[an amused spectator]

......Similarly, the economic editor of the NY Times, who had maintained for months that secession would not injure Northern commerce or prosperity, changed his mind on 22 March 1861: “At once shut down every Southern port, destroy its commerce and bring utter ruin on the Confederate States.”

It was the March 23 edition, "An Extra Session of Congress", page 4.

...But Congress should go further. It must adopt some measures which will enable it to act in regard to secession. At present, the action of our Government contrasts most unfavorably with the energy and freedom of action displayed at Montgomery. The Government installed there acts with a view to its own interests and convictions alone. Let us show it that while we desire peace, this is a game that two can play at. We can at once shut up every Southern port, destroy its commerce and bring utter ruin upon the Confederate States. We should injure our trade somewhat, but not more, perhaps, than by our present inaction, which every one sees may have to terminate in some decisive step, of the character indicated. Let us begin to have some kind of a policy. The country cannot wait till the end of next December. There is no knowing where we may drift before that time. We may not have to exert force, but a nation that cannot do so, whenever its vital interests are assailed, inspires only contempt. We cannot place ourselves in such a category.

https://www.nytimes.com/1861/03/23/archives/an-extra-session-of-congress.html

Looks like you have the History Deniers on this one. ;-)

[FLT-bird]

an amused spectator

Looks like you have the History Deniers on this one. ;-)

Oh no doubt. I've posted this and numerous other articles from the period. But of course, actual facts will never compare to their PC Revisionist dogma....at least in their minds....Therefore pesky things like facts, quotes and sources cannot even dent their faith. Really, that's standard fare for Leftists.

[BroJoeK]

an amused spectator quoting NY Times March 23, 1861: "Let us show it that while we desire peace, this is a game that two can play at.
We can at once shut up every Southern port, destroy its commerce and bring utter ruin upon the Confederate States.
We should injure our trade somewhat, but not more, perhaps, than by our present inaction...
We may not have to exert force, but a nation that cannot do so, whenever its vital interests are assailed, inspires only contempt."

Thanks an amused spectator for that link, a number of us tried to find it, without success.
I've saved it for future reference.

This recommendation from the New York Times sounds to me exactly like our current President's recent threat to "close the border" with Mexico.
Nobody thinks he wants to, everybody understands it would be costly to us too, but something must be said or done to get Mexico's attention.
In March 1861, the New York Times is merely laying out options, what we "can" do.

But note also, there's no discussion of "money flows from Europe", instead the issue the NY Times describes is only tariff collection in Confederate ports.
But those ports combined produced only 6% of Federal revenues (and 3/4 of those from New Orleans), so this was not a crisis.

A final point -- our Lost Causers tell us the Confederate Tariff was "only 10%" compared to the new US Morrill Tariff.
This article says the old Tariff of 1857 adopted by Confederates was "at least 10% lower", meaning up to 90% the same as Morrill.