The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-15 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR 0? THE BUN.

Ste,—We of the middle classes are much indebted to
you for the expression of views very current among us.
All the sophistry of Mr. Gladstone last session failed to
convince us, as it failed to convince you, that to tae
equally the fruits of industry and the proceeds of realised
property is anything but a gross injustice. We sub'
mated, because we could not help it, and wished to be-
lieve that the days of the injustice were at least num-
bered. Still, though we endured it, it was but the en-
durance of a blister ; and our irritation was increased
at finding that when the legacy duties were applied to
real property it was let off with about half of one of the
duties, and the other, the probate duty, was retained
upon personal property alone. Yet, sir, when war taxe
were to be raised, it was, if you will pardon such 3
phrase, where the raw was already established that the
first stroke and the second stroke too were laid on. Our
financial charioteer gave us first a stinging twinge on the
tender part, with the hint that if we took that without
kicking we should be spared for the rest of the year ;
but finding we only winced a little and went on quietly,
down he comes upon us quickly with another, and
doubles the most odious of our imposts.
Not a word meanwhile about equal probate duties on
real property, not a word of equal legacy duties, not a
word of a temporary loan guaranteed on the large amount
which inch merely equitable taxes must bring in. No;
the iniquitous schedule D must be doubled outright to
irritate the middle classes, and beer taxed to tease the
working man, while even the ladies were to be provoked
with an attack through their grocers' bills. For all this
I fear you suggest the natural reason. We have a Con'
tinental Ministry—a Russian, Prussian, and Austrian
Ministry—a Ministry in coneection with a Court inevi'
tably of German sympathies, and but too reluctant to
embarrass Austria and its circle of Courts, detested, as
they are by the people of this country, as the most con-
temptible set of promise-breaking despots under
heaven. We cannot comprehend that men, who bad
in their hands the infamous secret correspondence, could
have believed for a moment the protestations of Nicholas
and Nesselrode last year. We rather think they were
unwilling to stay his ambition at the cost of humbling
his pride, and that we are now involved in war because
they would not openly denounce his proceedings last
spring. He himself knew that weakness which hi.
Danubian defeats and his skulking navy have displaYst`
ever since he came in contact with Turks, Englishmen,
and Frenchmen, and he would never have dared to move
a soldier across the Pruth had we but had a Premier
whom he could not coax and wheedle.
But even now, sir, we shall not complain of our
unequal taxation, if we get an honest equivalent for it.
If it turn out that Russia is to be really humbled, that.
our fleets and armies have orders to destroy without
mercy everything military belonging to the enemy ,
Europe ; if for our ten millions we see her Black Se'
and Baltic forts and navies destroyed, her troops e2‘'
pelled the Principalities, the mouths of the Danube
utterly taken from her, her unrighteous treaties throe!. n
into the fire, and, in addition, most of us would 11"
Bessarabia joined to the Principalities, the Crimea
Turkey, and Finland to Sweden ; if we can see '"
things as these, why we shall not be nice about a little
money. Our fear is, sir, and it is well Ministers should
know it, that after having laid on taxes in the nri!'s
offensive manner, they will then prosecute the war for-
bearingly to the foe ; and, hoping we shall be uneae
under our ill-adjusted burdens, take advantage of h7oi-
ing made the war plaguy to us to get the best terms
the great protector of European despots.
Let them not, however, calculate too confidently;
we may see fit to demand a Cabinet purified from
c,_
Rus-
sian influence, and a Premier who will not care so in? u.
for German Courts as for the people of Great Britain ,
and if the harvest should be as bountiful and as early as
it now appears likely to be, Providence will soon give
us a remission of natural taxation which will, perhaps
more than counterbalance the unjust artificial imposts
of Mr. Gladstone and his chief. We
may
not be
80
easily frightened then as they suppose ; money at le least
will he easier, trade brisker, and all of us better able to
bear the burden.--I am, sir your obedient servant,c,