The New York herald., 1846-03-04

the Oregon debate, which was. doubtless, resumed
and possibly closed on Monday, in the Senate.
should have reached us last night Should the back
mails arrive this noon, our evening edition will
contain all the important news
WAsHINoroN, Feb. "a, 1875.
While the Executive Department is in a state OF
considerable buste, if not embarrassment, relative
TO our relations with England, and perhaps Mexico,
! can observe an equal degree OF bustle and sup.
pressed excitement in some OF the committees in
Congress, on various subjects preparing to be
brought up before them. Among this latter class
may be named the Committee Of Ways and Means,
who now daily sitting on the new tariff bill and
estimates sent in by Mr.. Walker. After the Ore
gon question-to say nothing of Mexico-probably
the tariff bill will be the most widely discussed
and debated during the present session of Congress
Al present, however, there seems to be great doubt
what direction 1t will take n the event of COLI
sion with England Mexico, high duties will be
required. 1t il obvious, however, that the tariH
bill proposed by Mr.. Walker is founded on the be-
lief that peace may probably prevail, both with
England and Mexico. The mind that conceived
the new tariff bill, now before the Committee ot
Ways and Means, never could anticipate a foreian
war with any country. II 10 the basis of system
the basis of plan of taxanon-altogether diHeren,
from that which il would be necessary to propose
in the event OF war with any foreign power.
Now, it is obvious that, if we can form any con-
clusion to the position OF our foreign relations
from the character given to the new tariff bill By
Mr.. Walker, the mind may be led naturally to the
conviction that there 10 no apprehension Of war
in the minds OF the administration. These strong
convictions to the continuance of peace may
arise from knowledge of the sentiments of the
British government the subject of the Oregon
controversy, and the basis upon which 1t will uls-
mately feel disposed to adjust the difficulties now
pending between the two countries. And yet the
most singular spectacle is presented by leading
members IN Congress- friends of the administration,
too, giving the idea the country that our rela
tions with England are in the most critical posion
and daily increasing in difficulty while tho admlAis
tration itself presents Tariff Congress- which, ON
the face Of it, shows that the government calculates
on the continuance Of peace. II is obvious from
this that either the leaders IN both Houses Of Con-
gress deceiving the country, or that the admi-
nistration is both deceiving its leaders and the
country, through its organs in Congress. Between
two snch alternatives the mind may come to the
conclusion that the administration must understand
its own business best and when it seriously pre-
sents revenue tariff to Congress, based upon such
plan as that proposed by Mr. Walker, it affords
the best Of coming to the positive belief that
our foreign relations will terminate amicably, not
withstanding appearances to the contrary.
The tariff bill, therefore, being foanded ON prin-
c,pies of peace, may be considered to give forth the
authentic views of the President as founded ON the
continuance of peace. That being the case, we may
naturally enquire what are the steps proposed by
by Mr. Walker, and what are the consequences
likely to fellow his proposition
Mr. Walker, the Secretary of the Treasury, is
entitled to great deal of merit in Introducing the
new system developed in preparing this bill During
the last twenty-five years, various tariff bills have
been prepared by committees Of Congress, without
any suficien, knowledge Of the subject, and on the
mere nstlganon OF certain manufacturers OF partio-
ular wares Every special Manufacturer would fur
nish rate Of tariff 90 as to affect the goods in his
own hands in manner advantageous to his own in
terest so that each tariff bill, when completed, pre-
sented 80 many bundles ofisolated specuations, fur
nished by the manufacturers themselves, in ~
lation to the foreign trade OF the country. These
bundles Of isolated views, adopted by the
committee, were put forth as the true and cor.
rect tariff for the advantage OF the general trade
and revenue OF the country. This 10 the cause
which has created much complaint Of all previous
tariffs from the various interests OF the country, and
particularly in relation to the tariff OF 1872 Mr..
Walker has, fortunately, adopted different system
in devising and forming tarlff-a system which
has been in operation in England and other coun-
tres various times, for the last half century. In
England there is connected with the Home Depart
ment an intelligent body Of men, who are called
qualnted with y thin IN connexion with ths
trade OF r,e country Whenever the Minister wants
to make any clange in the scale Of duties adeetins
public niue, he furnishes the Board OF Trade
all rI~
ms plan leaving the detaila Of the dut,ss 70
De titled by the Board of Trade themselves. !
appen to have knowledge Of this fact, obtained
the n!Tgent hi%. snd Ss, 5
issa Pssl acted Ss ins ls IN eI Il: prspsr..iOa %
the basis upon which the Tariff Bill wa. founded.
land aided the Board of Trade in lSA2, and a.
though the yro1sf proposed was the work Of whig.
the ministry of that day being conservatives, Sir
hands the bill which 10 now in operation in Eng
hnd have no doubt the new plan recently pro-
posed In England was prepared in the same way
BY Mr., McGregor. with the assistance OF Mr Foster
and others and will be the basis upon which the
new law now before Parliament will be founded
Mr. Walker has adopted similar plan Of prepar-
inc his proposed bill instead Of going amongst tho
have narrow isolated ana selfish views, on all those
matters bounded by their particular trades--he went
amongst those in the Custom Houses Of the prinei-
pal cities-msn who are acquainted with all the DE-
tails OF almost all the expectations and importaoas
connected with TIE foreign trade OF the country.
With these gentlemen summoned and In attendance
in one Of the Departments connected with the trea
sury. Mr.. Walker proceeded with his labors. Tho
following are the names of the gentlemen who
were thus engaged
Fsox N1W YoRx FRsn Bosros
Es Bosardus, r. r 0ourgas,
r. B. Connolly, Wa Weumen,
c. c. Walden. 81. Bridge.
FRon PwrLAsyLppIA. FaoM BALrrnoak
DR. FriechsI, Alexander Young,
Thomas Stewart Mr Vsckan
These gentlemen met At Washington, about the
I'd January last, and were occupied in making cal
cuIatons in relation to the Tariff Bill until sbou,
the 2lst of February. In these labors they con-
.umed no less than six reams Of paper. and many
thousand quilts and steel pens. The principles
,pon which the Tariff Bill was to be constructed