[DoodleDawg]

The north was just fine about letting the south go its own way until they started losing a lot money to southern ports.

How were they losing money to southern ports?

...it would have eventually gone the way of the dinosaurs and lamp lighters as production became more automated.

The first commercially viable cotton harvester wasn't introduced until the 1930's. Pesticides and fertilizers came later. Would slavery till then be OK with you?

[virgil]

I didn’t say slavery should have been tolerated. The pressure against it had been building for a long time and no reason to stop it. I think it would have ended a lot sooner than 1930, however, especially if there hadn’t been a war. Internal wars have damaging effects on a country economically, politically, socially that can last decades.

[DiogenesLamp]

How were they losing money to southern ports?

A big fleet of warships kept that from happening, but it would have happened without the blockade. The math is easy. Lose 35% of your profits by going to Northern ports, or only 13% of your profits by going to Southern ports.

The first commercially viable cotton harvester wasn't introduced until the 1930's. Pesticides and fertilizers came later. Would slavery till then be OK with you?

Well it was okay with Abe Lincoln. Don't you remember the Corwin Amendment?

And a cotton harvester was invented in the 19th century too, but it clearly wasn't a commercial success.