The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-21 00:00:00

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4.,:77
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Tibt

LONDON, SA6CURDAY, MAY 21, 1853.

A terrible suspense hangs at this moment over
the fate of Turkey, and not only over the fate of
Turkey but over the destinies also of Christen-
dom. It is a matter of profound anxiety to re-
member how much is• dependent upon the nature
of the next intelligence from Constantinople. We
have already observed, in these columns, that it
was only on the sth instant that the ultimatum
was sent in to the Divan by Prince MEN-
SCIIIKOFF. We have remarked that the ac-
ceptance or refusal of that ultimatum was
rendered imperative at the latest by the
10th instant, according to the haughty and
peremptory intimation
•given to the Sublime
Porte by the Russian Ambassador. Nov, up to
the moment of writing, we have only received
despatches from the Golden Born up to the 7th
instant inclusively. Consequently, when those
despatches left the Turkish capital three days yet
remained before it was requisite that the Divan
sh Add respond affirmatively or negatively to the
ultimatum sent in by the Russian Government.
Rumours have, nevertheless, been rife—of course
—to the effect that the SULTAN has yielded, and
that the CZAR has been left in this matter trium-
phant. Those rumours, it is needless at this
moment to observe, are without any foundation
whatsoever. At the best they are mere conjec-
tures.. Nothing definitive could possibly be learnt
Yet, and the information given tothe public, both
in Paria and in London—purporting to recount the
real nature of theresult of the Russian ultimatum--
therefore .-
tical, simpl; E,.llnply gratuitous, simply hypothe-
unfortunatfy nthbrtle.f, a fabrication. Supposing,
accordancea m the end it should prove to
have been in,
with what has actually
taken place in Constantinople—it will still have
been tiotliing better mia
less, however, on that'accaoublunetke ily.none the
shamefullygues unjus-
tifiable. It is earnestly to
indeed, that
the next information this country
from the Sublime Porte will be in
meTcally the
revers© of what has been recently 'predicated, for
reasons it were needless to conjecture,
deUrpelolic-ii the
decision arrived at by'the Divan will
future, we repeat, not only of Turkey, but, indi-
rectly, also of Christendom. Should the u/iima-
tum bb accepted, it will hand over the European
dominions of the SULTAN, at once virtually and
unconditionally, to the AUTOCRAT. Should it,
on the other hand, be rejected, as . we
trust and believe that it will be rejected,
ABD-ui-MEDJID will command forthwith the
aid of instant co-operation from the four great
European Sovereignties. The Emperor of
Russia would inevitably, in that event, find
himself opposed, not only by the monarchs of

Austria and Prussia, but also—and in a more
earnest manner—by Queen VICTORIA and the
Emperor NAPOLEON. Turkey would discover her
safety, not so much in treaties or in diplomat ,-, as
in the sense of justice common to all the chief
States of Christendom.

The contest on the Income Tax Bill has been
postponed. It last night received its second
reading without prejudice to future proceedings.
Mr. DISRAELI, and those usually acting with
him, reserving to themselves the full right of
bringing forward in Committee any amendments
they might think proper to propose, and it
being also understood that they must not be
supposed to have at all assented to the prin-
ciple of the Bill. This was a generous and
at the same time a judicious course. It
proved that the Right Honourable Gentleman
was not actuated by any desire to embarrass
Ministers, to whom time was of considerable im-
portance—that his opposition was not of .a fac-
tious character. All parties concur in the opinion,

that something in the shape of an Income Tax or
Property Tax is essential, that no suitable sub-
stitute can at present be found, and that a delib-
erate refusal to revive it would greatly confuse
the national finances, and materially damage the
public credit. No person of proper feeling would
incur so formidable a risk, while there was
any prospect, however remote, of the re-
moval of the serious obligations to the sys-
tem which expired on the sth of April,
an„,,,,ihich' is now intended to be revived. If the
only alternative lay. between the renewal of the
Income Tax without modification and its total
rejection, a serious question might arise ; but
while there remains a reasonable expectation of
improvement—although it should only be a slight
mitigation of the serious evils, a very gradual ap-
proximation to an equitable arrangement—every
allowance should be made. The contest should
not be one of outposts, or on matters of trivial
importance, but on questions of deep and serious
interest, involving the practical utility of the
measure.

In addition to the several amendments to the
original resolutions on which the opinions of the
Committee will unquestionably be taken, two of
paramount importance will be brought forward.
The one relating to the period for which the im-
post shall be renewed ; the other to the distinc-
tion (if any) to be established between permanent
and precarious incomes, and the establishment of
the direct taxation of the country on a sound and
equitable foundation.
On the first point, we have repeatedly urged the
great benefit that would be derived if the popular
branch of the Legislature, the guardians of
the National purse, retained a certain degree of
control over Ministers, by compelling them to ob-
tain the Legislative sanction, to raising at least
some considerable portion of the National Re-
venue in each, and every Session. We showed
that a direct impost was the only one in which
this control and power of periodical revision, or
even of absolute rejection, could safely be main-
tained, inasmuch as to leave the Customs or Excise,
or, indeed, any indirect duties in doubt, would
greatly derange and materially prejudice all com-
mercial and manufacturing transactions in re-
ference thereto. Nor is it every species of direct
taxation that would answer for the purpose. If
the House Duties were frequently tampered with,
it would injuriously influence the dealings be-
tween landlord and tenant, and reasonable objec-
tions might be urged to any item of uncertainty
in the list of the Assessed Taxes. But nothing of
the kind could fairly be complained of with re-
spect to the Income Tax. By its means alone
could that salutary control be obtained which
makes " the People' " the true source of legitimate
power." Although we might not agree with the
demand for Annual Parliaments, seeing the mis-
chief that might arise from such frequent appeals
to the country, and the incessant agitation and
excitement that would be maintained, we can per-
ceive no possible danger from an annual bill for the
renewal of an Income Tax, on which, if once
equitably adjusted, no debates would take place,
or time be wasted.

