Now its very interesting that you admit that “You cannot pay people to grow cotton cheaper than you can do it with slave labor. It's economically impossible.” Again, you're words. Now the implication of that is that Southern plantations would be at a HUGE competitive disadvantage if slavery was abolished. Now, as you always say, follow the money. The Fire Eaters and their ilk were DEATHLY afraid that the abolitionists would have their day, amendment or no, as they had in the free states by 1861.
Whatever. A year here, a year there, pretty soon you're talking about some real time.
Again, you're words. Now the implication of that is that Southern plantations would be at a HUGE competitive disadvantage if slavery was abolished.
Well yeah, and they would have been at a severe disadvantage if you burned all their homes and crops and murdered many hundred thousands of them, but what is your point? None of that would have happened without a war that Lincoln started to protect the money supply of his corrupt power barons of the North.
Slavery was *NOT* going to get abolished in a "preserved" Union.
Now, as you always say, follow the money.
Absolutely! Nothing was going to change so long as the Northern Mafia continued getting it's money from the South. What caused the war was the threat of cutting off the money going to the Wealthy men of the North.