The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-02
work for tho Next session Of Congress.

| space OF quarter Of year is all the time
that is left for the transaction of the important
business OF legislation and we hope it will be
time well spent There is much to be DONE
Our foreign policy Is to be shaped and decided
on. If we are to insist on . due measure Of
reparation for the piracies committed on our
commerce during the late rebellion by British
cruisers, under the confederate flag, Congress
is the body to give voice and effect to the
deemed expedient to relax our neutrality laws
so az to give fair opportunity to the Fenian
movement, that ought to be done before the
last day Of 1866. If we are to assume the
management Of Mexican affairs after the abdi-
cation of Macmillan and to put an end to the
chronic condition of anarchy in that country,
we'll devised system Of government must be
agreed on by Congress and put in execution
by the President The settlement of these and
other important questions will occupy much of
the time and call into play all the judgment
of Congress-
But equally serions and difficult questions Of
internal policy will demand attention. We
or restoration of the Southern States. Con-
gress has already disposed of that subject II
the Southern States do not think proper to ac-
cept the terms proposed they may continue in
their present abnormal condition. 1t will do
no harm, perhaps, to try the experiment of
how States can get on without forming any
part Of the federal system except SO far as
being subject to the fiscal and other general
laws of Congress- The States Of the defunct
confederacy with the exception Of Tennessee,
which has gone through the form Of recon-
struction) seem inclined to try that experiment;
and we have no objection to their doing SO.
We hope Mr.. Johnson will resign himself to
the taisses faire philosophy and have no more
unseemly and Improbable controversy with
Congress.
But, in the meantime, other problems in
legislation have to be studied and If possible,
solved. The tariff has to be revised, not MS
the House of Representatives undertook to
revise it last session, by increasing the rates to
such degrees as to prohibit the importation of
all foreign manufactures, but rather by dimin-
fishing the present exorbitant rates in proper
ton to the reduction of internal revenue
duties which went into operation on the lst Of
August last The American people seem to
favor moderate system of protection to HON"
products, but cannot be in favor of such
prohibitory tariff as would leave the market
entirely in the hands of New England
manufacturers. AT present consumers have to-
pay, on an average. double the prices that
ruled some years ago and, In fact. SO far has
the policy Of protection been carried that
American products are shipped to Europe and
sold in the European markets at lower rates
than are charged for them in this city. Our
tariff laws requfc such wholesome revision AZ
will admit some competition at least from
foreign producers and give us chance Of
buying goods at less than two or three times
their fair value. Il II too much to expect that
Congress will devote three or four weeks to
such revision OF the present tariff a. we sug-
gest and ~ Abe necessities of the people
demands We hope it rs not and that this will
be done.
Our financial condition is closely connected
with our systems Of internal revenue and Custom
House duties; and the measures that will
straighten mp our monetary difficulties and re-
store the currency Of the country to something
approaching its nominal value, will at the
same time, tend to tighten, in proportionatc
degree the heavy burdens imposed upon im-
ported merchandise. With gold ranging at
premium Of hfty per cent and with high i'm
port duties. payable in specie, our manufac-
iurers have. in the high price OF gold alone, an
average protection of fully one hundred per
cent; but the tariff entirely ignores that fac.
and is framed az il for normal condition of
things, where u dollar in currency means
dollar in specie. II that normal condition Of
things we're restored, that additional charge Of
one hundred per cent ON foreign goods would
be removed and domestic manufacturers would
still have fair measure OF protection for their
produc,s The people, however, would then
be justified in expecting very material dmnu-
lion in the cost OF what they consume. II Is
for Congress to produce THAT result by devising,
maturing and putting into operation a system
Of finance that will place the currency Of the
country on q specie basis. II can be engaged
in no more important work, and we must in
sist, In the nsnr OF the people, that this work
shall be patiently, wisely and conscisntonsly
| performed
| With this programme Of the business or The
session it is apparent that Congress cannot
afford TO waste il time IN idle con troversics
with the President or in giving cifec, 70 the
| prepostcrous schemes Of impeachment which
Wendell Phillips, Bon. Butler, Senator Wade,
cx-Judge Advocate Bingham and other fiery
radicals have been propounding all over the
country. However much We may disapprove Of
Mr.. Jchnson's indiscrcet language and bearing,
be has done nothing in the Presidential once
that can be made even decent prctext for his