Final answer:
The southern states were fighting the Civil War to achieve self-government and gain independence from the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpt suggests that the southern states were fighting the Civil War to achieve self-government and gain independence from the United States. Jefferson Davis mentions that the North did not allow them to govern themselves, leading to the war. Slavery is explicitly denied as the reason for fighting; instead, the southern states were fighting for their right to self-govern.
Learn more about Causes of the Civil War