The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-30 00:00:00

THE

Majority against the Government 117

Neither of these calculations, however, can be ac-
cepted as in the smallest degree conclusive. They
are the deductions drawn by the mere wishes of par-
tizans. They represent not the position of parties
in the new House of Commons—but the
position in which they would gladly be found—the
one by the Opposition and the other by the Govern-
ment. Already we have shown that by a somewhat
reasonable calculation the 76 Liberal Conservatives
might be divided into two unequal portions—yield-
ing 16 to the Cabinet and 60 to the Opposition.
This, however, we have waived as so entirely matter
of conjecture (no matter how probable that conjecture
may be) that it cannot possibly be accepted as satis-
factory. The more reasonable system will be to
separate the 76 " Doubtfuls" into two equal divisions
of 38, to be respectively united to the Liberals and
the Derbyites. At least this is fair and reasonable on
the part of one of the organs of the Opposition. Because
the most unprejudiced admit that out of the 76
Liberal Conservatives a considerable majority must be
found formally arrayed against the Administration.
Of this there is no question whatever amongst the
unbiassed. But this we will not, in any way, require
in our calculation. We will demand merely a fair
division of the 76 Liberal Conservatives. We will
apply merely a moiety and not a majority to the
Opposition, applying the other moiety to the
increase of the number of the supporters of the
Government. Adding 28, therefore, to 309, we
shall find 347 as the aggregate of the Liberals ; and
adding 38 to 268 we shall find 306 as the aggregate
of the Ministerialists. The result stands, therefore,
simply thus :

Opposition

•.• ... oss 347

Government ..• ... 306
...

Majority for the Opposition ... 41
In the foregoing it will be perceived, surely, that
our endeavour has been to calculate the result with
all possible accuracy and fairness. This is sufficiently
proven by the consequence of our deductions. In-
stead of insisting, as we might without extravagance
have insisted, upon the correctness of the first
rough estimate, yielding a clear majority of eighty-
five against the Government, we have carefully
deducted 76 " doubtful" Members from the 653
already returned, and by dividing these 76 equally
between the Ministerialists and the anti-Ministerial-
lets, we have reduced the majority for the Opposition
from eighty-five to FORTY-ONE. Reduced though
it is to less than half its original dimensions, it is still
a majority, and a majority, moreover, sufficient for
all the purposes of an Opposition. Against an
Opposition thus formidable it will be impossible
for any Cabinet, however chivalrous, to preserve its
authority with any degree of independence. The
supporters of Lord DEanY may, therefore, congra-
tulate themselves upon what they are pleased to call
the triumphal response given to the Ministerial ap-
peal to the country—Blackwood, the chief
among the organs of the Cabinet, may ex-
ult in eloquent terms, as it actually does
in the course of the new number for the month of
August, singing a rapturous paean over the answer I
given to Lord DEBBY by the electors ; but in spite
of all these shouts of victory from the upholders of
the Cabinet, it is manifest that the existing Govern-
ment cannot long survive the powerful majority se-
cured to the Opposition.

