re: Civil War Confederate veteran interview

The South fighting the civil war for slavery is at the least misleading. Where prior to the war was abolition of slavery a serious policy proposal? Slavery was talked about in the secession documents, but that was about secession, not going to war. So you could say they seceded over slavery in the Deep South, but not over a threat of abolition, but rather the expansion of slavery, which was tied up in both political power in terms of the national government, as well as northern desire to keep the west open for free whites. Perhaps it’s just meant colloquially that the South fought for slavery but given that this is an issue perpetually argued about, it should probably be stated more clearly, and thus more fairly to the South.