The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-26 00:00:00

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD
REFORM ASSOCIATION.
(CONTINUUD ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.)
Sir,—On Wedacedey the 21st, the House was oc-
cupied by a debate of three hours on salmon. It
appeared to end in nothing, but an asseveration from
both sides of the [louse, that salmon do not "with-
draw before civilization." I cannet help holding the
contrary of this to be as certain, as that trout have
withdrawn from the waters at Sun Bridge. It is
understood to be admitted, that within the memory
of men now living, there were trout in that troubled
stream ; a fact which it is possible the modern gene-
ration of Bradford may be inclined to view as an at-
tempted imposition on their credulity. The self-
same kind of reasons which have removed trout from
disporting in the centre of your market-place, will
operate to cut off the harvest of salmon to be expected
in the Irish rivers. To sewage, gas-water, and the
refuse of manufactories, which may be considered as
common to both localities, may be added in the case
of Ireland the disturbance of steam-boats. There is
no sa3 ing how this may affect the nerves of a salmon.
He is clearly a creature in a high degree possessed of
the organ of love of country ; for though he lives in
the water, he is not content without returning to the
nook where he was born. His f.-clings thereiore on
finding his native nook disturbed by the splashings of
steam-paddlee, may be of the acutest order. It
affects even eels, who are scarcely fish at all, but bor-
der upon serpents; much more then salmon, who ere
the royalty of fish. But there is a mere fearful
cause than any of these. There is the number the
Irish intend to be eaten. It is io be feared they de-
sire to eat their salmon and have their salmon; which
is proverbially impossible._ It would be a curious
question to determine, upon knowledge of all the
habits of the population of salmon, what is the maxi-
mum of fish of valuable size, it would be possible to
cook annually and keep up the numbers, on the
supposition that there was as perfect a control over
all the processes of destruction as a hen-wife pos-
sesses in her poultry-yard. But as it is certain this
perfect control cannot be had, it may be held to be
certain that this maximum will not be maintained,
and that salmon will diminish before the advance of
civilization as kangaroos do, in spite of all that both
sides of the House of Commons can do to prevent it.
On Thursday the Taxes on Paper, Advertisements,
and Newspaper Stamps, were brought forward in
what might be called an exbeustive speech, by the
Member for Manchester (Mr. Milner Gibson). The
reply of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was based
entirely on taking advantage of the false moves of
those who appear as attornies for the people. His
reply was virtually this, " You bring heavy com-
plaints against the effect of certain descriptions of
indirect taxation. There are probably no others of
which you would not as heavily complain, if the
question was of removing them. But if'indirect
taxation is to be removed, the amount must be laid
on direct taxation. Now do you of the popular party
understand your own minds upon the subject of
direct taxation ? Have you determined, for instance,
whether direct taxation ought to stop at certain
classes, or be imposed on all ? And have you settled
whether the possessor of a temporary income is fairly
taxed by taxing him temporarily or whether he is
not ? Till you know your own minds on points like
these, how can you expect me to make alterations in
taxation ? I will do nothing of the sort, but hold on
pertinaciously to what I have."
There is no denying that this is ably and effectively
taking advantage of the blunders of adverse coun-
sellors. While these leaders cannot find out, that the
tact of being outrageously overcharged on the indirect
taxes, is a reason why the poorer portion of the in-
dustrious classes should claim to be exempted from
the direct, they must be in the position of an attor-
ney who could not discover that his client's having a
bill against the guardians of the poor, should be a
reason why he should have a set-off against the gene-
ral poor's rate. " 0 but," this attorney is expected
to say, "how unjust it would be if all did not pay
alike !" Not, it would be replied, if the fact is that
the lower incomes have been paying at ten or eleven
times the rate of the rest on another account. Now
this is what your attorneys cannot see ; so I recom-
mend your trying another firm.
The mistake, too, of not discerning that the tem-
porary incomes being taxed temporarily is to the
uttermost farthing in exact proportion to their value,
is equally fatal to the clients concerned. As long as
these mistakes go on, an adverse Chancellor of the
Exchequer must be denuded of genius, who cannot
make them the grounds for blowing your cause out
of the water as often as he likes. It is written above,
that till men manage their affairs right, they shall go
wrong ; the worse fortune for the users of print and
paper, on whom the experiment is destined to be
made.

On Friday the Militia Bill was debated, with little
result except a tedious debate and an adjournment
till Monday. Tne leader of the late Administration
declared his intention of voting for its being read this
day three months.
I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.
Blackheath, 26th April, 1852.