And this is probably why the Underground Railroad ended in Canada, not New York. Had any slaves been caught in Union territory, they would be shipped back to their owners at the expense of the taxpayer. Lincoln made this very clear in his Inaugural Address. "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."

The main motive for war is found in that same speech. He said "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere." This is what scared Southerners the most. Now we know why Lincoln gave the order to fire on Fort Sumter to start the war. After all, that fort protected the customs house that collected a large portion of tax revenue for the Union to ultimately distribute unevenly amongst the states. It really does come down to money in the end.