The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-27

measures, aDstractlOus anu men, are 30 nuWeI-
GUS, so complicated and 80 serious, that it will
require at least two National Conventions to
bring them to q practical treaty of peace. At
Cincinnati there was no other alternative than
Mr.. Buchanan. At Charleston Mr.. Buchanan
will not he in the arena; but there will be q
dozen Richmonds in the field Thus o precipi-
tate nomination may be the death of the party,
while cool and judicious postponement may
restore the party to life and power.
Prompt action is good general law; but there
is nothing like little mastery inactivity
when in the shadows of Coming events we see
the advantages of delay
The Life Of Commerce the Death OF the Ta-
rim Agitation-Do the People Want Fiscal
Liquidation In Good Timess
The prosperous reaction in commercial and
industrial affairs is producing its natural effect
in destroying the popular interest in all ques-
lions relating to fiscal legislation; and prominent
among those that recently agitated the public
mind the tariff discussion is laid out stone dead
until another season of commercial disaster
brings it to life
Whenever hard times come on, and the peo-
pie, from any cause whatever, find it difficult to
meet their notes and pay their debts, they are
prone to lay their disasters at the door of the
government Unwilling to ascribe their rnisfor-
tunes to their true causes-over trading, specu-
lation, extravaganza and a needless running in
debt-they readily adopt the assurances of dema-
gogues and persist in believing that to the
policy of the existing administration, no matter
which side may be in, is due the peculiar hard
ness of the times A change must be had at
once to relieve the people. The foreign policy
of the government must be overturned, and its
domestic policy completely altered. But the uni
versal panacea is an immediate change in the ia
riff If it is high one, it must be lowered; if
it is low one, it must be increased and on every
side are heard cries for protection from foreign
competition, for relief from high duties, and for
thousand nonsensical and conflicting things,
none of which agree with others or are really
applicable to the case. Such was precisely the
effect Of the commercial revulsior Of the nall Of
! 1857, and the Congress of 1858 was agitated
| with a tariff discussion.
But the country has got bravely over that
now. Commerce has revived in large portion
Of the Union. The imports at the port of New
York, since the first of January Of the present
| year, exceed in value those Of 1857 for the same
period Of time, and that was the year Of largest
! importations we ever had. Moreover, prices of
goods averaging fully one-ffth less now than in
that year, the quantity of imports must have
proportionately increased to attain the same
aggregate Of values Then, most of our indus
trial establishments, and particularly the manu-
featuring ones in New England, arc crowded
with ORDERS and work night and day to supply
the demands upon them. Railroads are looking
| up again, in consequence of present increase of
trade and travel, and the confident expectation
Of further augmentation, Even the iron men
find it difficult to make show of hard times,
in view Of the rapidly reviving demand for
their products. And, as Q natural conse-
quence Of this state Of things, no one bothers
his head about the tariff except the merchant
who feels in his daily walk of business the incou-
| gruities, inconsistencies and burthensome evils
] Of the nd ualorew system.
| We do not say that this revival of prosperity
is general, or that the figures Of the New York
Custom House are all exact index of the increas
ed trade Of the whole country. There are good
reasons why some parts Of the land should not
yet feel this business revival, and others why it
should be greater in New York than in some of
the other commercial centres. The Western and
Northwestern States are still partially laboring
under the effects Of two or three successive bad
harvests. But the unexampled prosperity of the
South has more than made up for this deficiency,
and its demands this spring for the products Of
Northern skill and New England industry have
never been equalled. Thus far it has borne the
great burthen of lifting up trade. Then, too
New York has centralized more business this
year than ever before. The panic swept of many
merchants in the provincial cities, and these have
not been able to replace them, while New
York, Astounding in capital, skill and active bust
ness men, has not permitted single line of GUS
toners TO go down. To these causes of our in
creased trade we may add our rapidly augment
] ing means of communication by rail and steam
with every part of the country, and the natural
tendency OF sll commerce to Capitalization.
With such present elements of prosperous bust
ness, the promise for the coming fall and year are
better still. The crops everywhere will be boun-
tiful for not only is their present appearance fat
tering, but It is well known that greater breadth
Of LAID was sown than ever before. People hav-
ing nothing to do in speculation took to planting.
Large as cur imports and domestic manufactures
have been, the stocks are swept off and have to
be replaced The causes Of prosperity in the
South continue in force, and new ones are daily
becoming evident, to bear upon the cereal and
grazing districts Of the North. In fact, we have
begun to roll up one Of those prosperous eras
which go On vita cumulative force until they
attain the fever heat Of speculation, and erd in
| the chills Of revulsion-