 This was serious business, and he made it clear from the get-go he intended to win the war, primarily not to end slavery, that was secondary, but to keep the Union together. He famously said, you know, if I could keep the Union together by maintaining slavery, then I'll do it. So the slavery abolishment was a secondary motive. Of course, he was serious about that, too, and he did that, but primarily it was to keep it together. So if you're a Southern politician, you know, or a