They’re coming. They always do.
It occurs to me that they have precious little to work with in the article from which this thread emanates. It gives little support for their position, so I can fully understand why they would not want to participate in a discussion in which the high ground has already been seized from them prior to the start of the battle.
A prominent "Black" conservative flatly stating that the war was not started to free the slaves is a very hard piece of information for them to do anything with.
It does not provide any support for what they wish to believe, so it is just easier to avoid confronting it.
They cannot attack him as a "Confederate sympathizer" or a "Lost Causer" or any of the things they say about others who point out the same fact. Walter Williams is above reproach in his honesty and integrity, and would not have said such a thing unless he believed it to be correct.
Again, what can they do with that? How can they argue the point?