[SamAdams76]

The fight was over the spread of slavery. At that time, the slave states and free states were evenly matched. However, the U.S. was still rapidly growing and adding states. This was the pre-war battlefield. Neither side wanted to lose advantage. The South feared a situation where they were outnumbered by free states so they aggressively looked to bring potential new states into the slavery fold (i.e. "Bleeding Kansas).

It is true that Lincoln expressed no desire to end slavery in the South. I think it was a practical position for him to take at the time. Even many Northerners did not care about slavery in the South, they just didn't want it in their back yards. His main aim was preventing the spread of slavery out west and slowly increasing the political power of free states (over slave states).

[DiogenesLamp]

The fight was over the spread of slavery. At that time, the slave states and free states were evenly matched. However, the U.S. was still rapidly growing and adding states. This was the pre-war battlefield. Neither side wanted to lose advantage. The South feared a situation where they were outnumbered by free states so they aggressively looked to bring potential new states into the slavery fold (i.e. "Bleeding Kansas).

I believe this part is absolutely right.

It is true that Lincoln expressed no desire to end slavery in the South. I think it was a practical position for him to take at the time. Even many Northerners did not care about slavery in the South, they just didn't want it in their back yards. His main aim was preventing the spread of slavery out west and slowly increasing the political power of free states (over slave states).

This part is also correct, but you seen to miss a few of the nuances of what was going on.

Most Northerners didn't want slavery, but not because they had any concern over the suffering of black people. They didn't want slavery because most of them were laborers who earned wages, and they saw slavery as a threat to their own economic interests. Most of the population of Northern states hated blacks, and didn't want them in their states. Many states passed laws banning blacks from settling in their states, Illinois being a prime example among them.

You are right about the issue of "slave state" vs "free state" being a contest of political power. The slave states assumed that any new states in which slavery was legal would support their political interests in Washington D.C. and any states that were not would oppose or ignore their interests.

So in reality, the "slave or free" debate was actually a struggle for control of Washington power, and not really the result of any concern for the plight of blacks. I've been told that the lands of these states which were going to be newly created, were ill suited to plantation farming, and would not have much if any slavery even if it had become legal in them.

But everything you said appears to be correct from my understanding of the situation, and it is very surprising to me that you seem to have a grasp of the larger political fight being waged. Most of the people with whom I discuss this issue seem to be oblivious to it.