The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-11-30
The prohahle Cost.


count tho cost. Have tho people Of South
Carolina, in their anxiety to set up an inde-
! pendent Government Of their own, counted
tho cost OF course, we don't mean tho
hazard of war with tho United States or
any othor foreign power, for, with her min
ute men aud nggers, she even new dehos
tho world in arms; but tho actual cost in
dollars and cents, of tho now Government.
Blood and.tbundcr resolutions, bluo cock
adus, palmetto trees, arc all vory iiao in
their way, and answer well for purposes OF
pcaceabIe secession, but to keep tho Ship Of
State in good running ordor requires cash
real, genuine, hard money. Ii nero talk
} about secession, and poaceabo secession AT
that has mado South Carolina bankrupt
and many of our Ncr,hcrn bankers panic
, stricken, in these flush times, how are the
funds for putting the now Government III
, successful operation, to be raised! The
following estimate OF necessary expenses,
, taken from the Now York Herald, may aid
! the pooplo of South CarolIna in deciding
this question;
Tho announcement that tho federal off.
cors in South Carolina have resigned thoir
Offices. and that tho Legislature has unani-
mouslv called Convention TO provide for
secession, will takU no one by surprisc.--
Tho event was generally anticipated, and
Whatever the view of lawyers may be with
regard to the right to scccdo, public souti.
ment in this section would Oe decidedly op
posed to the detention OF any State III the
Uuion. We presume that, in the event OF
the 800, 600 free whito people o! South Car
olina declaring their determination TO con.
= stitute a separate republic, no serious OBJ
. jrction would DO raised and it therefore
becomes interesting to inquire into the
financial condition of tho State. South
r Carolina owes over $3 100000, represented
D by three, five and six per cent State bonds
|, noarly all of which arc held in England
The interest on tho debt is paid out of the
profits Of tho State Bank, aud somo railway
stocks owned by tho State. Tho State rev
u cuuo averages about SG000O annually
about halt of which is derived from tax O
seventy five cents u h0ad on slaves ono
fOnrt h Of the balance is derived from lane
v tax amounting to about six mills on th,
q dollar on tho valuo of tho agricultural lane
g under cultivation throughout tho State
ri Tho expenditure, which generally falls shOr
Of the income, is economical, aud is incurred
II for municipal and local purposes. In tht
o event of the secession of South Carolina, 1
d new issue of bonds would be necessary Il
. pay for tho United States property within
tho limits of tho Stntc--such MS Fort MOul
J. tric, on Sullvnns Islund; Fort Sumptcr
o Fort johnson, Fort Pinckuov, tho Custom
House, Post Offices, &c, throughout til,
\. State, all of which tho new nation woul,
have to purchase. 1t would lie hard L
u yaluo these buildings, as Forts havo NJ
u actual market value, but they cannot b,
o worth less than several millions. A further
l. issue Of bonds would also be requisite fo
tho purchase or construction OF such vessels
- of war and rovcnue cutters as tho fOreigI
Is trade of tho now nation woIld require
II Lastly, in separating from the Union, Soutl
i. Carolina would be cxpcctcd-as Lombard,
did when it separated from the Austrian
Empiro---to assume portion of tho dob: o
II the United States. which has been incurred
d partly for hor benefit. What proportion
n ought to DO assumed in this contingency
! ! by South Carolina, we will not now under
take to discuss; the United States woult
s. probably DO disposed 10 deal literally will
@ thoir departing associate, and no ono woult
q desire to see tho necessary d iiiculties Of hrI
# position neodlGssly complicated. Still, al
lowing that her share of tho debt was SO
down ut tho lowest figure, tho total amour
,, of bonds which tho new nation would prob
!, ably have to issue, in order to pay fo
q United States property acquired. to pur
r chase tho rudiments OF navy, and to sottl
4 finally with this country. would hardly bt
!, less than ten or olovOn millions of dollars
" which added to tho present dobt, w"u'C
> hardly bo less than ESl+ Oo00 900 Undo
a.. l.
:, able that tho bonds of the now nation, nigh
e DO had at very reasonable rate. With 70
r. gard to the expenditures of South Carolina
r as un independent State, it ia safe to assum,
that tho revenue service along tho inunc
= frOnter-somo 600 oil 700 miles long
y would DO expensive.
u Judging from the coast of our frontier
q customs service in tho North, this lin'
,. could not be guarded against smuggling TO
=, less than $500 to 81 900, 900 a year
Is At least rs much would have to DO spent OF
an army and navy TO begin with, aud if til,
= new nation had any foroign representatives,
;, this service would cost something inoiC
u With grca: economy, perhaps an indepond
$ ont government might be established ant
J. carried on at first for about "a 600 0C0
year, which. added to the interest on tn
1fI debt and losses for discount on bonds, sc
= would swell tho annual budget to, say S5
,e 0O0 600. This is comparatively small an
~ nual expenditure for an independent naiio
. loss than one-twelfth tho expenditure q
70 tho United States or Great Britain. 1t
l possible, however, that it would be felt wit
Di some severity by tho 100000 white citizen
q of South Carolina who would have to pa
ID for II. Undor our present government
,e every citizen contributes, directly and ind
rs rectIy, about Two dollars per head for III
a. support of tho federal government, Th
!, citizens of SUuth Carolina contribute, as "
~ have soon, ovor and above these two dollar
y swo dollars per head moro Tor tho supper
IN of thor State Government, making tho
RS total taxation four dollars per head. Who
n, thoy had established an Independent nntIol
d thoy would find themselves taxed not LEI
J. than SIG GO per hoad to carry on the
n goVcrnmOnt
"a --~-~--------
s, 95- Tho South Carolina Legislature M
'e on Monday. and Gov. Gists message WI