Replies

PeaRidge: "The Declarations of Secession are declarations of secession. None of them list any reasons."

Four of the first seven Deep South states to secede issued Declarations of Reasons for secession.
All explained that protecting their institution of slavery was the reason for secession.
None mentioned tariffs.

Here is South Carolina's Declaration of Reasons, issued December 24, 1860.
A key paragraph:
"For twenty-five years this agitation has been steadily increasing, until it has now secured to its aid the power of the common Government.
Observing the forms of the Constitution, a sectional party has found within that Article establishing the Executive Department, the means of subverting the Constitution itself.
A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.
He is to be entrusted with the administration of the common Government, because he has declared that that "Government cannot endure permanently half slave, half free," and that the public mind must rest in the belief that slavery is in the course of ultimate extinction."
Here is Mississippi's Declaration of Reasons, issued January 9, 1861.
A key paragraph:
"Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world.
Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth.
These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun.
These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization.
That blow has been long aimed at the institution, and was at the point of reaching its consummation.
There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin."
Here is Georgia's Declaration of Reasons, issued January 29, 1861.
A key paragraph:
"For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery.
They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property, and by the use of their power in the Federal Government have striven to deprive us of an equal enjoyment of the common Territories of the Republic.
This hostile policy of our confederates has been pursued with every circumstance of aggravation which could arouse the passions and excite the hatred of our people, and has placed the two sections of the Union for many years past in the condition of virtual civil war."

PeaRidge: "Your comments on rate variations are irrelevant.
What was important was the Confederate tariff rate vs. the Union rate in 1861."

The seven Deep South states seceded before the new Morrill Rates took effect in 1861, so their rates at time of secession were still the old 15%.

The new Morrill tariff returned rates to their levels of, say, 1825 and 1845 -- about 23% -- which did not cause secession then, and could even have been defeated in the House if the South and/or Democrats had been united in opposition.
But the Upper South and Border States were of mixed minds on Morrill, split their votes (or abstained), and so Morrill passed one house in 1860.

Yes, the Confederacy did reduce tariffs back to the old 15% rate, but then immediately embargoed exports of cotton thus eliminating its biggest single source of income.
So, FRiend, answer this question: with no income from exports, what difference did it make how much tariff Confederates couldn't afford to pay for imports?