May I ask, what was the slaver state of DE doing in the Union, apparently the only 1 completely of its own free will? (I know MD does not count, because it was held hostage to protect their capital.) Was Lincoln really interested in slaves? I think as stated elsewhere more interested in "union", if you can call it that when your brothers don't like you.
No one said that there were no slave states that still held with the Union.
Kentucky for one.
That is why slavery was not dealt with until 2 years into the war.
But if the North did not go to war to end slavery at first, the South did attempt to secede to keep it.
So slavery was the major issue of the war, since it led to the South attempting to secede over it.
The GOP never thought they could end slavery where it already existed since it was protected by the Constitution.
They only wanted to limit its spread, hoping for its eventual demise.
Even this was unacceptable to the South, who now saw slavery as part of their culture and would not allow it to die even a slow death.