Not particularly, no. American democracy was never in particular contention during the period surrounding the pre Civil War period, though it certainly had its share of strongmen and authoritarian politics. The primary questions that arose from the Slave Debate revolved around both the humanitarian aspect of slavery and the rights states held over being able to enforce the practice; this is why Confederate apologists will frequently cite "States Rights" as the leading cause of the Civil War, because while it is a vast simplification of everything surrounding slavery's involvement in the matter, it isn't technically incorrect. While the Lost Cause myth is an integral part of that topic, its better explained in the FAQ relating to the Civil War than here. Back on our topic, there were never objections to the structure of American democracy or the federal structure as a whole; the government of the Confederacy was almost an identical replica of the Unions government, with the primary exceptions within its constitution being those enshrining both the right to own slaves and vague language about strengthening states rights. While the Confederacy never really experienced an extended period of peace during its existence, it largely conducted itself in the same manner the U.S government had previously, though with far more emphasis on the slavery aspect. Ironically, Radical Reconstruction is probably the largest amount of democratic backsliding the United States has ever experienced, when its primary purpose was meant to be reunification and bringing the country closer together; The South experienced far more authoritarian conditions in large areas for the decade after the Civil War than it ever had pre-war or during the Confederacy.