Of course it is, it does not fit into your narative. Why would he have said such things if he was willing to go to war for such a noble cause. Really doesn't compute does it!!!
The seminal reason for the friction between the north and south, the sectionalism that resulted, and the souths instigating open warfare against their own country was the institution of slavery.
Less than 1% of the south benefitted from slavery. It is just simply wrong to say it went to war for that reason. And Lincoln's own words tell us it wasn't worth going to war for him.
Because Lincoln didn’t go to war to protect slavery or to outlaw it - he went to war as a result of the souths actions. The south went to war to protect slavery. Lincoln went to war to protect the nation.
The 1% even then! And the other 99% of dumb white southerners did the fighting and dying. Is it any wonder the symbol of the Democrats is a jackass!