Star. — London, England, 1830-12-25 00:00:00

TB i: EVENING STAR. LONDON. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 25. CuRNIVMAS Dar.•-•11012111AY AT ALL TM PUILW °MCI& Our accounts from Paris to-day assure us, that all is quiet in Paris. The previous reports of disturbances are altogether unfounded. We shall now attempt, according to promise, to afford our Readers, a sketch of some of the facts and arguments brough under public consideration, in Mr. BARBER BEAUMONT'S "'Thoughts, on the causes and cure of the present distresses." The author commences by some general remarks on the state of almost perfect anarchy, which has been exhibited lately in the country, and expresses himself to think, that the abatement in the activity of the rebellious, as it is the consequence of partial submission to their demands, a defen sive union of superiors, and a change of administration, will only prove a truce to hostilities, if nothing further be accomplished. He very correctly remarks, that the increase of wages is but transferring the dis tresses of the labourer to the " borne down" farmers who must take it from the rent, tithes, and taxes. Unless he can pay the increased wages, and employ additional hands, the poor rates must increase, and the shopkeeper come in for his share of the distress. As soon as the farmer and tradesman become exhausted, the gentry and clergy must supply the deficiency ; and the distress thus extended to more influential ranks, a revolution be the inevitable con sequence of the general national embarrassment. Having thus given a sketch of the course of events, should no remedy be applied, the author expresses his con viction, that although the prospect may be overcast, the storm may be avoided. He justly remarks, that there are not wanting encouraging circumstances in our present con dition. Our manufacturing interests he considers pros perous. We are blessed with a patriotic, considerate, and excellent KING, and a Ministry who are disposed to deal fairly by the people. We are no longer told that " the people have nothing to do with the laws but to obey them ;" uor " with the taxes bat to pay them." It is, however, he justly observes, necessary to look the difficulties of the country fairly in the face. In this conviction, the author proceeds with a more detailed view of its condition. He observes, that after a period of fifteen years of peace, and in the time an increase of mechanical contriv ance, by which the operations of industry are per formed in a tithe of the time and labour, which were formerly required, it might have been supposed that those who kept on at their old rate of labour and hours of work, would be materially improved in condition; but the fact is the reverse—they now work longer on a more scanty sub sistence than before ; and so small a portion of the extensive comforts, the labourer produces remain with him, that insomc of the richest parts of England, a working man is per haps not better supplied with the necessaries of life, than the mere savage ofthe wilderness, who wastes three fourths of his time In idleneu, and occupies the remainder un unaided by skill, industry, machinery, and capi tal. Now, he farther observes, this first view seems to negative the favourite, doctrine that the distress among the lower orders is not at all affected by the taxes, but by an excess of population. For, if this were true, the difficulty would be removed by shortening the hours of of labour, and thus giving employment for more ; but it is well known that such a reduction in the hours of labour, would be impracticable, and reduce the labourer to starvation. The author, in supposing the distresses of the working chases to be owing to certain unjust usurpations of their earnings, by those who do not work, takes care to premise the distinction between those who are fair claimants on the pro duce of industry, and those who are unjust incumbrances. He discriminates the two correctly, and gives a moat striking view of the effects which the evtravagancies of our Corrupt system have originated. The county rates for gaols and prosecutions have increased to to the amount of on: former poor rate ; while the poor-rates have advanced to an equality with the amount of the whole revenue of Government, no longer ago than the accession of George HI ; and, at the same moment the tithe-owner has pressed forward with his claim, not only on the produce of the earth, but on the produce of industry, capital, and im provements, with a keenness unjustified by reason and un countenanced by former custom. The rapid and remarkable increase of taxation, within our o►•n time, compared with former times, Mr. BEAUMONT has illustrated by the following curious Table of the Amount of the Nett Produce of the Public Revenue, at the Accession of successive Sovereigns*. • On 1160 accesslon of James I 1603 . • ... Charles I. . . .