Lincoln didn't "bring" West Virginians anywhere.
They did it themselves whether Lincoln wanted it or not.
Yes, Lincoln approved and no doubt greased some skids, but it happened because West Virginians wanted it, not because Lincoln wanted it for them.
Further there was a US senator who insisted on adding a whole row of Virginia secessionist counties to West Virginia's Unionist territory and the end result was to turn West Virginia from solid Republicans to a weird hybrid including the likes of Democrat Senators Jay scion Rockefeller, Robert KKK Byrd and Joe "independent" Manchin.
morphing libertarian: "If southern sweated him dead then they must have had a reason and not seen his as supporting slavery."
Right... in 1856 Southern Fire Eaters threatened to secede if Republican John C. Fremont was elected president.
Was it becase they feared Fremont's position on tariffs or any other normal political issue?
No, it's because Fremont was an abolitionist and Southern Democrats could not tolerate that.
So in 1856 Northern & Southern Democrats united to elect "Doughfaced" Northern Democrat James Buchanan president.
Then in 1860 Southern Fire Eaters again threatened to secede if the "Black Republican" Lincoln was elected.
Was it because they feared Lincoln's views on tariffs?
No, just as in 1856 Fire Eaters in 1860 feared Lincoln's hatred of slavery.
But in 1860 Fire Eaters made certain there could be no united Democrat victory by splitting their party, South versus North.
Again, the issue was slavery.
That's why Lost Causer claims that it was not "all about" slavery are just so much babbling nonsense.
MY 27 is corrected
thanx