David,
I can't see how any American tariff would cause the South problems in terms of the products that they exported. The southern economy depended on the export of crops like cotton and tobacco which were in heavy demand in Europe and for which there were few substitues. It is true that they could get cotton from Egypt and India and parts of Africa but it was inferior to the two strains that the south had to offer so in effect it was not contest.
I am wondering what items the south might inport for normal living that the north did not import also. I can see that the European or other countries might raise prices in retaliation, the south could always be domestic products that were available. As for coffee, and tea and things like that or fine china and flatware,etc. The north would pay the same prices as the south. I don't think the import of iron would be a major problem in that other than a little iron work in Richmond, they major iron center at that time in the south would be in Wheeling west Virginia. I think that is right.
As for where the money from the tariffs was used, I would think that most of it went for westward expansion in that time period. As for southern infrastructure I am not sure. But that brings up the question, what were the southern states or their inhabitants doing to improve the infrastruture of their respective states at that time. I do know that according to the writings of John Beaucamp Jones who worked for the confederate government, he says that much money left the south during the rebellion. That leads me to assume that it was there, but none was being spent on the south.
As for the Republican control of the government, once the south abandoned their proper place in the government, the south had no voice or vote. I can't blame the Republicans for that.
In 1860 the AMerican rates were among the lowest in the world and at historical lows by the standards of the 19th century. The average rate in that period was 17%. The Morill Tariff raised it to about 26%. Even tho it was higher than the period before the war it was considerably lower that the period of 1825 to 1830 when the rates were as high as 50%. I don't remember reading about anyone complaining during that time. I don't think there were any Republicans in COngress then.
FC