The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-06 00:00:00

ETTMTNG,

reckction in the proceeds of this impost, which is the
index to the prosperity of the middle clisse4, as the
Excise is to that of the work'ng-men. The tide is at
length turned, slowly enough in the first instance, but
more rapidly as the inme•ase of
it is beginning-to run
no less than 80 1101. a quarter will testify. Should
a more equitable apportionment be sanctioned by the
new Parliament, so as to remove the deep sense of
injustice that induces many persons to evade the
impost, we have no doubt that the flood will flow
very rapidly in the right direction.
The Post-office still flourishes, thanks to the care
and attention of ROWLAND HILL and the judicious
improvements introduced under his auspices. The
increase on the year is no less than 150,0001., and
that notwithstanding the additional facilities
that are almost daily brought into operation.
There is a falling off on the quarter of 10,0001., but
we must recollect that the preceding period was that
in which the opening of the Exhibition occurred, and
that the extraordinary correspondence thereby occa-
sioned led to a very considerable augmentation of
this branch of the revenue.

In the Crown Lands there is an increase on the year of
70,0001., and on the quarter of 30,0001, and on Miscel•
laneous of 140,6161. on the year, and 110,948/. on the
quarter. Of the extraordinary items, we find that
there is, under the head of Imprest and other Moneys,
a decrease of 60,392/., but an improvement of 72 9181.
on the quarter; while the Repayment of Advances
were so much more punctually rendered as to exhibit
an increase of 148,640/. on the year, and of 93,243/. on the
quarter. On the whole, the results are very decisive
as to the benefits of free trade, affording the greatest
encouragement to a further advance in the same
direction.

The General Election may be said to have at
length fairly commenced. This day not merely
thirty-three, but actually fifty .one, places are opened
to candidates for their nomination. Several of these
places, moreover, are of peculiar and, some of them
of extraordinary importance. Conspicuous, of course,,
amongst these constituencies are the metropolitan,
and at the head of these is, of course, the con-
stituency of the city of London. By the proceed-
ings taking place this afternoon in the Guildhall
of the capital the majority of the Liberal
electors throughout the country will in a great
measure be influenced. Of the happy result of these
proceedings to the cause of reform there can be no
sort of doubt whatever. Nevertheless, we cannot
but fear that, with all their recent activity, the free-
trade possessors of the franchise have not sufficiently
well reflected upon the importance of the result of the
present elections to the interests of the nation at large
both in the mother country and in her vast colonial
possessions. We speak here in reference not only to
the electors of the metropolis, but to the whole
body of electors throughout the United
Kingdom. With a considerable proportion of the
multitude we conceive that it has not been borne
clearly enough in mind that the consequences of the
present struggle are likely to affect for good or evil
the general institutions of Great Britain, not only
for a while, but through a protracted futurity, not
merely in reference to the existing, but in regard to
many future generations. Such, no doubt, must
invariably be the case, more or less assuredly, upon
every similar occasion—but never has it been more
so than at the present moment when the question
submitted to the country is extended from the
triumph of either Whigs or Tories to the victory of
Reform or of Retrogression. That, in fact, as we
have before now intimated, is the problem remaining
to be solved by the community through the
medium of the new Parliament. Unfortunately
for the Liberal interest, the antagonists of
reform possess the advantage always accruing
to those who chance to be in office at
the period of a dissolution. Unfortunately we
say, because it would be absurd to doubt
that the circumstance of Lord DERBY being at the
head of the Government at this juncture, will mate-
rially improve the position of his supporters on pre-
senting themselves to the population. Inasmuch as
the opponents of the popular interests are in power
at this moment, it is indisputable, therefore, that they
possess an advantage over the Reformers generally,
but more especially over the adherents of the late
Administration. Yet, in spite of this, we feel not less
firmly assured of the ulterior success of her MAJESTY'S
Opposition. Whatever doubts may be entertained
upon this head will at any rate, we rejoice to think,
be by no means of long continuance. Within a com-
paratively brief interval the uncertainty of affairs
will be definitively removed. It will then be per-
ceived whether the people of these islands are prepared
to forego the blessings of the course opened to them
by the principal statesmen of England, who by their
genius and their patriotism have, during the last
quarter of a century, guided the operations of the
British Government.

Foremost among these distinguished Adminis-
trators, both in genius and in patriotism,
without one moment's doubt, the Right
Honuursble Baronet, who has presented himself
to the electors of Carlisle in his capacity as one of
the most illustrious of the Liberal candidates. Sir
JAMES GRAHAM, by his many great Parliamentary
achievements during the interval above specified, has
earned for himself nut merely the respect of all earnest
Reformers, but has entitled himself in a peculiar
degree also to look for their gratitude and their ad-
miration, ins name has appeared conspicuously upon
all those memorable occasions where improvements
have been introduced into the machinery of the
Constitution. In 1827 he helped to repeal the Test
and Corporation Acts—thereby conducing in a re-
markable manner to the extension of freedom to the
municipalities. In 1829—as he .has nobly and con-
sistently done within the last three years—he took up
a distinguished position, in defiance of very extraor-
dinary obloquy, in defence of the great principles of
civil and religious liberty. In 1831 he assisted in
carrying out those large measures of reform which
were advocated at that time in the Upper House by
Earl GREY, and in the Lower House by Lord JOHN
Russxess And in 1835 be again did good service to
the country by advancing anew the cause of munici-
pal„ improvement. In 1842 he commenced with Sir
-"()BEET PEEL those admirably graduated and com-
prehensive changes in the tariff, which in 1846 were
consummated by the crowning victory of the Free
Trade
principles. In short, there has been scarcely
a tingle reform of any importance whatsoever, which
has,_ not received during the last five-and-twenty years
the direct and energetic support of the Right Hon.
Baronet. Upon his shoulders, moreover, has fallen the
mantle of that illustrious statesman, who immeasur-
ably more than Weeroee has entitled himself to be re-
men%
ered as the Great Sir ROBERT. As the acknow-
ledged arce;chieftain of the associates of Sir ROBERT
Is it is obvious that Sir JAMES GRAHAM would
command the attention of his fellow-countrymen.
But, added to the credit redounding to him as the
companion
and political successor of the departed
statesman are those honourable circumstances re-
flecting
glOry upon himself personally—those cir-
cumstasses
"" which it has afforded us such peculiar
siust-s:actima to enumerate. At one period it was con-
ssaered
that Sir JAMES GRAHAM had acted treason-
ably to the Reformers, in taking office under
Sir 0„
11--aaT, and identifying himself with the great
party of
the Conservatives. Viewing events with
the
calmness of a retrospective scrutiny, it is impos-
sible at this hour to regret the course pursued on the
occasion referred to by the Right Hon. Baronet the
late Member for Ripon, and now a candidate for the
representation of Carlisle. It enabled him to aid
more effectually than at any previous time in intro-
ducing a series of enormous improvements in the
Constitution. Those improvements conducted him
back by a natural path to a fellowship with
his former (Liberal) associates. With them he
is flow more than ever identified—and Carlisle will
do honour to itself by paying that tribute to his
services in the cause of reform which must to him be,
at this crisis, of all the most acceptable—
'lamely, by electing him with an overwhelm-
ing majority as their representative. To-
morrow is fixed at Carlisle, as well as at
fifty-eight other places, as the day of
Gladly should we announce that the Right Hon.
Baronet bad been returned without opposition in
company with the other Liberal candidate, as we have
the gratification of assnouncing this evening that a
few hours since Messrs'. GEACH and ELLICE were
in this manner returned as Members for Coventry,
Sir pAcks WOOD and Mr. LAZiOCION for the city of