'Let us separate.'"

On the face of it, it appears to be a strong support of the right if secession. However, look at the quote in it's entirity:

"The alternatives between which we are to choose [are fairly stated]: 1, licentious commerce and gambling speculations for a few, with eternal war for the many; or, 2, restricted commerce, peace and steady occupations for all. If any State in the Union will declare that it prefers separation with the first alternative to a continuance in union without it, I have no hesitation in saying 'let us separate.' I would rather the States should withdraw which are for unlimited commerce and war, and confederate with those alone which are for peace and agriculture. I know that every nation in Europe would join in sincere amity with the latter and hold the former at arm's length by jealousies, prohibitions, restrictions, vexations and war."

Looked at in context then it is clear that the meaning that DiLorenzo puts into the quote bears no resemblence to what Jefferson meant.

So if you want to wave Dr. Williams' and DiLorenzo's shoddy scholarship for the world to see and claim victory then go right ahead. Those who have actually done some reading on the subject have already seen through their act.