Sadly a lot of people will consider you radical or even label you the “R” word for this post. 

Reality is, the institution was going away on its own. There was no need to completely demolish the legitimacy of the United States government, which is what he did by violating consent of the governed. Industrialization of agriculture was literally around the corner, and would have made the practice obsolete in a wealthy country like ours within a few years. 

Instead, the north illegally occupied the south, intentionally destroyed their economy through carpetbagging for basically forever (the south is still typically poorer on average), then disenfranchised that entire half of the country through the sedition act (basically ensuring the entire generation would never be allowed to hold office again).

The fact that you can be anti-slavery, pro-equality, pro-human rights and still think the Civil War was an illegal war of occupation for political causes is lost on people these days when there is no longer room for nuance. 

In their own words:
Lincoln: “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it”

Lee:  “If I owned the four millions of slaves, I would cheerfully sacrifice them to the preservation of the Union, but to lift my hand against my own State and people is impossible.”