The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-19

We publish to-day the tariff recently adopted
by the Northern Congress at Washington and
the one virtually agreed upon by the
Southern Congress at Montgomery, both in
ertenso, and they present, we think, fair
contrast between the legislative capacity Of
these two bodies. 1t is impossible to deny to
the Southern tariff an exemplidcation of states
manship, enlightenment, wisdom and know
ledge of governing a great and enterprising
people, which are wholly wanting in the other
document.
The two measures, in fact differ as much in
spirit as the eighteenth and the nineteenth cen
turtles; they are as widely different as the legis-
lation Of the Mountain in revolutionary France,
or the Puritan legislation of the old Common
wealth of England, and the legislation of these
two countries at the present day, rs any COM
mercial nun who understands the subject may
see by comparing the one with the other.
The tariff of the Washington Congress is the
most ignorant, useless, laundering and PERM
cious enactment that ever was concocted for
the avowed purpose of lettering the interests
of the country. On the contrary, the tariff OF
cal and Ineligible measure, and as such it
will command the admiration of the states
men Of England and France, and all the
commercial nations Of Europe. They will dis
cover, from the comparison, that the art of
government is with the South, and not with
the North, and they will be guided by thai. con
viction in their policy as regards the two
sections.
For the last forty years set Of stockholders
and spectators in the North, and especially in
New York, New England and Pennsylvania,
have been using Congress on this question Of
tariff and revenue for their own benefit, and for
purely stockjobbing purposes, just precisely as
they operate in their corner gatherings in Wall
street; and they have readily found such men
as Morrill,, who represents some grogshop,
hole and corner interest in Vermont, TO do the
business for them in Washington. The country
has suffered many times from ill judged tariffs,
got up TO suit the stockjobbing and other indi-
vidual interests, as, for example, from the
tariff Of 1928, which was settled in 1882, but
not before 1t almost drove South Carolina into
notification and secession; and now that the
negro agitation had driven Intelligent and
practical Southern members out Of Congress,
the aboliuonists and stockholders got affairs
into their own hands, and we see the result in
this most Ubiquitous measure, the Morrill, tariff
The combined effects of these two tariffs must
be to desolste the entire North, TO stop its i'm
portations, cripple its commerce and turn its
capital into another channel; for, although
there is specie now lying idle in New York TO
the amount of nearly forty millions Of dollars,
and as much more in the other large cities,
waiting for an opportunity Of investment, i. win
be soon scattered all over the country, wherever
the most available means Of using it are pre-
sented, and il will be lost to the trade OF this
city and the other Northern States. There Is
nothing to be predicted of the combination Of
results produced by the Northern and South
ern tariffs but general ruin To the commerce OF
the Northern confederacy. France and Eng
land, In view of these two measures, will find
but little difficulty now in recognizing the in.
dependence of the Confederate States Of the
South. The statesmen Of these nations care
nothing for our eternal Niger question. Their
own commercial interests abroad are all Ia all
to them; and, indeed, upon the subjec. Of
negroes, both the American governments stand
now upon an equal footing, inasmuch as the
Southern, as well a. the Northern constitution
prohibits the African slave trade
The tariff OF the South opens its