The draught report submitted by Mr. HUME for
the consideration of the Select Committee on the pro-
perty and income tax is a document of no ordinary
importance, affording conclusive evidence of the in-
defatigable exertions of the veteran Reformer to
overcome the difficulties that had discouraged so many
official financiers. Ho has boldly grappled with the
subject, entering in detail into every point that has
at any time been put forward in support of the mon-
strous system so long sanctioned by the British Par-
liament. The fallacies have been unsparingly exposed,
and his own views clearly and distinctly put forward,
so as to be easily intelligible by every person of ordi-
nary comprehension. This is a great step in advance,
for fiscal and monetary reforms have hitherto been
retarded by the obscurity in which they were in-
volved. The justice of the case was totally lost sight
01 in the thick and almost impenetrable sights raised
by interested parties, who endeavoured to maintain a
dense cloud through which the lights of reason and of
justice could not be discerned.
It
Was frequently pointed out that nothing could
be more unfair or inequitable than the equal taxa-
tion of every description of income, no matter from
what sources
derived, and whether permanent or for
limited periods, unalterable or precarious. The evils
were admitted, but it
was said, you cannot obtain
anything perfectly
unobjectionable, and therefore, as
you cannot expect to achieve perfection, you must be
contented with the present system, with all its glaring
anomalies and absurdities. It
national revenue to endeavour to
shift
Was usual also for the
person whose especial duty it was
to those of the
to
o b manejetheetos
burdenrgs,
at
nh
from his own shoulders de
to require those who exposed the
although the task
abuse to
upon himself. Mr. R would more
p r
per
i d
ley a
havefallen,rem e y
cut has, how-
aPer-co
er%earocepted the challenge, and has produced a plan
which, if not altogether unimpeachable,
is yet incom-
parably superior to that now in operation, and which
may well form the basis of future legislation.
subject the Hon. Gentleman, for
In entering on the
the purpose. of bringing the matter more distinctly un-
derhree branches, viz.-Ist, On
the present mode of assessing the
notice, divides it into t
mode of collecting the
pro-
perty-tax ; 2d, On the present
income and
same ; and 3d, Whether:any other mode of levying
that tax, so as to render it more equitable, can be
adopted, and observations thereon. From this di-
vision, it may easily be conceived that the two first
branches explain the objections to the present system,
while the third indicates the nature of the proposed
remedies. This is nearly but not altogether the case ;
for undcr the first head a very important fact is
put forward—viz., that with the single exception of
persons on low wages or saluriee, which have a c.ipi•
tali,e4 value below a certain amount necessary for
subsistence, "all the property in the United Kiug-
dom, and the capitalised incomes of the indus-
trious classes, should be assessed at an uniform
and equal rate," and he follows it up by the propo-
sition, that " to levy a tax on a small portion of the
owners of property of the country is inequitable
and dangerous," a proposition the truth
whereof we freely and willingly admit. The
question then will turn on the collateral
issue, and whether
a man's labour not yet
applied can be classed under that head. We think
not ; and so far we differ from the Hon. Member for
Nontrose, believing that labour should be totally

