The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-18

The Hew TariM-Its Disastrous Effect
Politically and Commercially.
There seems to be but one opinion among
commercial men in this city and in the country
at large as to the consequences of the new
tariff law going into operation. By them the
law Ii denounced MS one that carries the princi-
pie of protection to the very verge of prohibit
ton, and as being besides 80 i'll considered and
full Of palpable blunders and inconsistencies as
to render Its execution very expensive and well
nigh impossible. These are tho views of the
mon in this country who are qualified to Judge
of such measure. On the other side of the
more favor; and tho sympathy which at first
the British and French people were disposed
to give to the Northern States in the present
difficulties of The government Is being con-
verted into feeling OF hostility.
This change in European sentiment we have
seen manifested in various ways Of late There
is much suffering among the operative classes
Of England, produced by o variety Of causes,
among which the secession of the Southern
States occupies prominent position. The
English trade report, which we print In another
| column, enumerating the causes that have
acted uniavorably on that market, makes this
clear Observation-Disclosures movements in
the United States not only check exports, but
retain moneys due, and cause arrangements of
trade in other quarters" In another para
graph it complains that we are not content
with bringing distress and arrangement upon
European traders by our political quarrels, but
must also enact tar # which Is next to prohi-
bitory, and thus shut the door to future COM
mercial transactions 1t states, also, that many
American orders for goods have been counter
handed.
| Again. we have the eame sort Of complaint
from France. The official paper Of the EN-
pire-the Paris Aoniteur-expresses its indig-
nation in strong terms at the in crease of duties
imposed upon French productions by our new
tariff, and intimates the withdrawal of the ma
tional sympathy from the anti-slavery cause on
the ground of the palpable insipcerity of those
who made it stepping stone to power. There
is latent meaning In this declaration. We
find lurking in 1t an i'll concealed menace that
after all it may be the policy of the empire
not to give the cold shoulder to the Commits
sioners from the Southern confederacy. Thus
the Morrill, tariff bids fair to prove destructive
to Northern interests politically as well as COM
| mercially.
The mistake was the pressing OF such
measure of legislation at o period when the
country was in the midst of q revolution.
Tariffs are always among The most delicate
subjects of legisi aton, and never should be
touched unless at periods of profound peace.
Even then they should not be meddled with
rashly or without due caution and delibera-
ton; for q change in the revenue laws of a
country invariably causes dangerous fuctua-
tons in trade. But here this great change
has been rushed into when half dozen
States of the confederecy had Withdrawn, and
when the rest were too much occupied with
the imminent dangers of the republic to be-
stow any attention on the details of q revenue
law.
| And now what Is our position? The new
tariff law must, of necessity go into operation
in all tho ports acknowledging the jurisdiction
of the federal government. In the ports that
have ropudiotad that Jurisdiction the axistins
tariff, which was re-enacted by the Congress at
Montgomery, Is and will continue to be in
force. The rates of duty imposed in the latter
are considerably less than those imposed in the
former. Consequently, while merchants can
import goods into the Southern ports at low
rates Of duties, it Is not to be supposed that
they will continue to import them into New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and other Northern
ports at high rates, and therefore the import
trade at these ports will be, II such state of
things be allowed to continue, utterly ruined.
There are now some eight hundred vessels
employed in the carrying trade between Europe
and the ports in the seeded States. No less
than one hundred and thirty-one sailed from
Europe for such ports during the first twenty
FIVE days of February. That trade will be
doubled within the next year, under the COM
bined influence of our protective tariff and the
inducements offered by the South. Who does
not see In this movement disaster to all our
interestsS
| What Is to be done? Is the new administra-
ton so absorbed in the work of parcelling out
the spoils that 1t can give no time to the prac-
teal necessities Of the hourY
| SAD CONDITION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
There never before was party in such sad
condition as the republican party. There does
not appear to be any possible chance of saving 1t
from utter humiliation, if we are to believe Its
own followers When the administration was
inaugurated they cried out that If the govern
| ment yielded an inch towards compromise the
party would be ruined; then, when the evacua.
ton of Fort Sumter was talked Of, they cried
out again: If the troops are withdrawn the
party will be ruined. The republicans in the
last Congress passed the Merrill tariff, and the
republican merchants and importers In the