American wealth and power emerged despite slavery, not because of it. It was industrialization, free labor, and free markets that made America America.
There seems no practical reason why a Southern frontiersman or settler would want to extend slavery to the West, but perhaps the idea of slavery was like a cultural talisman for such people, an extension of their national identities. Again, of no personal, practical value to them; but if you attacked it, you were attacking their nation and themselves. So naturally they wanted to see it expand westward.
Economy by 1861 favored paid labor over slave labor, many slave owners understood that but their investment was at risk. Not sure about western slave expansion in that slave populations couldn't support much expansion. OTOH, the South felt the Congress was passing laws they felt were harmful.
The 5/8ths compromise was way to recognize slave owner property rights while reducing states representation. Founders clearly wanted slavery to go away and included a curious phrase to end all importation.
Many who fought were convinced of an invasion from the north that had to be countered. But it did split families. Many I suppose felt like a war survivor relative with a gravestone "My country failed me"
There seems no practical reason why a Southern frontiersman or settler would want to extend slavery to the West, but perhaps the idea of slavery was like a cultural talisman for such people, an extension of their national identities. Again, of no personal, practical value to them; but if you attacked it, you were attacking their nation and themselves. So naturally they wanted to see it expand westward.
That's one theory, anyway.
Economy by 1861 favored paid labor over slave labor, many slave owners understood that but their investment was at risk. Not sure about western slave expansion in that slave populations couldn't support much expansion. OTOH, the South felt the Congress was passing laws they felt were harmful.
The 5/8ths compromise was way to recognize slave owner property rights while reducing states representation. Founders clearly wanted slavery to go away and included a curious phrase to end all importation.
Many who fought were convinced of an invasion from the north that had to be countered. But it did split families. Many I suppose felt like a war survivor relative with a gravestone "My country failed me"