You might be interested to know that on May 21, 1861 the men acting as the rebel congress passed a law requiring that -private- debt owed to -private- northern creditors be paid directly to the CSA treasury. This measure actually brought in $8 million. It had been hoped to net $200 million through this criminal act.
The rebels never had the money to pay for even a fraction of what they stole. What was the value of the land of the states comprising the Louisiana Purchase? The federal government took over the debts of Texas. Over $100,000,000 was spent to rid Florida of hostile indians. Of course Florida was purchased because the slave power was concerned about the slaves who escaped from slave states.
Part of the neo-reb rant is this infantile "mine, mine, mine," mindset that excuses criminal behavior.
President Lincoln called it:
"The nation purchased, with money, the countries out of which several of these states were formed. Is it just that they shall go off without leave, and without refunding? The nation paid very large sums, (in the aggregate, I believe, nearly a hundred millions) to relieve Florida of the aboriginal tribes. Is it just that she shall now be off without consent, or without making any return? The nation is now in debt for money applied to the benefit of the so-called seceding states, in common with the rest. Is it just, either that creditors shall go unpaid, or the remaining States pay for the whole? A part of the present national debt was contracted to pay the old debts of Texas. Is it just that she shall leave, pay no part of it herself?
Again, if one state may secede, so may another; and then when all shall have seceded, none is left to pay the debts. Is this quite just to creditors? Did we notify them of this sage view of ours when we borrowed their money? If we now recognize this doctrine, by allowing the seceders to go in peace, it is difficult to see what we can do, if others choose to go, or to extort terms terms upon which they will promise to remain... "
A. Lincoln 7/4/61
Walt
Makes sense to me. Also, it's funny that from the Articles of Confederation onward, the United States government assumed that a sign of political legitimacy was the payment of debt properly borrowed and owed to creditors--both public and private. Even Jefferson died while still in debt to foreign creditors, though much of it was inherited from his father-in-law.
There is something to be said there in regards to the conduct of our founders and the government of the United States versus the conduct of the Confederacy, and the character of those who controlled each. Also, it is equally interesting that, consistent with their claim that the Confederate government was illegitimate, the United States negated all debts incurred by the Confederacy in its insurrection.