“ What northern industrialist is going to say “We have to stop the South to protect my fortune!” What Southern Politician is going to say “We want to leave the Union because it will enable us to transfer a huge amount of money currently going into Northern pockets into Southern pockets! “
People sold what they wanted to do as an idea they thought the public would support, not one they knew would provoke a backlash against them.”
Why wouldn’t Southern politicians promote putting more money into Southern pockets? Are you serious? Really? Johnny Reb was too dumb to understand? Make Dixie Great Again would have been a killer slogan!
What do you suppose would have happened if they had pointed out how much money was going to suddenly stop flowing through Northern hands? As some of the articles I posted to you said, "WE WERE DIVIDED AND CONFUSED UNTIL OUR POCKETS WERE TOUCHED." New York Times March 30, 1861".
They did not do so because they were trying to sneak their way out, while not making it apparent that they were going to be making away with a lot of money that would normally go in Northern pockets.
Would you tell someone you are about to rob them, or would you take the money and abscond before they realized what had happened?