So USAToday is saying the South didn't start the Civil War to preserve slavery? That's how I read it, USAToday...
What they're saying is that there were two factions of the Democrat party. One faction was willing to rebel to protect slavery, but what was left unsaid is that neither faction had any problems with the institution of slavery. So at that the entire party could be considered pro-slavery, which doesn't help in this day and age.