The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-10 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 10.

" You may bring me to do anything you wish. if
you only set about it the right way." one of Mo-
unties heroes is made to say, after he has been
soundly cudgelled. Sir CHARLES WOOD appears to
be much of the same way of thinking: for alter long
and stoutly maintaining that the Income-tax Act
was unsuseeptible of amendment, he last night. with
Mr. IftwE's whacks lively in his recollection, anti
Colonel Stunt ,ma's cudgel impending over him,
brought forward a clause fur the relief of tenant far-
mers. This concession had all the grace of an agree-
able surprise, after Lord Jolts; Itt•ssELCs sturdy de-
claration, that having accepted the renewal of the
tax for one Year only, he could entertain no propo-
sals to modify it at present.
Mr. BRIGHT expressed surprise at the facility with
which the CitAsefiumit of the Exclibitmt had
brought himself to introduce the clause in question;
and hinted that traders were entitled to a similar con-
cession. Mr. BIM:11VA surprise appears to us altoge-
ther groundless. The traders, as a bdy. rarely
run restive now, and put ministers to trouble; while
the farmers are arrayed against them in permanent
hostility. Ministers see no cudgel in the hands of
the trading interest : why should they do anything to
pat it in good humour? Front the year of grace
down to the present moment the uniform policy of
the whigs has been to reserve all favours for enemies
—that is, out of the tinnily circle. Their maxim has
been, that it would he sheer extravagance to do any-
thing to purchase the good will of those who are
well-disposed towards them already— they think
their acts of kindness more usefully aisposed of in
buying oaf the hostility of opponents. They feel confi-
dent that the bulk of the trading interest in parlia-
ment will do nothing to platy them in new minori-
ties; but they are by no means so confident in the
self-denial of the agriculturists.
'this unforeseen disc .very on the' part of the CHAN-,
ct:t.bon of the ExettEut-Eu, that he can, at the lust
moment. do something to alleviate the pressure of
the income tax upon the farmers, is in perfect keep-
ing with his Vacillating and veering policy in regard
tuthe agricultural interest throughout the session.
To please the landlords and their tenants, a sentence
was introduced into the (IrEEN's speech, admitting
and lamenting the existence of agricultural distress.
It was expected that this wordy compliment would
be sufficient to mollify them, kit these gentlemen-
being of opinion that `• tine words butter no pars•
nips, insisted that corresponding deeds should fol-
low. This was inconvenient ; and the consequence
was, that the country was edified by the sight of one
minister rising after unother in the debate on the
address, to demonstrate that the agriculture) distress, !
proclaimed in their own Royal speech. did not'
exist. The wind has again shifted, end with it the
whig %%ale; not only is it confessed that the in-
come-tax has pressed unduly on the farmers, but
something is to be dune to alleviate the pressure.
The CatxcEt.t.tia of the EXCHEQUER. when pro-
' pounding his clause for the relief of tenant farmers.
indulged with great march, in a nipturons burst of
self-laudation. •• Ilard-hearted, " he exclaimed, '• as
the Cu %sl:Limit of the EXCHEQUER was considensl.
or indeed was eompelled to be, he hoped that on the
Ipresent occasion they would be of opinion that he
ead given due ronsi•deration to what he must fairly I
admit well deserved the attention of the house—
the complaints of the tenant %mem." Never was
anything heard so touching. except perhaps little
J.itx Roux ER'S—. what a good boy am I ! Yet
the tenant farmers might retort that if their coin-
plaints well deserve attention now, they were equally
deserving of it three months ago ; they might say
that it would have been more hemming the CHAN-
cr.t.t.ou of the 14:wilt:in-PACs responsible position to
have outdo the coneession he now makes at once than
to have wasted three months in quibbling and femme-
big. and seeking to persuade them that it was un-
called for. And every tither interest in the!
community will ponder and rack its mind
with conjectures about when its turn is to come—
when the Citistiaion of the Emits:gent will dis-
cover that its (-complaints deserve attention and are,
susceptible of redress? Never, we inns- venture to
affirm. till, like the farmers. it takes cage] in hand. ;
It is this trimming and tergiversation in matters I
financial—and in other matters also—that hash
brought about the present lamentable dislocation of
the liberal party in parliament. Ministers appear
to have no object but to gain time and tide over clif-
ficulties. The liberals have no common task set be-
fore them upon which to concentrate their energies,.
anti every man carves out some work for himself, and
quarrels with his neighbours because they mind
their own affairs, instead of helping !dm with his.
There are ahnost as many parties as individuals in
the liberal ranks. And to tell the truth, but that
Lard STAXLLY has had the sense to keep out of aim
we should have seen ere now the Writ's in a
wetty similar ptedicament. The doughty heir of
DErtny knows better than to run his head against
the stone wall of free-trade; and while he and his
lieutenant were loitering before it, puzzling their
heads what work they could set their idle followers
to, in order to keep them out of mischief, the 'twit-
sneyns HMI Slialirntl, would have broken out into
11111'11 mutiny. The era of ministerial minorities ran
tie sir FIN, away until we have • • ten able and
eating 1., ndly their followers to sweomplisb
1111,11Tfilkill* lie it ailministridive, or legisla
nee, use Ci. 11041116.11111 11•611111. stork ',ollie M.V,
ICIIINtir task they must chalk net for their folloa ere,
if flay would have them a diseiplined bdy, instead
of n stragt:ling, immunitgenlele mob.