[Jtowner]

Slavery wasn't even a part of the rhetoric until the North had a hard time getting soldiers. Lincoln said, "If freeing the slave will preserve the union, I will free the slaves". In the same letter he wrote, "If not freeing the slaves will preserve the union, I won't free the slaves". It was about PRESERVING THE UNION.

[PeaRidge]

What about the Union needed preserving?