How Accurate Was Raphael Semmes Claim?

Joshism

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"Four states alone - Virginia, the two Carolinas, and Georgia - defrayed three-fourths of the expenses of the General Government."
-Raphael Semmes, Memoirs (1869), pg 80

Is this a reference to tariffs?

What is the basis for Semmes' claim? He was a Navy officer so I don't imagine he had much to do with federal government finance.

Is there any basis for his claims? It's particularly interesting he doesn't refer to four Deep South states, but rather two Deep and two Upper South.
 
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