The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-06 00:00:00

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.
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adm uariants teteaded lee Tbe Express," Leaden lambi pap"
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HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
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LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 6.

MiNtirexa have j well and wisely in con-
senting to the renewardor the income tax for one year
only. 'the Premier's declaration last night in the House
of Commons, of their acquiescence in the House's
vote of Friday, was most honourable to himself, and
worthy of all praise both for its spirit and manner.
There was an unostentatious frankness and cordiality

about it—that blending of conciliation with firmness
which constitutes true dignity—that reminded one,
more than any of the noble lord's recent public ap-
pearances, of what ho was, or what we used to bo-
liece he was, when fighting in a seemingly hopeless
minority iu the days of Manchester massacres, Sid-
mouth spies, and Orange ascendancy bigotry, orb
when leading the triumphant liberal phalanx in the'
days of the lteform Bill. 'We felt, in listening to
him, as if we had found our old Lord JOHN Russet'.
again after leering that he was lost for ever.
The terms on which the noble lord offered to accept
the vote of Friday as conclusive, were exactly those
which we yesterday ventured to conjecture. lie ex-
pres,ed his confidence in the honest determination of
the majority of the house to uphold public credit ;
and, relying upon this, declared his willingness to
adhere to the repeal of the window tax and the alte-
ration in the coffic and timber duties ; and neverthe-
less to accept the renewal of the income tax for one
year only, with a view to institute such inquiries
into the possibility of so modifying the imposition
and perception of the tax as to render its permanent
adoption possible if the country were satisfied with
the result ; upon condition that no alterations of it
were insisted upon in the course of the present ses-
sion. This proposal was made in language and with a
demeanour alike remote from unworthy timidity in
yielding, or the expression of any soreness at the
check that had been experienced. And in justice to the
House of Commons be it added, it was met in a pro-
per and honourable spirit. Mr. I )Nils ELl—that was
to be expected—showed that he could appreciate the
taste and tact of the Premier; and even Colonel
Surritotte, after a characteristic growl, yielded to
the feeling of the moment with a better grace than
could have been anticipated.
It may appear uncuurtly and uncordial, but in sin-
cerity, while giving ministers the highest credit,l
most sincerely and unreluctantly, for their conduct
On this occasion, we must confess, that after so many
unpleasant experiences of late we still feel certain
misgivings as to their amended mood being permanent.
We will watch cloudy the manner in which they
proceed to carry into action the plan of conduct they
have announctsl, in no captious or cavilling spirit,
but still with some fears that the betterment may not
be lusting. But if, in regard to the income-tax, they
go on as they have begun, if the inquiry is fairly
instituted and carried on, and if the most glaring
and oppressive inequalities of the tax are eliminated,
our tribute of praise will lose nothing in value fur
not having been rashly given.
We do not, on account of this satisfactory solution
of one difficulty, expect that the remainder of the
session is to be altogether smooth sailing. The un-
derstanding come to on the score of the income tax
will doubtless accelerate its close: Ministers will bo
inclined to wind up its business as speedily as possi-
ble ; and having completed their financial arrango-
nu fits, to avoid the possibility of mortifying defeats.
The independent lilberals may be disposed to acqui-
esce in the postponement of some reforms that they
have at heart, in order to avoid throwing impedi-
ments in the way of an important instalment of
financial reform, and the consolidation of free-trade
policy. The more rabid protectionists excepted, that
party is noways disposed to precipitate aresr
that would compel them to take office immediately.
Still there are inevitable struggles the result of
which cannot well be foreseen. There is a possibi-
lity of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill being defeated in
the Commons, a probability of its being defeated in
the Lords. But even though it be rejected, it will
be for reasons (or alleged reasons) that will indicate
no disposition on the part of Great Britain to truckle
to insidious or insolent attempts to extend the do-
minion of pricstcraft. The loss of the bill, if lost it
he. is not likely to lead to any now ministerial crisis
this session.

The interest of practical politicians appears, there-
fore, about to be concentrated on pont-sessional
mta, meat& A satisfactory solution of the knotty
problem of the income-tax-,—is measure removing its
. -

most objectionable features and rendering it toler-able
as a means for removing all undue shackles upon
industrial entcrpriae,would be a new and lasting bond
of union among liberals. And a satisfactory measure
of electoral reform would rally and go far to restore
entirely the liberal phalanx. Two such measures
maturid against the opening of the next session,
even if they failed, which is not likely, to command
the assent of a majority in parliament, would go far to
ensure an unequivocal triumph in the subsequent eloc-
tbnis. The leaden of the liberal party, in or oat of office,
nlio can devise such measures for national accept-
ance, will deserve, and will earn, the lasting grati-
tude of the people.
We have frankly and ungrudgingly given
minis-
ten the credit that is duo to them on this occasion.
lt would be unpardonable not to express how much
the country owes to Mr. Hrwa and those liberals
who stood by him on Friday, for this glimpse of a
better future. To their moral courage, their wise
boldness, we owe the prospect of an amelioration of
the income tax, the opportunity of reuniting
and restoring discipline to the liberal ranks.
We would not at this moment hazard the utterance
of one word that could occasion unpleasant feelings
in any portion of the liberal party; but we do think
that those liberals who shrunk from

independent
vipporting Mr. HUME'S motion must, on reflection,
admit that he judged and acted fur the beat. It is
true, as they alleged, that the maintenance of the
lacome-tax is a mw qua wain the completion of free-
trade policy. Hut the only way to maintain the in-
turac-tax is to render it not unacceptable to the tax-
payers. Mr. HUME has insured us an opportunity of
he‘ing an earliest and honest attempt made to fender
a acceptable, and in doing this he has done a service
ri the country, the importance of which cannot be
pier-estimated.

