“I’d remind you that Congress approved of every one of Lincoln’s actions when they returned to Washington.”
I never said they didn’t. But I do suspect they wouldn’t have been as precipitous in starting a war. They had the chance to do this in response to the Star of the West incident and they didn’t.
” If you want to make Lincoln the target of all your hatred, “
Please point out this ‘hatred’ you speak of. Criticism of Abe Lincoln isn’t ‘hatred’, except perhaps to those who regard him as a sort of divinity. Which is a considerable number considering that he has his own monument in the capital like the Temple to a Roman Caesar. They weren’t divine either despite the confusion in some Roman minds.
The Star of the West wasn't hit, just driven off. When Sumter was pounded into surrender, it was a different story. It inflamed passions in the North.