Replies

"Sumter wasn't a revenue collection place, and holding Sumter wouldn't bring a penny into the treasure."

That statement is really stupid, x, more characteristic of whiskeypapa than you. But maybe you are taking his place as the fact obliterator of record.

Of course he wanted to hold onto Sumter. Holding that harbor hostage would prevent direct trade with Europe. If the ships came in, he could forcibly collect tariffs. More likely, they would not try entrance, thus strangling the port.

You offer that quote to attempt to deflect from the fact that Lincoln was very concerned with tariff collection.

Contrary to your twisting the facts, Sumter WAS a revenue collection place. The Customs house in Charleston had been in operation since the inception of U.S. tariff laws.

What you fail to acknowledge are two facts:

1. The city completed a major dredging project in 1860. Now, deep draft oceangoing cargo ships could sail directly to Charleston from Europe.

2. Just after Lincoln took office, the Confederacy announced its tariff rates which were less than 50% the rates at Northern ports. All of the newspapers and businessmen got wind of this and began to demand that Lincoln close Southern ports.

And if you still think that Lincoln was not concerned with the tariffs he needed, consider the following:

"Sir: I shall be obliged if you will give me your opinion in writing whether under the Constitution and existing laws, the Executive has power to collect duties on ship-board, off-shore, in cases where their collection in the ordinary way is, by any cause, rendered impracticable. This would include the question of lawful power to prevent the landing of dutiable goods, unless the duties were paid." - Abraham Lincoln to Edward Bates, March 18, 1861

"Sir I shall be obliged if you will inform me whether any goods, wares and merchandise, subject by law to the payment of duties, are now being imported into the United States without such duties being paid, or secured according to law. And if yea, at what place or places? and for what cause do such duties remain unpaid, or [un]secured? I will also thank you for your opinion whether, as a matter of fact, vessels off shore could be effectively used to prevent such importation, or to enforce the payment or securing of the duties. If yea, what number, and description of vessels, in addition to those already in the Revenue service would be requisite?" - Abraham Lincoln to Salmon P. Chase, March 18, 1861.

He quickly began to understand the magnitude of the problem.

"What will become of my tariffs". Abraham Lincoln, 1861.

But of course, you digress from the topic at hand. What was Davis doing that was risky?

One more:

In 1848, Mr. Lincoln said: "Any people whatever have the right to abolish the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable, a most sacred right." A brave affirmation was this of the doctrine of the Declaration of Independence, that "Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed;" and one which would have commanded the united applause of the North, then and now, had the application concerned Hungary, Poland, Greece, or Mexico. But, with reference to the South, there was a most important modification of this admirable principle of equity and humanity. When asked, "Why not let the South go?" Abraham Lincoln, the President, in 1861, said: "Let the South go! Where, then, shall we get our revenue?" And the united North reechoed: "Let the South go! Where, then, shall we look for the bounties and monopolies which have so enriched us at the expense of those improvident, unsuspecting Southerners? Where shall we find again such patient victims of spoliation?" [italics in original]
Frank H. Alfriend, The Life Of Jefferson Davis, Cincinnati: Canton Publishing House, 1868, pp. 200-201.