The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-15

The Impe ndIng Commercial Lame Re
tween the North and the south.
In the midstof the "rumors of vars which
agitate the public mind, it seems to escape at
teniion that the most pregnant source of trou
BILE between the slaveholding and non slave
holding States, must inevitably grow out of thu
foreign commercial relations of the two sec
TORS. With every disposition to pursue ia
natical and vicious policy, Mr.. Lincoln has sc
evidently been wanting in backbone, in the
matter of Fort Sumter, that it Ia doubted BY
many whether he will attempt to carry out anJ
part of the aggressive, coercive policy, indicated
in his inaugural. Active efforts to collect the
revenue by blockade, or to throw troops into
Forts Jefferson, Taylor, and Pickens, would be
regarded by Jefferson Davis and his administra
ton as a commencement of civil war, and it nc az
be questioned whether the President will dare, in
defiance Of public opinion to push to such an
extreme the unconciliatory measures that he
and his advisers have lately initiated. Such q
beginning of the end" Of the national drama
enac,ing in the country, may, therefore, be
postponed; but it will be impossible to stay the
ivalry which must grow out of the tariffs, that
have been respectively enacted at Montgomery
and Washington. They are the open bids Of
adjoining republics, Independent Of each other,
separated by frontier of fifteen hundred miles,
for the commerce of Europe and of the world;
and it is not difficult to perceive which Of the
two must be the gamer in such contest
The Montgomery tariff has been framed with
care and skill, upon the model Of that which
will expire in the Northern States, on the LIST
Of April next. The rates of duty it imposes
upon merchandise are reasonable and compa-
ratively free from Objectionable features. The
Morrill, tariff, on the contrary, is a monstrous
conglomeration of absurdities, concocted for
the benefit of Pennsylvania, the manufacturing
districts of New England, and New Jersey. 1t
can never be enforced, but will involve end
less litigation, and eventually be of benefit to
no one, excepting lawyers in our federal
courts Its intent was to double the rates Of
duty hitherto imposed, and, thereby, to in
crease the revenue, and the patronage of
republican administration. Its authors may be
necessitated 10 provide means that do not now
exist for carrying out its provisions but in the
pecuniary advantages hoped for, they will be
disappointed. Even were there no extraneous
difficulties, the incongruities and contradictions
of the new tariff would render its operation
Intellectual, and call for its repeal be-
fore any great lapse of time The fact
is, however, that the superior advantages Of
fered to commerce by the South, and the
certainty that foreign goods can be transmitted,
by rivers and railroad, to any part of the
North, at the lower rates of duty in the Mont
gomeIy tariff, will necessarily divert importa-
tons from New York, Pennsylvania and Mas
sachusetts to South Carolina, Louisiana and
Alabama, and a blow will thus be struck at
the local prosperity of the former States, the
effects of which it is impossible accurately to
calculate.
1t has been over and over again demon
strated, that every effort Of the Washington go
vernment to prevent the free ingress of mer-
chandise into the Southern ports must prove
abortive. The united navies of England and
France could scarcely guard such an immense
line of coast. Were our small maritime force
to attempt to collect the revenue, at any par
tcular point, instant resistance might be looked
or from both England and France, neither
of which Powers will permit their trade to be
interfered with, on account of our inter State
squabbles. mall probability the independence
of the Southern oonfederacy will have been
recognized by all Of the European courts, be.
fore the middle of this year; and it is more
than probable that such recognition will be
succeeded by commercial treaties, that of
themselves will Illustrate the insane coercive
policy which republican leaders have hattered
themselves they could with impunity carry
out. What will then become of the North?
Where will the importers Of the central States
be, and what will be the fate of our manufac-
turers? No calculation can be made of the pro-
digious and lasting damage which their interests
will receive, and the evil will be without re-
medy, as our Southern brethren POI sess abundant
shrewdness to retain the vantage ground they
will have secured. Neither can any system Of
border inspection, shut goods out from the
Northern States, that have been once brought
into the South, and thus, the new confederacy
will practically collect duties for the whole
Union.
1t is no wonder that the conservative masses
Of the people, look with indignation upon the
course that Mr.. Lincoln and his Cabinet are
pursuing. And the time is not far distant
when the North will hold them to a bitter re-
sponsibility for the shameful imbecility and ia
naticism with which they are betraying the in
terests of the country.
LIGHT WANTED IN PINE STREET.-We under
stand that the officers of the revenue are quite
in the dark as to the meaning Of certain sec
lions In Mr.. Morrills famous tariff act. If they
are mystifed, what must be the condition of the
appointees of the new administration, men al
together inexperienced and new to the duty
which they will be called upon to discharge
The Secretary Of the Treasury, after he has
filed the places in his gift, will be compelled