You stated this-- "Take slavery out of the equation, and the war would not have happened." Now let me ask you, what proof do we have? I recently posted ten abuses of the constitution by Lincoln. Not one person favoring the slavery secession cause would touch these. Could it be that the Southern people were already anticipating such abuse if Lincoln was elected and these were a catalyst leading to secession? As I have said many times before no proof has yet to be shown that Lincoln or any Northern state was fighting to free the slaves. But again that is not what you meant either is it? You are simply saying slavery is one of a number of reasons. Correct? If so I can live with that statement.

"Depending on how you interpret the word "cause", the cause of the Civil War could be construed as anything from the signing of the Magna Carta to Capt. George S. James' mortar battery firing the first shot towards Fort Sumter, or anything in between. It becomes an endless dance around the issues."

I agree and that is exactly what a lot of folks do.

"Also, in your discussion of Lincoln's motives for meeting the secession crisis with military force -- all of them nefarious -- you left out a motive."

My apologies I thought I explained way of thinking clearly. Power. I think Lincoln was determined that nothing was going to undermine his (or his administrations) power as president. With secession Lincoln had so many things he could have done to free the slaves yet he did nothing but plan a war.

"Can we not concede that there is at least a remote possibility that Lincoln genuinely believed simply that the preservation of the Union was worth fighting for? We should at least give him that courtesy in our discussions of his motives. Maybe he was a scoundrel and an all-around jerk, but then again maybe he was a patriot."

I have made efforts to find something that Lincoln wrote or said about the love of the country or the Union, I haven't found anything at this time. That is not to say such a statement doesn't exist. I can agree more that he was a patriot that I can he was fighting to free the slaves. He did call troops to save the Union, so that part of your statement could be very well true.

I see you are now thinking outside that narrow slave-secession corridor and bringing up some interesting points, well done.

GP