Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
Just a quick note. The tariffs had to affect all of the people regardless of class because of the way commerce works. They did not bring empty ships back from England after delivering and selling their cotton. It worked vice versa. If the UK's merchant shipping could not buy cotton without being attacked by the tariff then they had no real alternative but sell their products at a higher price.
I have thought that maybe going through the Congressional Globe site and seeing some of the debates over the tariffs through the years might be of help. Do you remember the web site for that?
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Somewhere on the forum. Long, Long ago I presented some tariff debates from the Globe. I have no idea whatsoever or wheresoever to look for it in the forum much less the Globe. I could never figure out how to post directly from the Globe. But even the search makes fascinating reading.
You might try looking at separate State's Houses and their debates. But granted that is a LOT of tedious stuff I'm sure.
"Harmony, liberal intercourse with all Nations, are recommended
by policy, humanity and interest. But even our Commercial policy
should hold an equal and impartial hand: neither seeking nor
granting exclusive favours or preferences; consulting the natural
course of things; diffusing and diversifying by gentle means the
streams of Commerce, but forcing nothing; establishing with Powers
so disposed; in order to give trade a stable course." --George
Washington
Man! Am I glad this section of the board is back up and running!
Tommy, as I understand it, tariffs were a source of concern to the South and that the South generally wanted a free trade type of system, is that correct? That the big reason the South left the North was over tariffs and how they favored the North, not slavery or any other cause, but because of unfair tariff burdens to their section. Is this about it?
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
No, I said that there had been multiple punitive tariffs that benefited the North almost exclusively. The bulk of tariffs were paid by the South, the bulk of the receipts had been received by the north. I never said that wanted a free trade system. The South left because of several reasons. Not he least being tariffs and bounties.
I thought I read somewhere that one of the big fears of the North was that the South would form a vast free trade zone or something and the North paniced over the idea of losing its tariff revenues.
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Neil,
That would indeed would have been a major fear had I been in the north. The South would have likely been far closer to free trade than the north. Had there not been an immediate war for the infant nation that necessitated quick emergency revenues the South could well have been fully free trade. Naturally shipping would have to support harbor costs. But I know for a fact the north was afraid of a trade war because they could not win. They were far, far too addicted to the protectionistism.
I have done a LOT of research over the last few days on the subject of the tariff. Still, I don't claim to know all about it, but I would like to post a few things I have learned.
The tariff not only protected Northern industry and products, it also protected items in the South. Hemp, sugar and cotton of all things. I also know that the border states wanted a protective tariff also and were extremely reluctant to go with the South initially over the idea that the tariff would be eliminated by the lower South in order to favor the production of cotton.
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
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