"Slavery was dying a natural death all over the Western world. Instead of allowing it to die or helping it to die or even purchasing the slaves and then freeing them, which would have cost a lot less money than the Civil War cost, Lincoln set about in the most murderous war in American history," Napolitano said.
"Look, it's not even all together clear slavery was the reason for secession, but largely the impetus for secession was tariffs."
Daily Show's "Senior Black Correspondent" Larry Wilmore said that Napolitano's theories are not supported by facts.
"These people think that Lincoln started the Civil War because the North was ready to kill to end slavery, when the truth was the South was ready to die to keep slavery," he said. "You're welcome, libertarians, I just unfucked your facts."
Watch the full "Daily Show" segment below: