Here is your data:
For year 1860, total value of imports into the United States Treasury houses was $336,000,000. (Data from the Department of the Treasury, mid year report).
When you asked me the source of the data, I gave you the source, the US Treasury Report.
President Buchanan’s Message and Documents to the 36th Congress for 1859-1860 also contain the same data.
For consistancy, what was the value of imports at US ports of entry as documented by the Customs house, less specie and re-exports in 1859?
The Treasury report gives a figure of $317,000,000.
Kettell in 1860 reported that according to the US Treasury report of 1856, page 101, it is stated that the amount of European imported goods consumed in the US in 1850 was $163,186,000. According to his data, the distribution of that amount was to the South $43,000,000; to the West $35,000,000; and to the North $85,180,000.
Referring again to the imports of 1859 of $317 million, and if they were distributed in the same proportion, then Southern consumption would be $106,000,000; for Western $63,000,000; and for the North $149,000,000. At the time that he wrote his paper, he did not yet have the 1860 census report.
Kettell then provided data from the 1850 US Census that shows that the sales of domestic manufactures (domestic imports) to the South were $146,000,000 for that year.
He then researched the manufacturing data and determined that between 1850 and 1859 that the manufacturing output had doubled, and that also the means of payment (on hand assets) for the South had increased at an even greater ratio.
His extrapolated data then is that the inter-sectional trade of 1859 was Northern manufactures sold to the South $240,000,000; imported goods sold or direct shipped to the South $106,000,000.
Based on this data, for 1859, the total value of goods shipped into the South (imported) was $346,000,000.
Another source, an Encarta article, said that the total Southern imports in 1860 were $331,000,000.
free dixie,sw
Taking the Kettel figures for a moment, he says that the South consumed $43 million of the $163 million in European imports. That would indicate that they provided, at most, a fraction over 26% of the tariff revenue. Considerably short of the 83% that Benson claimed and which you said Kettel supported.
Referring again to the imports of 1859 of $317 million, and if they were distributed in the same proportion, then Southern consumption would be $106,000,000; for Western $63,000,000; and for the North $149,000,000. At the time that he wrote his paper, he did not yet have the 1860 census report.
Your math is off. I make 26% of $317 million to be closer to $82.4 million and not $106 million. And for Benson's claim to be correct, the amount of Southern imports would have to be close to $263 million.
Based on this data, for 1859, the total value of goods shipped into the South (imported) was $346,000,000.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the South did not pay tariffs on goods shipped in from the North? So those goods could not, under any circumstances, be considered imports. So those cannot be considered when trying to determine which section paid the majority of the tariff income.