If the central government was indeed oppressive then the South played a large part in making it so. And replaced it with their own oppressive central government once they rebelled.
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Whatever the case, I think we can both agree that secession would not have been seen as a viable option if the Southern states felt that the Central Government was responsive to their concerns.
How was it not?
Wrong again.
the slavers were the Central Government! The slavrocrisy wasn't satisfied with controlling the government - which they had for most of its then 70 years. At a time when slavery was losing its viability in most of the rest of the world the slavers insisted on expanding their interests and to hell with any other opinion.
The slavers had a temper tantrum when Lincoln was elected and acted like democrats always act - boorish fools.