• the Commonwealth, 1648 . . . Charles IL . . . 1860 . ▪ ... James 11. . . . 1688 . . . William and Mary, 18118 . ▪ . Anne ..• • • .1 Ocorge I 1714 . .. George IL . . ... George 111. . . George IV. • 1820 41100,000 896,819 1,117.247 1,800,000 900,000 2,001,855 5,695,908 1,191,803 6,762.643 8,523,540 46,132,631 . . Williams IV.. . . 111X1 . 47,130.873 Mr. BEA U MONT remarks that, in earlier times there were DO regular roses ; our sovereigns contrived to manage upon tie rents of the crown lands, the aid of the barons, the be nevolence of the chinch, and . the occasional pillage of the Jews. When they were minded to go to war, they saved up inobey to begin with, and pawned their jewels, or a province, generally, before they squeezed the people ; and, until the reign of Witt lAN 111. the House of Commons was an ef fectual check on the expenses of government. This brings our author to the period of the unfortunate in vtotion of what is called the national debt, and all the mis- • Thew are the nett amounts paid into the Exchequer, qjter de duct:no ail expenses attending the collection of the taxes ; and this. betwiti4 at die present titne, to between 4011111,011101 sad k 1100,0001., wtilch is thereto.' So M aided. la aideseg es new ot /ten' meet isilsepd. chievous consequences of corruption and gross extravagance, ' which have resulted from that easy mode of profligate governments, commanding a way to the pockets of the pub lic. He ably, but hastily sketches some of the extrava gances of the system during the wars, originating in the French revolution ; and then, returning from this national retrospect of the past, gives his reader, what we consider the most important, novel, and striking statement in the Tract, as to the bearing of taxation on labour. With the return of peace, (says our author) delusions were successively unmasked ; the unreal paper capital, was in great part driven from the market ; the real capital of gold and silver fled ; rents, profits, interest, wages, all sunk towards an average ; but the vast accumulation of taxes has remained to be borne at their full denomination, upon an an nual production, so reduced in value as to be absolutely unable to sustain it. Resuming, continues our author, the position, that the aroma/ taxes of the country can only be drawn from the annual earnings of the country; and that the annual earn ings of the country, are wholly derived from the labour of those who work, aided by a skilful and fortunate application of capital ; some insight may be gained of the effect of this increased taxation upon the condition of both rich and poor. Let us look at the number of those who work productively, and the average value of their la bourers. Mr. BEAUMONT then statls, on data which he gives, but which we are sorry we cannot extract, that the annual earnings of the productive labourers, men and women of the United Kingdom, taking 10d. a day, the average price of labour on the Continent, as the average here, to amount to 87,250,0001. sterling. We have been desirous of giving our Readers a sketch of this temperate and rational tract, because we con ceive it to be the moat argumentative, on the ef fect of taxation that we have yet perused. We like it, because facts and reason are its characteristics, without declamation ; and we recommend the perusal of the whole to the public. We are anxious to place before our readers, at the present crisis, all the varieties of opinion held on the exist ing distress ; for we think a journal should in some respects be like a stage-coach—admit passengers of various characters. To the author we are aware we have to apologize for the imperfect manner in which we have executed our task.— We have in general used his words ; but we have avoided to use quotation marks, as we have not hesitated to cut, carve, and interpolate with Piocrustian licence, his matter, as we found necessary to its compression. So that, according to this reasoning, those who live on the taxes and tithes, absorb nearly the whole of the value of the industry of those who work : and those who work, and ALL THE REST OF TIIE PUBLIC, have little more to depend upon, than the fluctuating profits arising from property em ployed in land, manufactures, and commerce, for subsist ence—and that such profits are lamentably reduced, require no proof. We must add, however, to ren der a view of the argument complete, the following important facts : that the present annual amount of govern ment taxes collected is about 51,000,0001 of poor-rates, and other parochial taxes, 10,0001. of county-rates, nearly 1,000,0001. of tithes, and other contributions to the church, about 14,000,0001. together, 76,000,0001. According to retusna in 1804, the whole rental of real property in England and Wales amounted to 38,000,0001. It can scarcely he more at this time.