But if an annual appeal to Parliament were
considered too frequent, there certainly is no rea-
son why the term of the Income Tax should be
extended from three to seven years. How, we
ask, can any consistent Parliamentary Reformer—
men who profess to be desirous of shortening the
duration of Parliament itself from seven to three
years—vote for such a proposition ? A short
time time since we should have said that
such a notion was too absurd to be deemed
worthy of serious consideration; but, unfortunately,
our faith in public men has been so greatly shaken
by recent transactions, that we shall abide the
event before venturing to express our opinion on
the result. But this, we will say, that if profes-
sing Reformers vote for the renewal of the tax for
seven years, they will exhibit a degree of slavish
subservience to Ministers disgraceful to them-
selves as men, and very prejudicial to the best
interests of the community, and more especially
so to those of the industrious classes, for whom
they profess to be the zealous and disinterested
advocates.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, FRIDAY.

The Queen and Prince, with the Princess Royal ac-
companied by the Duchess of Kent and Princess Ade-
laide of Hohenlohe, and attended by the Marchioness of
Ely, drove over to Ryde yesterday afternoon, and re
turned to Osborne at seven o'clock.
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon attended on
horseback.

M. Musurus, the Turkish Minister, transacted busi-
ness yesterday at the Foreign-office.
M. Drouet has returned from the Continent to take
charge of the Belgian Legation, in the absence of M. Van
de Weyer.
The Lord President of the Council and the Countess
Granville returned to their residence in Bruton-street on
Thursday night from Dublin.

Viscount Palmerston returned to his residence ir
Carlton-gardens on Thursday night, from his seat,
Broadland, Hants. The Lord Chancellor had an inter.
view with the noble viscount yesterday at the Home
office.

Mrs. Gladstone returned to town yesterday from
Eden-bridge.
Lord Mulgrave transacted business yesterday at the
Board of Trade.

Dispatches were sent from the Colonial-office yester•
day to the Governor-General of Canada.

MR. MITCHELL'S BENEFIT.—We perceive that Mr.-
Mitchell takes his benefit at the St. James's Theatre on
Wednesday next, the 25th. Mr. Mitchell is a manager
of consummate taste and enterprise, and it is mainly him
we have to thank for the existence of a French play in
London. It has now become as much an essential of the
season as the Opera itself. Considering the brilliant
stars which he has at times transferred to its orbit, and
the varied treasures of art and genius poured in such
profusion before his audiences, we think that not only
the Western world of fashion, but the larger dramatic
public owe him a considerable debt of gratitude. Not
that there has ever been any backwardness in acknow-
ledging it on these occasions, for everybody knows that
Mr. Mitchell's benefits always were and always are
bumpers. We feel certain, too, that they always will be
—am ne s'arrele pas dans un si beau Moran—and, there-
fore, we expect to see the house crammed from top to
bottom on Wednesday night. The performance on this
occasion will be under the immediate patronage of her
-Majesty ; and the .programme consists of the very ex-
cellent comedy of Le Mari a la Campagne, with the
Bonitomme jadis, of which M. Regnier has made such a
favourite. The comedy has not been performed since
1850, and will only be performed once during this
season, on the present occasion, which is the last night
,but two of the comedies.

THE COMMON COUNCIL AND THE CITY RAILWAY
TERMINUS.—Some of the opponents in the Common
Council of the proposed Railway Terminus in Farringdon-
street—the greatest City improvement which has been
projected for a series of years—yesterday carried their
hostility to the scheme to an extent which was positively
discretitable. By the most miserable quibbling to
which it would be possible to resort, the parties to whom
we allude sought to reject the petitions of the citizens
in favour of the project. For the sake of the character
of the Corporation, we trust that at the adjourned
meeting of to-day, there will be such an expression of
terrllte:ciii
ionorgu:tsyasolfvitllbient
Council
efia patent ton allo the
aro sure and
dtt
rni
feovrefrryiefurdienofd another tesympathy with the
unworthy conduct of these persons. We
be to-day at his post at theof themeeting
o of
tv
eh iccho
Common
s mbou nt
the interests o the City, will
Council.--Moritie/7As
Commis-
sioners appointed by the Crow
/ .ser
COMMISSION.—The Commis-
. THE HULL BRIIIERICertezOI.I
to inquire into alleged
corrapt practices at the last and previous
iirevious elections for
the borough of Kingston-upon-
given notice
inquiries
L.lrge number
lave
at the Town-
that they will commence their
hall,' on Monday next, the 23d in siti.e,
of warrants have been issued. T
nussioners are
Mr. R. Solly Flood, Mr. John Deedes, and Mr. Wm.
Balliol Brett.

MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL
INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWO 0 CLOCK.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 7,000 bales, of which 2,000 were taken
for exports and on speculation. The market was
firm and steady. The Railway Share Market
opened firm, but closed rather weak, with a down-
ward tendency.
The changes in the Bank of England return were
of some importance again during the week to last
Saturday. There was a further reduction of de-
posits and an augmentation of other securities,
leading to the conclusion that money was in de-
mand, and this precisely tallies with the fact.
Compared with the previous week, the changes are
as follows :
Active circulation....

£23,162,805
307,040
18,219,017
6,204
3,151,746
4,937
5,095,691

Decrease

Bullion