The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-22 00:00:00

leaving all other descriptions of insurable property
still burdened with the tax at its old rate. Tired of
bringing in bills on the subject, Mr. SHERIDAN
decided to proceed this year by a resolution of the
house, which in brief terms would serve, he said, as
a reminder to the Government that the reduction of
duty effected last year ought to be extended to all
descriptions of insurable property. The Govern-
ment, he thought, had done wrong in proposing a
reduction only on a special item, instead of carrying
into full effect the manifest wishes of the house, and
he thought if the resolution which he proposed were
carried it would stand as a standing instruction to
the Government, in case of the inability of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to carry it into effect
this year, that the duty should at the earliest
opportunity be considered and diminished.
.` The diminution which was made in respect
to stock in trade, and which it is now proposed to
extend to all kinds of property, amounted to one-
L half of the tax, bringing it down to eighteenpence
per £lOO, instead of three shillings. To this end
Mr. SHERIDAN addressed himself, but his ultimate
object is to reduce the tax to an equal duty of one
shilling on every sort of insurable property, and
this point we hope he will very shortly reach. Mr.
GLADSTONE tried his powers of argument, expostu-
lation, and ridicule in vain against the overwhelm-
ing evidence against him. His dignity was evidently
hurt at the unwarrantable interference with his
department, and he gave the house and the public
to understand that it was his prerogative to
impose and remit taxes, and that the rest of
the world had nothing to do but to pay
them. There were, he said, material objec-
tions to resolutions which picked out particular
taxes for remission ; they were hostile to the prin-
ciple which gave the initiative to the Government,
and contrary to that custom which demanded that
the entire financial condition of the country should
be placed annually before the House, " so that the
House, with that financial condition before it, may
make a selection as it thinks fit between the different
interests:of the country claiming relief." This is a
somewhat novel version of the Budget, and our
present Chancellor, at least, does not take hints so
willingly as to justify its accuracy. With regard
to motions made prior to a Budget, says the right
hon. gentleman, no good ever comes of them, and
in strong terms he denounced the imprudence of
acceding to such a measure. His eloquence so far
impressed some hon. members that they appealed
to Mr. SHERIDAN not to press his motion,
but others more clear-sighted reminded the
House that when they declared their opinion before
the Budget it was premature ; after the Budget it
was too late. Last year Mr. SHERIDAN had been
advised to trust to the tender mercies of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer with a very unsatisfactory
result, and therefore his friends strongly recom-
mended him to persevere with his motion. Mr.
MALINS very truly said that the reduction of fire
insurance duties was not a favourite measure with
our Finance Minister, and therefore it cannot be
trusted in his hands. A tax of 200 per cent. on
prudence and forethought is, as Mr. MALINS justly
observed, a tax for which no one can say a word.
The opponents of the motion last night did not pre-
tend to defend its principle, but they argued
against its reduction with a curious inconsistency.
Happily the common sense of the House was too
strong for administrative self-sufficiency or in-
difference to the public wishes. Possibly the coming
election may have exercised a beneficial result on
the division list. At any rate, after a brief debate,
Mr. GLADSTONE'S virtuous indignation left him in
a minority of 72, and Mr. SHERIDAN rejoicing over
a triumph so decisive that it must certainly exercise
a beneficial effect upon our financial policy.

Those who regard the topic in a right spirit and
with the moderation which such subjects require,
will be satisfied with the result of the discussion on
Mr. MoNsEu2s motion. It is true that we should
discard the prejudices and absurd forms of less en-
lightened days and periods when less liberal opinions
prevailed, and the hon. gentleman succeeded in
making out his case in a very creditable manner.
The hon. member showed the unsuitable nature of
the restrictions imposed alike upon Protestants and
Catholics when he alluded to the words which the
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had to use the other
day, which were calculated to excite jealousy and
inflame discord to a great degree. Confidence is the
only sure way to meet with success in arranging
such important matters as those of Parliamentary
conduct and the combination of those who must act
in concord if they are to effect any desirable object as
the result of their joint labours. Nothing can be said
inimical to the end desired if, by imposing vexatious
restrictions, and insisting upon the maintenance of
antiquated customs, we irritate and annoy a large
portion of our fellow subjects, and thus pervert the
purposes for which Emancipation Acts are passed,
and hailed as the symbol of advanced intelligence
and the triumph of civil and religious liberty. Mr.
MONSELL declared he only asked the House " to have
confidence in the Roman Catholic members, and to
believe that they did not desire in any way to injure
the institutions of the country, but were anxious to
act in perfect harmony with the other members of
the House." This is certainly fair and reasonable,
and it is satisfactory that Sir G. GREY should have
met the proposition of the hon. member in the right
spirit, and consented to the introduction of the Bill.
This is the only wise method of dealing with the
matter, and reflects credit upon the decision of the
Government. The same credit cannot be given to
Mr. WHALLEY, who went out of his way to exhibit
as much intolerance as he possibly could, and to
give utterance to the most extreme opinions. He
scorned the idea of " calm discussion," and declared
that he would not discuss the question at all, but
vote against the measure whenever it was proposed.
He also informed the Government that they had
failed in their duty in consenting to the bill being
introduced, and assured them he should take every
opportunity of telling them so. It is of no use to
expect that the most moderate and necessary re-
forms can ever be proposed without exciting
the ire of some and arousing the indignation
of others ; but if the principles of religious
liberty be persistently upheld, they must in the end
triumph over every opponent. It is not acting in
accordance with the sentiments which should actuate
a Christian country to impose such forms and ob-
servances as militate against the feeling of confi-
dence and goodwill that should be allowed every
scope for their display and exercise. So far, then,
we may rest satisfied with this introduction of Mr.
MONSELL'S measure ; and there is good reason to
hope that the sense and discretion of the House will
allow it to pass through the successive stages until
it is consummated, and thus add another proof to
the many now existing, that the laws of England do
not rest upon arbitrary form, but appeal to right
and reason, and seek their strength and supremacy
by winning the confidence and gaining the sym-
pathy of those who observe them.

The Marquis TOWNSHEND took up a point of
some interest when he asked concerning the prac-
tice adopted in the workhouses of turning out the
poor at early hours in the morning, which, in the
present inclement season, is very unsuitable. It