— The author mentions a farther burthen on the labour and capital of the people—the enormous expense of law; and, on the whole, be considers that taxation has approached the very last point to which it can be extended ; and that without the remedy of retrenchment be adequately applied, exhaus tion and resistance among the people, and bankruptcy and overthrow to the Government—must be the result. We have advice, from Maracaybo to the 19th of October, and from Bogota to the 17th of September. On the 4th of the last m ontb,an arrangment was agreed on, between t heel Commissioners of President Morquera, and then of Col.' , Senius, Commander of the Callao batallion, repealing the condition embraced in the articles of Capitulation, which required certain individuals to depart for Carthegena, within t hree days. The Government of Bogota was provisionally in the hands of General Urdaneta. The communication between Maracaybo and Bagota was again stopped : a complete revolution had taken place in favor of BOLIVAR at Mompax, which was besieged twenty days, and on taking the bridge leading to the town, 300 men were killed. Ge neral BRIEN* was in possession of the Tallies of Cocuta. All was qeiet at Maracaybo, and as this was important as a key to New Grenada, PART has sent some of his most faithful troops to garrison the place. Business was at a complete stand, and the place somewhat sickly. He conceives, however, that the case can be cured by a bold spirit of retrenchment and reform, and proposes his plans of both, which, on some future day, we shall probably notice. We have adviees from Mexico, which give the particu lars of the execution of General Victoria on the 11 th of September.—He died with great firmness. He had been, taken at Florin, and conducted to Puebla, where, a s h e h a d been condemned to death by court martial, and was ordered by a Commandant General, to prepare for death in 24 hours. He was brought to the place of execution, and the troops were drawn out. A seat was brought out, on which he placed himself, and asked permission to say two words to the people. This being granted, he rose and said, with a loud Voice, ." Countrymen and friends, I am to die ; but there will be many to revenge my death, and that speedily." He then sat down with cal.i.ness, placed his hands upon his knees with a languid countenance, and without any other movement, than merely turning his hands over on his knee. The commerce of the capital was very much depressed, and that of Vera Crux in a similar state. Cr r, TWO O'CLOCK. This being Christmas Day, it is a close holiday in the City, and all public places are closed. The Express from Paris, this morning, confirms that which we gave yesterday, in our City article ;—that Paris was tranquil, and that the National Guard had succeeded in dispersing the mob. PaarroN.--Tbe Honourable Mr. STAMLZ! has &a goes his scestiay ; and Mr. HENRY HUNT is returned I npassesisihe tar this hoesegh. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. (Fromm the Moosiinor.) " ORDER OF TER DAY. " December It " Every order of the day in moments of crisis can only repeat the thanks of the General-in-Chief to his dear brothers in arms, because each day gives them new titles to his public and personal gratitude. Their conduct on the present occa sion will not be thrown away on the general cause of liberty and public order. It will show the nature of institutions founded upon a broad and entire confidence in the rights and sentiments of the French; it points out our duties; we shall all know bow to fulfil them : and the revolution of July, which recalls to the General-in-Chief so many glorious recollections of his dear comrades, so many marks of their affection for and confidence in me, which forms between all of us, men of July, an indissoluble tie, will always remain great and generous. The General-in-Chief would gladly enumerate all his obligatiLas, but what can he do better for the satisfaction of the National Guard than not to delay the publication of the letter which he has just received ? WZDIMIDA Y MORNING, Dec. 22. It is through you, dear General, that I desire to transmit to our brave and indefatigable National Guards the expression of my admi ration for the zeal and energy with which they have main tained order and prevented all disturbance. It is to your self, however, my dear General, that I must, in the first place, offer my thanks for having, in these days of trial, again presented an