The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-11-21
Our Little Sister Portioned on.


The New York Herald, which has for some
time past been blowing the Secession busle for
merely political purposes, now that the terrible
crisis Of Lincolns election, thus quietly and tel
lingly portions off our uneasy little sister, the
Palmetto State Since she Is bound 10 60 out oil
the Union, of Course il must be done IN decencs
and in order There is q very pretty bill OF sar-
casm in the following which appears in the Her
AIDS money article Of Friday last :-Chi. Irib.
The announcement that the federal officers in
South Carolina have resigned their offices, and
that the Legislature has unanimously called a
convention 10 provide for secession, will take no
one by surprise. The event Was generally anti
cipated, and whatever the views OF lawyers may
be with regard to the right Of a State to secede,
public sentiment in this section of the country
would be decidedly opposed to the detention OF
any State in the Union by force. We presume
that in the event of the $40, 900 free white PEG
pie of South Carolina declaring their determine
ton to constitute a separate republic. no serious
objection would be raised and it therefore be-
comes interesting TO inquire into the financial
| condition of the State South Carolina owes
over s., 900, coo, represented by three, tive and
| six per cent. State bonus, nearly all OF which are
held in England. The interest on the debt Is
paid out OF the profits Of the State Bank, and
some railway stocks owned by the State. The
State revenue averages about 5000, 0oo annually,
about half Of which is derived from q tax OF sew
enty-fve cents head on slaves; one-tourtA 81
the balance is derived from land tax amount
ing 10 about six mills in the dollar on The value
O. the agricultural land under cultivation through
out the State. The expenditure, which gener-
ally falls short of the income, is economical, and
is incurred for municipal and local pup poses. In
the event of the secession of South Carolina, u
new issue of bonds would be necessary 10 pay
for the United States property within the limits
of the S,ate-such as Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan
Island Fort Sumter. Fort johnson, Fort Pi OK
ney, the Custom House, Post Offices, &c
throughout the State, all OF which the new ma
ton would have TO purchase. 1t would be hard
to valge these buildings, as forts have no actual
market value, but they cannot be worth less
than several million. A further issue of bonds
would also be requisite for the purchase or con-
struction Of such vessels Of war and revenue cut
tiers as tue foreign trade of the new nation would
, require. Lastly, in separating from the Union,
South Carolina would be expected--as Lombardy
did when il separated from the Austrian empire
to assume portion of the debt of the United
States. which has been incurred partly for he'
benefit What proportion ought to be assumed
in this contingency by South Carolina, we vii
not now undertake to discuss; the United State:
would probably be disposed to deal literally witt
their departing associate, and no one would de
sire to See the necessary difficulties Of her posi-
ton needlessly complicated. Still allowing thai
? her share of the debt was set down al the loves
possible figure, the total amount of bonds which
the new nation would probably have to issue, il
: order to pay for the United States property &C
) auired, to purchase the rudiments OF navy
u and to settle finally with this country, would
hardly be less than or eleven millions of dol
, lars, which added to the present debt, would
bring the total Indebtedness of the new nation
e up to something like 1900, 200. Under tn,
circumstances of the case, it seems probable tina
: the bonds of the new nation might be had at
very reasonable rate. With regard to the cx
D penditure of South Carolina as an Independent
u State il is safe to assume that the revenue ser
u vice along the inland frontier--soine 600 OF 1o'
{ miles long-would be expensive. Judging fron
: from the cost Of our frontier customs service il
the North, this could not be guarded agains
l. smuggling for less than $3.50 600 to 81, 000 Got
> year. At least as much would have to b
: spent on all army and navy to begin with, and
: the new nation had any foreign representative
this service would cost something more. Wit
: great economy, perhaps an independent govern
y ment might be established and carried on at frs
: for about 81 1000 year, which added to tn
l. interest on the deot and losses for discount OF
bonds, &c, would swell the annual budget to
saw five millions of dollars This is comparativel
, 4 small annual expenditure for an Independent
{ na,ion-less than one-tweltth the expenditure c
D the United Stats or Great Britain. Il is posi-
IA ble however, that il would be felt with some Sc
= verify BY the 800, 600 white citizens of Sout
D Carolina who would have 20 pay it. Under GU
present government, every citizen contributes
o directly and Indirectly, about 81 per head 70
: the support of the federal government. Tn
D citizens of South Carolina contribute, as we hav
seen, over and above these 60, 81 per head NOR
y for the support OF their State government, ma
= king their total taxation 81 per head. Whe
g the, had established themselves As an indepeI
d dent nation, they would find themselves take
e not less thar 6,66 per head to carry on thei
! government