The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

Re: Lincoln quote---
In Response To: Re: Lincoln quote--- ()

Would that not have violated international law?

Lincoln stops a foriegn ship on the high seas outside of Charleston Harbor and collects taxes. The ship then enters Charleston Harbor and the Confederate Government collects their taxes. Would not Lincoln's actions on the open sea outside the harbor have been considered piracy?

What would have been the difference had Lincoln stationed his revenue cutters outside London harbor?

Even if the Confederate States were not a soverign country, the other foriegn trading nations would have looked at this plan as either Piracy or double taxation.

Personally I believe that the comment that started this conversation wasn't meant to indicate that if the Southern states seceded that the lost of tariffs collected would be critical to the revenues of thee United States. After all the North was the manufactureing base of the United States economy. However, I do believe that Lincoln statement (if it fact it was made by him) was directed more towards the question of secession. That if the states were free to secede whenever they would like, then there would not be a stable country from which to support a federal government and the needs thereof such as a standing army for their common defence.

As exampled by the numerious decussions about revenue in Congress prior to the War, new sources of revenue were being examined because tariffs were becoming insuffient to serve the needs of the growing country. If states were allowed to secede for whatever reason that revenue base would be decreased no matter what state it was north or south. So I think this quote has been interpreted in too narrow of a context.

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