free and untaxed. In all other points we cordially
concur with the Honourable Gentleman, whose views
are perfectly correct and unimpeachable so far as
property, justly so called, is concerned.
Theseprinciples are chiefly that the income should
be taxed, not according to the actual returns, but
according to the capitalised value, and
that no exception should be made from the charge
save that already referred to with respect to low
wages or salaries, and something, which is rather
hinted at or left open for consideration, as to pictures
and articles for the improvement of art. On the first
point the propriety and expediency of the suggested
modification is very clearly set forth. It is indeed
so monstrous that had it not received the Legislative
sanction on three occasions, in addition to the ad-
journments for two successive years, it would appear
to be a fighting
against shadows to enter on the
question. It is too ridiculous to assert that the
owner of an annuity not worth more than three
or five years' purchase should be charged as highly as
one worth 33 years' purchase. Indeed, if the tax be
rendered permanent, as is almost certain to be the
case, the owner of a long annuity, which
would expire in the year 1860, would in
1859 be charged 7d. in the pound, or nearly
three per cent. on the capitalised value, while
the proprietor of Consols would be charged only
Is. 9d., or little more than 1-12th per cent. on the
actual value of his property. As to the second
point, we strongly object to any exemption whatever on
realised property, whether productive or unproductive.
It leads to fraud in every form in which it is tole-
rated, and should be steadfastly avoided in any system
intended to be permanent. Let labour then be free,
and every description of property taxed according to
its real value, and we shall arrive at the true princi-
ples of fiscal science, which will be equally just and
politic.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The illoniteur has another article on the elections.
It says—
" The conduct of the Government in the elections
which are about to take place has been unanimously ap-
proved of by the populations—a sign of the fortunate
movement which has taken place in public opinion.
With rare exceptions, the journals of Paris and those of
the departments have proved the fact which is so re-
assuring for the present, and so fecund as regards the
future. In every normal situation expressing the ac-
cord of the country with the Government, there is an
ascendancy which silences resistance, and leads opinion.
When such a state of things is compared with that which
occurred in analogous circumstances, it is impossible not
to be struck by the radical difference which separates
us from the time still so near to us. The quarrels
of parties, the actiie of their dissensions, the violence
of their conflicts—everything revealed a profound
trouble in social orgenization. At Present' under
the influence of a Conservative genius'
the fever
which exhausted the vital force of the country has
become calm; better days have reappeared. The truce
of passions and parties, the awakening
of public opinion,
the renewal of credit and business—what a sudden re-
turn! what an unexampled change! In calling once
again the universality of the citizens into this new field,
the Government remains faithful to its origin; and it
widens still more, if possible, the vast circle in which it
has given a rendezvous to all noble sentiments and all
revive legitimate interests. Some incorrigible men, who neither
love nor understand their country, in
vain endeavour to
the i:eez to restrictionsof
the
theirpaco-operate
past, to establishc, categories
amongst n; the spirit
of the new times, and the patriotism of the Government,
baffles their attempts. The eight millions of votes to the
Chief of the State were given by all ranks—the accla-
mations which have just been addressed to him issued
from every breast. France forms cno sole and same
people, and the Government has the legitimate pride of
representing it completely. This community of views
and efforts makes at once the force and glory of the
Government. The coming elections, the circumstances
which signalise them, the results they announce, are a
proof of this intimate accord, a new guarantee for the
future of our institutions."
We find a long article in the Constitutionnel on the
elections in England. This journal, which is the
organ of the Protectionist party in France, admits
that in England the result of the elections has shown
that the Free-traders are in too large a majority for
it to be possible for the Ministry to carry out the
Protectionist principles which it proclaimed when in
opposition ; but it contends that the partizans of free
trade in this country have no ground for supposing
that the triumph of their friends in England will in
the slightest degree promote their own views here.
According to the Constitutionnel, the class of persons
in England whose pressure has established free-trade
principles is decidedly opposed to them in France.
The municipal council of Moulins has voted 10,0001'.
for the reception of the PRINCE PRESIDENT of the
Republic, in case, on his visit to the south, he should
pass through that city.
The Brest journals state that PRINCE JEROME has
sent orders by telegraph, that the honours due to his
rank shall only be paid on his arrival in the roadstead,
and that in the town and port there shall be no official
demonstrations.
- -

It is stated by the Constitutionnel, that on the ap-
plication of M. RENOUARD DE BUISSIERES, two of the
exiled ex-representatives of the Bas Rhin, M. KOPP,
and M. Bocu, have been pardoned, and that M.
Bocu has already returned to his family.
The mint of Strasburgh, as well as those of Paris,
Bordeaux, and Lille, is to take part in the new copper
coinage.
The funds and railway shares experienced an addi-
tional rise. The Four-and•a-Half per Cents. opened
at 1031. 70c., and closet'. at 103 f. 85c.; the Three per
Cents. closed at 73f. 50c. ; Orleans Railway Shares,
1,425 f.; Rouen, 938 f. 75c. ; Havre, 375 f.; Great Northern,
662 f. 50c.; Avignon, 485 f.; Basle, 3001.; Paris and
Strasburg, 657 f. 50c.; Paris and Lyons, 7651.; Great
Western, 6251. ; Lyons and Avignon, 6061. 25c.; St.
Dizier and Gray, 5501.; the New Austrian Loan, 954.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT T.dE

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JULY 29.
Grand Junction of France, 5-yB—Paris and Lyons, 19%
Paris and Rouen, 37%—Paris and Strasbourg, 255/8—
Western of France, 107/8.