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.
Another reason I have that the tariff was a major burden on the South is the US Census of 1860. One measure of that census was 'True Value of Personal Property' which was the per capita value of the population's property.
Large Plantation owner constituted the wealthiest class in the nation. The average farm owner was more that five times as wealthy as the average Northerner; more than ten times as wealthy as the average non-slave holding Southerner.
The typical Southern State farm in 1860 had a valuation of $7,101. In the Northern States a farm was $3,311.
The growth in personal wealth in the South in the 1850's was extensive. From the 1850 census, and state census records in 1858, the value of land and personal property had increased by 57% while the same measure in the Northeast showed an increase of only 11%.
Also according to the 1860 census, with only 30% of the nation's (free) population, the South had 60% of the "wealthiest men." The 1860 individual per capita income in the South was $3,978; in the North it was $2,040.
Here is some specific data:
Census of 1860
State..................Per Capita Total Value of Personal Property
Mississippi............$641.62
South Carolina.........$600.78
Alabama................$577.40
Georgia................$450.42
Texas..................$433.59
Florida................$410.80
Tennessee..............$401.19
Louisiana..............$391.52
North Carolina.........$373.13
Virginia...............$368.53
Arkansas...............$338.15
Connecticut............$328.29
Oregon.................$308.26
California.............$300.59
Kentucky...............$297.03
Massachusetts..........$261.13
Maryland...............$250.22
New Jersey.............$231.67
Rhode Island...........$230.90
Delaware...............$220.55
Missouri...............$220.28
New Hampshire..........$193.26
Vermont................$186.94
New York...............$186.78
Pennsylvania...........$173.66
Nebraska...............$166.85
Illinois...............$136.37
Ohio...................$132.88
Maine..................$131.32
Indiana................$119.27
Michigan...............$117.60
Iowa...................$106.51
Kansas.................$ 97.63
Minnesota..............$ 92.71
Wisconsin..............$ 91.66
Now again, my question is, if the tariff of 1860 came to $1.60 a person for the entire population in the US for one year, where is the big problem that the South has in paying for it's import 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,
Patience my good friend. I actually kind of have a semblance of a rebuttal just now is not the time to launch that boat. First I must caulk my seams. But the ad valorem is not to be overlooked. Nor do I believe that you are taking into account a few things besides that. Merchants, for one. Also, that 'personal' growth on plantations was due mainly to the rising value of slaves, not imports. There are a lot of things to look at. Including that the Morrill Tariff spoke volumes for 'intent.' You must remember that the tariffs that gave the footing for those punitive tariffs started the same way. In 1860 the 28-46 tariffs were not that far in the past.
If I do not hear from you before then, I hope you have a happy new year.
Glad to hear you are getting back into the full swing of things. I'll be back on Monday night. Take care of yourself and Happy New Year to you.
Sincerely,
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
From the book, Greenback; The Almighty Dollar and the Invention of America, by Jason Goodwin, chapter 12, The Spy, page 219 - 220:
"The Union entered the war with two hundred thousand dollars in its coffers, but the treasury secretary, Salmon P. Chase, remained cool until the Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 upset all hopes of an easy victory over the South. The army was now looking at a long campaign, and soldiers needed to be paid. Chase borrowed from the northern banks, sold war bonds to patriotic investor, and finally, sorrowfully (for he was a hard-money man) he turned to the option of printing money. <u>In April 1862</u> Chase issued $150 million on the credit of the United States. Five months later he ordered a second round of $150 million, and another $150 million the next year. The second issue included the first government-issued one-dollar bills. They were nothing like the dollar bills Americans already knew, with pictures of 'Indians, steamboats, trains, settlers, frontiersmen, buffalo, Liberty, Justice and historical statesmen like Washington and Jefferson.' They actually bore a portrait of Salmon P. Chase himself, and were printed in black ink on the front but in green on their backs."
Hence the term 'greenbacks' for Union paper currency and one of our modern day slang terms for US currency today.
But, the reason I have posted the above information is to further support my conclusions that the tariffs, especially the Morrill Tariff was NOT a cause for the Civil War is to show just how unprepared the North was financially for war. Witness the level of its on-hand cash when the war broke out. Look at the misplaced confidence of its government at the war being a short affair until Bull Run in July of 1861. And further note that no large amounts of money were raised for the war effort until April of 1862, and even then, every other form of raising the money was tried before increases in tariff rates and internal revenue taxes were instituted. Just where was all that tariff money from the Morrill tariff at?
So, if the South was being crushed under such a heavy burden of an unjust tariff, where's the money? Just like the old adage, follow the money, I have and it has led me here.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
PS I intend to go back to the Congressional Globe site, even if it does render me completely blind, so that I can determine exactly when higher tariff rates were instituted to finance the war, not unjustly burden the South, which did not happen and why you hear no rally cries during the war from either side like 'Down with the tariff! Up for States Rights!' or 'Forward for the tariff and revenue, my brave boys!'
__________________ "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
A bit more on the timing of the 'War Tariffs' or the tariffs enacted or increased to fund the war effort, AFTER the Morrill Tariff was passed by the Senate. I have conducted this bit of research as I have often found it curious where those who advocate the Morrill Tariff increased custom duties to a whopping 47%, thereby enraging the South to declare for secession.
As stated by myself above in showing the Morrill Tariff rates on certain items, the 47% figure makes no sense as the average rate collected by the Morrill Tariff comes to around 14.1%.
Now, if you go a bit further in time, you see acts of Congress intended to raise revenue, such as:
Summer of 1861, extra session of Congress imposes additional custom duties to the tariff.
Dec. of 1861, next regular session of Congress makes further increases of custom duties (in fact from this time on, no session of Congress will pass without added increases to tariff duties for revenue to fund the war).
July, 1, 1862, Congress passes the Internal Revenue Act.
July 14, 1862, Congress passes the tariff act which increase customs collected to 37.2%
June 30, 1864, Congress passes the three revenue acts, to include a tariff act that increases custom duties to 47.06%.
It seems to me that the three revenue acts passed in June 30, 1864, seem to be the foundation for the claims I have seen here and at other sites, of the Morrill Tariff being at 47% and passed at before the war started. If this be the case, then one will have to admit the timing of the tariff of 1864 at 47.06% takes a considerable amount of time-travel to accomplish this 'fact.'
With that said, I am leaving the Congressional Globe web site to rest my eyes and my frustration at having to wade through countless pages of political windage to find these nuggets of historical dates and facts, to await any challenge or further enlightenment on these postings.
Until that time,
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
__________________ "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
All's quiet on the southern front. I spec we're not quite done but are regrouping. Meanwhile, I'm going to put my books back in their places and resume studying Grant's move south.
Hope you all (yall) had a great New Year and that the blessings continue.
Keep on truckin.
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
It is good to see you back on the boards. You have been missed.
I hope all is well with you and that you are able to 'launch' your boat with all the seams 'caulked.'
Sincerely,
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,
The boat has sunk and the shore littered with wreakage. It is all I can do to stay afloat right now. But I'm treading water and reading the posts when I can. Although I'm ashamed to admit it isn't near as much as 'd like. But I will endeavor to do what I can when I can. I apologise for the delay. But you have my word it is not by any free choice of mine.
tommy
Take your time, my friend, you know I can wait and no apology is necessary. I am glad you are here.
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
CivilWarTalk.com -
A free and friendly Civil War community. 
Linear Mode