example of that courage, patriotism,and respect for the laws you have so repeatedly shown in the course of your long and noble career. " Express, in my name, how much I have rejoiced in see ing re-established that ne Institution, which had been almost entirely annihilated, but which again arose brilliant in force and patriotism, more beautiful and more numerous than it ever was before the moment of the glorious days of July broke the fetters with which it had been vainly at tempted to bind them for ever. It is this grand institution that is destined to ensure to us the triumph of the sacred cause of Liberty, by enforcing from without the Kingdom a respect for our national independence, and by preserving the Laws of the country from all infringement. Let it never be for gotten that there is no liberty without law, and that there is no law where any power is able to paralyse its action and become superior to it. " These, my dear General, are the sentiments I wish you to express in my name to the National Guards. I rely upon a continuance of their efforts and yours, that nothing may interrupt that tranquillity so necessary for Paris and for all France, and which it is so essential to maintain. Receive, my dear General, a repetition of the assurance of the sincere friendship you already know I bear towards you. " LOUIS PHILIPPE. (Signed) " LAFAYETTE." "ORDER OF THE DAY. " The General-in-Chief could wish to find expressions equal to the sentiments of his heart to testify to his brethren in arms of the National Guard and the Line, his admiration and gratitude for the ardour, firmness, and devotedness, hich they manifested during the toilsome day of yesterday. He know well that his confidence in their patriotism would be justified on every occasion ; but be deeply regrets the fatigue and inconvenience to which they are exposed, which he could wish to prevent, and cannot but partake. We all feel equally the necessity of defending the capital against violence and anarchy—of protecting the safety of families and property— of preventing our revolution being sullied by crimes, and our honour compromised. We are all bound together as one man for the execution of these sacred duties • and amidst the affliction which the disorders of yesterday and those an nounced for to-day cause him, the General-in-Chief finds great consolation and perfect security in the sentiments with which he is impressed for his dear and brave comrades of liberty and public order. " Dec. 21. " LAFAYETTE." Eerace irons Me Journal dcs Debuts. We have still to relate passing events. The city is still agitated, but this agitation is drawing to a close ; to-morrow all will be over. Let us hope so : Paris does not deseive lees than the most perfect calm after such cruel agitation and such n)ble efforts to dis,ipate it. This morning the National Guard was resting after the fatigues of the week, it was scarcely 10 o'clock, all was tranquil, when the crowds which had been repulsed yesterday, appeared again in different quarters of the town. In the Rue de Tournon some stones were thrown at the posts of the National Guards; at the same time, the Luxembourg, where there were scarcely thirty National Guards, was almost besieged ; seditious placards were exhibited in some of the faubourgs ; several crowds had assembled on the place of the Palais Royal, at the Louvre, at the Tuileries, in the rue St. Honore, on the Carousel : we must acknow ledge that at one moment there was a general anxiety. A thousand strange rumours spread through Paris ; but the National Guard was there. It is to be feared that our bravo National Guard will be tired of hearing every day fresh praises ; but France is not tired of hearing them, and the National Guard must excuse us. Meanwhile the drum was beating in every street, and in a few moments these tried citizens rose in perfect readiness. The companies were formed, the battalions collected, the legions were ready. The Luxembourg was soon set free ; the sixth legion swept the rue de Tournon and the adjacent streets. Order was re-established in a moment ' • the guard on horseback rode through the F a ubourg Saint Germain. The agi tators every where surprised, withdrew in silence. On the place of the Pantheon, a crowd in disorder, led by a black flag, carried a seditious proclamation. This crowd went to the Ecole de Droit to excite the pupils to re volt. The gates of the school opened instantly, as if by themselves. The students came out en mane, and dis sipated at once this crowd of seditious vagabonds. In less than two hours the offenders were vanquished, their hopes annihilated, and, as on the preceding evening, the most vio lent were apprehended, and Paris was tranquilized. The town had