[XJarhead]

Uh, so? I'm not sure of the relevancy of your point. That's pretty undisputed.

The primary reason that the southern states voted for secession was because they saw Lincoln as anti-slavery. Though he knew he did not have the legal power as of 1861 to eliminate slavery altogether, many southernors believed that by barring slavery in the territories, the anti-slavery states would be joined by the new anti-slavery territories when they became states, thus giving the anti-slavery forces enough political power to legally ban slavery everywhere. Lincoln was a symbol of the increasing political power of anti-slavery forces.

Plus, the rising anti-slavery tide in the North and presumably in the new territories would provide a progressively more welcoming escape route for southern slaves, since many northern states were turning a blind eye to recapturing slaves.

The south saw the handwriting on the wall on slavery, and seceded.

[quadrant]

Secession was the rash and foolish act of political extremists who played right into Lincoln's hands.

Despite declining political power, the South still possessed enough strength the block any effort to emancipate the slaves via constitutional amendment.

If the South had not seceded, it might have been the Twentieth Century before slavery could have been abolished.

[rebelyell]

In his inaugural address, lincoln the war criminal stated that he had no intention of touching slavery.