FM things would be more pleasant than a well-
founded assurance that we should never be called on
.4
pay more than a certain amount, and that a
:•10(krate one, for poor-rates. To feel safe, no matter
%hat the lack of work might chance to be, or the
Light of price for food, that we should sot be Clitilod
on for a more excessive contribution than a sum
which in years of plenty was sufficient to sustain the
rip( rriumorary hands and the caseally disabled,
would be one of the greatest blessings of a politically
Perfect state of things. To sit thus seoure amid the ills
of life, and have no anxiety for the morrow, were
th!. 1.1 alisation of an almost fabulois conception of
Fd prosperity—a social state cipriable by all
the rciadue of mankind—e condition worthy of the
Ends.

Such is the Elysian field into which Mr. ORAXTLEY
BERKELEY undertakes to lead the weary and heavy-
laden rate-payers of England and Wales. Like a
true patriot he sees the burthen which weighs down
the elastic spirit of his ram, and courageously sets
'about the work of their deliverance. Since the days
of MOSES there has not been a worthier enterprise
attempted or commenced, apparently with lees de-
Mison the faith of others, or their capacity to
trielmaelves. Nobody was thinking of the plan
reeesamsuded by the hotasurable member. Nobody
has ever evinced say "Fateful a pr iation of its
eingebr merit since it wesavoaaoed for experiment.
Mr. BMW= relies isaphirbly en the inherent vir-
tues if the scheme, lad bate solely to his own
pewee a eipble end expand it.
The jpegieet. like all greet and original ooncep-
thew is sin* in the extreme. He proposes that,
kiss and after a given day, no rate levied for the re-
lief et the poor in any parish in the kingdom shall
mesa one shilling and eispetwe in the pound. The
present average is a good deal mom even during the
resent cheap and plentiful seasons. But in many
places it has reached occasionally double, treble, and
even quadruple that amount. An end is to be put
finally and summarily to all such irregularities of
local taxation. All is in future to be equal and easy.
No man is to have an advantage over his neighbour
in this respect ; but all is to be uniform, and such as
the energetic and the indolent, the very well off and
the rather ill off, can with equal facility bear.
But inasmuch as human wants and social depres-
sions are not to be controlled by tho beneficent
theories of statesmen, and as the local demand for
aid is known to bear no sort of proportion to the suns
which it may be the convenience of particular locali-
ties to devote thereto, it is tolerably manifest that
considerable deficits must continually arise under
the working of any uniform system like that to
which we have referred. How are these deficits to
be made up? Out of whose pocket are they to come ?
" What's to be done,—or, rather, who to be done ?"
Somebody must, that's evident. One great and
never-failing resource remains; need we name it?—
the Consolidated Fund.

From that Californian mine all the exigencies of
splendid nostrums are habitually supplied; and like
the land of diggings, its borders seem to widen the
more there is taken out of it year by year. What is
to happen when it is at length exhausted, nobody
ever inquires. For the present, no appreciable clif-
krone° is felt ; and the perils of the future are un-
heeded in the pleasures of the present hour. The
prosaic fact that the multitudinous sources whence
this same consolidated fund is drawn are simply
the leaking purses of the mystified community
who were professedly about to be relieved—that, of
course, is kept out of view, with whatever ingenuity
is available fur the purpose. But of the fact there
can unfortunately be no doubt; the only doubt is,
whether people bear it in recollection as constantly
and vividly as it behoves them it should be.
A maximum rate was proposed as a desperate
remedy for a desperate state of things in Ireland
three years ago. But the utter dissimilarity of the
circumstances may be gathered from the single fea-
ture of disparity—that instead of a toceNA being
named as the sum beyond which local rating should
not go, a third was fixed as the limit which
in no case was to be exceeded. Yet even with
so high a maximum as seven shillings. in the pound,
parliament, after protracted discussion, absolutely
declined to afford its sanction to so dangerous a
principle. To meet a temporary pressure, and to
avert wide-spread famine, parliament consented in-
deed to the levying a rate-in-aid for the space of two
years ; but we believe that no emergency less awful
than tat which arose at that calamitous period could
induce any minister to repeat the experiment in
question; and even that was limited narrowly both
as to duration and amount.

Will anyone suggest thatover and abovcthc le. Gd.
maximum no provision for the maintenance of the
poor in this country should bo made ? We hardly
imagine that among the rashest and wildest of the
reactionists there is to be found a man who would
hazard such a proposition. It is perilous enough to
see property insisting upon sharing its burthens with
the frail and fugitive income derived from professional
labour, and, at the same time, devising schemes for
once more enhancingfor its own aggrandisement the
price of the people's food—it would complete the
fatal circle of its infatuation, if, after thus discourag-
ing enterprise and impoverishing labour, real pro-
perty were to attempt the evasion of tho sacred
liability to contribute whatever may be requisite to
the sustenance of the unemployed poor. How long
its own existence in security would survive. the
perpetration of so suicidal an act, we need not ask.

Some surprise has been expressed that, contrary to
what was originally intended, an address from the re-
presentatives of foreign nations to the Queen did not
form part of the ceremonial at the opening of the Ex-
hibition. The withdrawal of that part of the programme
is understood to have been caused by the want of
precedent at this court for the reception of the foreign
diplomacy as a corps or in a corporate capacity, as is
the case in France and BONN other continental
states.