Was the Civil War Actually About Slavery or Political Preservation?

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The Civil War was not about Slavery! As Lincoln says below, it was about preserving the Union! The Emancipation Proclamation was a byproduct, and not the cause, of the Civil War.

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union." - Abraham Lincoln 

Now that I may have struck a nerve, what do I mean by this? Throughout America's history the establishment politics have gone in the direction of doing what is economical. Slavery played an influential role in the economy of the south. This conflicted with the north who viewed slavery as abhorrent regardless of economic promise. It seems Lincoln didn't want to disrupt the very fabric of what makes the United States, America by driving a wedge between itself and propagating division, even if the conditions it created were immoral. 

In a large way I think Lincoln was being a politician. Evidence of this is he also said the quote in the picture "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." He could have just been saving face toward the south with the "paramount objective" quote. However, there is probably a larger more influential reason that looms. As Bill Clinton would say, the basis of government and politics is to perpetuate and preserve the constitution and the first words in the constitution are "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union." In the above "objective" quote, Lincoln is just doing his job. 

The beginning statement remains the same. Lincoln's struggle, and the civil war, was not about slavery, it was about preserving the union. The good part is he did preserve the union with the north's moral superiority in tact. Although ending slavery maybe wasn't his aim it has remained a great and lasting accomplishment and the country is better for it.

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