Without a doubt a war between the North and the South was inevitable. The issue of slavery was so controversial between the two sides that something major was bound to happen to settle the issue once and for all.
From the beginning of the colonies independence form Britain there was an obvious difference between the North and South. Slavery was simply not practical or profitable in the North. Where as in the South it was thought that slavery was necessary for the maintenance of plantations. Slavery was originally referred to as a necessary evil. However when the issue of slavery began getting attention the phrase was re-coined as a positive good. This is a perfect example of the South attempting to gain more favor for slavery.
Another major debate in Congress was preserving the balance of free and slave states. This is seen when Missouri is to be admitted into the Union. There were eleven slave states and eleven free states. At first the Talmadge Amendment was proposed stating that any slaves already in Missouri could stay slaves, but no more slaves could be taken into the state. It also allowed for the gradual freeing of any children born to a slave. This would eventually make Missouri a free state, which did not please the South. Finally the argument was settled with the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise allowed for Maine to be admitted into the Union as a free state, and Missouri could enter the Union as a slave state. Thus the balance of slave and free states was maintained. .
The controversy over slavery only continues until it amounted to such a dilemma that southern states began to succeed. It is obvious that if the United States was every to be complete with all the states that some action has to be taken. Slavery was not going to last forever and the Civil War was bound to happen.