scarcely had time to know the reason of its fears. One thing contributed not a little to tranquilize the inha bitants, and this was the conduct of the students—of the pu pils of the Ecole Polytechnique, of the Ecole de Droit, and of Medicine. A report bad been propagated by the malevolent to create a belief that they were to be joined by these young men in their endeavours to disturb the public peace. The youth, indignant at this calumny, on the first appearance of sedition, asked permission to form themselves into a body to tranquilize the town. M. Odilon Barrot approved of the address of the schools. We saw these young men marching through the streets of Paris under the banners of the 12th Legion ; they bore on their hats their cards of students, to convince the inhabitants of their identity; National Guards, students, all went pell-mell to the Palais Royal ; the students went to express to the King their loyal intentions and their sincere wish for the happiness and repose of the count r y. When the column arrived at the Louvre, a deputa tion, composed of Colonel Legriel and of Major A. Tardien, of the 11th Legion, of two students of the three schools, and of two grenadiers, went to the King, who instantly re ceived than. The pupils assured the King of their devotion to his person and to public order. Major Tardien, and the grenadiers expressed the same sentiments. The King re plied, that he thanked the schools sad the National Guard for dmir patriotic dancostrations ; that his sentiments were in aocordance with theirs • that to male bka continue to give Fame these Waited:as aseekazy for the ososolidaties of her liberty, order, union, and public tranquillity was neces sary. That measures were taken by his Government to en sure the observance of the laws, and that he relied upon the co-operation of all the friends of their country. The deputation retired amidst cries of " Vive le Roi !" and swearing that they would die, if necessary, for his per son. It again proceeded through the town, and met every ' where an unanimous protestation of love for Louis Philipp e and for public order. This day is quite different from yes terday. Yesterday there were mortal fears—a judgment expected with anger—an assembled Chamber—a Nen. ' tence to be protected—order to be maintained--the si lence of a town in a state of war, and all the gloomy discouragement of a people in expectation of some great event ; and when all was said yesterday the National Guard returned home in sad and mournful silence. —One would have said that all was not over, and what occasioned us some anxiety was, the reflection that amongst those men who had deserved so well of the county there were some discontented. To-day the disturbances assumed a different aspect. It was an agitation without end or object ; crowds uttered a thousand silly exclamations, like idlers who seek a little disturbance for the sake of em ployment. Above all, the good Citizens had had time, during the night to reflect upon the result of the trial, and they had understood what happiness it was for France to avoid the spectacle of bloodshed upon the Greve. What glory for themselves to have resisted such cruel recollections —to have protected those very men whose odious acts they had resisted with such valour. Yes, this might have con cluded the benefits of the preceding one—it consecrated the sentence of the Chamber of Peers—it tranquillised all minds and all hearts. Thus these two days were terminated in a very different manner. Yesterday, at midnight, all was sad and severe in Paris. This evening, at nine o'clock, the town Lad assumed the aspect of joy. From the Fauxbourg St. Ger main to the Place Royale the cry of " Vive Is Roi !" is t, be heard. Those guards who yesterday withdrew in pensive silence, as if they foresan• that they would have more to do the next day, now returned home in joyful activity, crying " Vive le Roi !" One must understand by this cry alone, that the nation is calmed—that the agitators have disap• peared, never to return—that a great tempest has passed over our heads. When a free people exclaims " Vive lo Roi !" be assured that this cry is a prayer—an exclamation of gratitude towards Heaven, because Heaven has saved it. This morning the aspect of Paris was altogether threaten ing and alarming. The sentence proaounced by the Court of Peers had made almost the same impression as the ordi nances of July on a part of the population. This Evening, on the contrary, not one single vociferation is uttered throughout the whole city. Our joy is now equal to our ap prehensions ; and fear having induced the inhabitants to il luminate their houses, the streets bear at present the appear ance of a public festival. Paris is not