I agree that he was hypocritical in this aspect, but which would have been worse:

A) allowing the southern states to secede and retain the practice of slavery

or

B) fight a war and end slavery in the process?

Yes, I know that he stated that he would rather keep the union intact than end slavery. I also know that many of those who fought the war did not do so with the purpose of ending slavery.

What is the correct politicl answer?

What is the correct moral answer?

A person who is wrong 100 times can still be right once...