When was this "relatively stagnant" economy? When we went from a coastal farm nation to an industrial world power in less than a hundred years? Or during the post Civil War period when he had surpluses every year for thirty years? Or during the 1920's when we paid down the debt, lowered spending and slashed income taxes?
So lets see, toss a tariff on everything, as you say, for revenue, triggering a tariff war. Americans will pay for it just the same, because it's added to the cost of the goods. In turn, besides driving up the costs of the goods overall, other countries will put a 2-3 or whatever % general tariff on all American goods, after all, whats good for the goose, is good for the gander.
Fed. sales tax does the same thing,ie fill coffers, but allows free flow of goods.
The stagnant days, were the 60-70's when there were too many tariffs, making foriegn business dealings a pain in the @.