The Hard Cost of South Carolina's Secession

James Lutzweiler

Sergeant Major
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
I seek from posters answers to these two questions: How much money did South Carolina Seceshers expect to pay for their independence, and where was the money to come from?

Independence always costs money. The SC Seceshers (SCS) knew that. They knew that war would follow their action and that wars cost hard money. No one goes to war without counting the cost. Has anyone seen any estimates from the SCS concerning the cost of their action? Whether yes or no and the answer must remain a mystery, can anyone explain where the money would come from? I am not looking for a short answer like "cotton," as in "Cotton is King." I am looking for real numbers. E.g., we know from SCS's own declarations that their being shut out of the western territories was a factor in their decision. We know that the Gadsden Purchase alone cost $10 million. For the sake of argument, let us say that the rest of Arizona and New Mexico were worth another $10 million for a total of $20 million. Certainly the SCS had in mind to capture this property in some way shape or form. Questio: where did they expect to come up with this $20 million? Surely one answer to the question was from sister Southern states that would chip in --which means they had to expect Secession to spread to other states that also had to come up with the money. So, with these factors in mind, where was the money to come from? Who was going to pay and how much would have to be paid? And more particularly, how much would SC be able to pony up with planters leaving for more nutritious western soils that we call Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, and with SC soils almost totally worn out? Again, let me repeat: How did SCS expect to pay? Please try to confine any posts exclusively to SCS, though I certainly welcome other answers. My primary concern is South Carolina.

James Lutzweiler
 
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