And that is called Subversion, and something we all should rightly fear even today wouldn't you agree?
Please Read the 1860 version of the Constitution, not the 2008 version. Owning a slave was the provience of the States to govern and and NOT the Federal Government. Again the idea that the Federal Government had the right to tell the states in 1860 to do anything is a modern day result of Lincoln and not the reality of 1860's life.
That position on Slavery was UPHELD by the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT and supported by FEDERAL LAWS. It was more of a right under the Constitution in 1860 than the 1st Amendment right of freedom of speech, or religion, because that article was actually contained in the body of the Constitution itself, thanks to the State of New York and New Jersey in 1789, and not added on as an amendment.
Neither the Republican party, nor Lincoln, had any LEGAL right to change that without going throught the amending process. THAT is the reason for the need of the 13th Amendment AFTER the war was over. Or the blacks would have still been in slavery after the war was over without it. What the South was afraid of was TREASON on the part of those Republican.
If a bully is threatening to take away my lollypop I don't have to stick around on the playground and wait for him to do it. Where does that logic come from that says I have to wait around? It is called protecting my legal property that I own.