No, the South did not oppose the idea of cheap western land. In fact, many southerners were in favor of it, as they believed that it would allow them to expand their plantations and increase their wealth. However, some northerners were opposed to the idea of cheap western land, as they feared that it would lead to the expansion of slavery into new territories. This was a major factor in the growing conflict between the North and the South that eventually led to the Civil War.