Careful, Using the word proper in that context about the South is like saying a woman's 'proper' place is in the home. Them's fightin words ;)
It seems that more dollars were going into western expansion. There are cases that are happening today (but we can't discuss them) very much compare to then. The big difference is that it applies to all of the population now, not just one region. Do you not hear the grumbling from the masses? The South exported a lot of goods. The US Treasury took in a lot of tax on those goods but the South felt that it wasn't getting the return on its dollar it believed it should. Had there not been a war, maybe some more industry would have come this way. Slavery was on its way out. People could see that but what to do with them if you free them? No one had the humane answer.
As with any discussion on this, depends on who your ancestor was as to how you want to see it. More than one side to every story--or war.
Pam