now preparing for dreadful scenes of strife and bloodshed but rather for re joicings. The service of the National Guard is no more wanted to prevent the disorders of the night. Let us rejoice that we have thus emerged from a crisis which all apprehend. The disorders which we expected have not taken place, and such a happy issue is due to the inde fatigable zeal of the National Guard, or rather to the excellent dispositions of the immense majority of the Parisians. It was expected that any other sentence but that of death against the ex-ministers would give rise to dissensions amongst the inhabitants, and perhaps cause the moat deplo rable contest between those who might be determined to do themselves justice with their own hands, and those who, on the contrary•, should be resolved to maintain the cause of order and peace. flowerer, such has not been the case. The defenders of order have enforced respect to the laws by their firmness of attitude and numbers, and by their 1 inguage of conciliation, not by any display of force. On the other hand the portion of the people, which was without ams, did not experience that thirst of blood, that furious delight, in seeing its victims fall, which in other times drove it to the greatest excesses. The National Guard easily soothed the anger of a people already more than half vanquished by the progress of public reason and civilization. However, we must confess that a few partial engage ments must have taken place this morning in the fauxbourg St. Germain, had not the young men belonging to the public schools interposed their authority, we may say, by crying " Order !" " Liberty !" and thus obliged both fio detachments of the National Guards and the workmen them selves to follow them. The Ecole Polytechnique, the medical students, as also those studying the law, traversed the populous gunnels of Paris which were most agitated, calming and fortifying the National Guard on one hand, and on the other endeavouring to excite feelings of generosity and re spect for the laws. The effect of this youthful interruption was really miraculous. The people followed the young men. repeating with thew the cries of" Liberty !"" Public order!" And after thus promenading during two or three hours, the crowd retired, astonished at finding that its sanguinary dis positions had entirely subsided. In the course of the evening the King left the Palaisßoyal, and accompanied a detachment of the National Guard on horseback. He was everywhere greeted by the c leo of " Vive le Roi !" We may now affirm that the glorious and powerful popu lation of Paris are closely united by the bands of m utual affection. The sentence of the Peers has been ratified by the people. The revolution of July has shown itself to be indul gent after •ictory, and nobody can say that it has been forced to indulgences, for not a single drop of blooding beau spilled to ensure respect to the laws ; and the National Guard, which guaranteed the liberty of the tribunal,—our young men, who have intervened in a way so highly honourable to themselves,—and, in fine, the people, who have listened so easily to persuasion, are all entitled to a share in this great act of national moderation. We do not think that it is the sentence itself which Wag defended by the National Guards ; and, indeed, when two hours before it was pronounced, a rumour prevailed that tad of the ex ministers were condemned to death, it was ot•ident that a severer sentence would have been more agreeable to the public in general. But, in our opinion, the Cowl of Peers would have been dishonoured by condemning the el ministers to death; and we express our sentiment with the same candour which has always guided us during the coats of the trial. The ex-ministers certainly deserved that pe nalty quite as much as those who suffered under the reet° - ration—victims of pretended conspiracies ; but as the mew- berm of the noble tribunal were almost all political friends et the ex-ministers, they could not condemn them to (loth without going against every principle of their cow:Waco'. —National. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE TIMES. PARIS, TIIIIIIIDAY, !ti/D•DAY• Having In my two previous haws described to you the state of Para this week; sad conveyed to you the sahebs apprehensions of the pest balk of the inhabitants hr the preservation of public tranquillity I new basin to infonn you, by express, that dues fears have been diuki• pater' t sad that the vhw whidt I bad taken myself that diem soneho wadi yield lushes say pass INOVISISIM of the authorities. hi" bola realised. Last might, won & esedisAiAt, *a strata vow as 611 " ihrassad, do prolog ray, aM `bad 1111111101 W, tee National fissria II If 1 4 II 1 ' I.