A large majority of White Southerners did not necessarily support slavery. Slaves represented competition in the low-end labor market. The Southerners however, did not want slavery abolished. It would upset the social order, slaves at the bottom, poor whites, and then the upper class whites. If Slavery was abolished, lower class whites would be on par with them. Even if the White Southerners opposed slavery, they couldn't have stopped it because the upper crust whites had all of the political power. .
Although, some of the Southerners disliked the concept of Slavery, its economic functions made it impossible to end. White Southerners acquired wealth in the form of slaves. Southerners believed slavery was a necessary evil. The problem existed before them, and although they endorsed it, they were not personally endorsing slaves cruel treatment. .
The economics of slavery forced Southerners to legitimize it. They couldn't afford to end such a system. There was a worldwide acceptance of slavery when it was endorsed in southern states. It became a legitimate institution, which benefited the society as a whole. Widespread abuses of salves didn't exist for economic reasons, so most Southerners saw no passing need to reform it or abolish it.
White Southerners also saw slavery as a right. They didn't want the North to tell them what to do. It wasn't to be cruel to the slaves; it was more of a stand for the White Southerners.
The White Southerners didn't necessarily support slavery, but they supported it to benefit society. Majority of them didn't own slaves because they didn't want to be cruel. They only supported slavery for economic and social purposes.
