The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-04 00:00:00

with much pleasure throughout •the country.
The Government are to proceed in earnest in
the removal of the Jewish disabilities, respecting,
which there has been so much unnecessary shilly-
shallying. Much dissatisfaction had been ex-
pressed throughout the country, more especially by
the citizens of London, who had been for several
years partially disfranchised through the indecision
of the RUSSELL Government. This serious griev-
ance, it is to be hoped, may be promptly and
efficiently remedied. There was also something,
of a pledge as to a Customs Administration Re-
form, which has been urgently demanded by those
who have suffered considerable injury and annoy-
ance from vexatious regulations) which, although
not essential to the security of the Revenue, are
yet enforced with the utmost stringency. We
may now fairly anticipate a fair and reasonable
remedial measure for these unquestionable evils.

Something, too, was said in reference to the
Income Tax ; but we regret to be obliged to add
by no means so clear or satisfactory as on the
other points. There were very ominous and sus-
picious references to the opinions of Mr. PITT,
Lord LANSDOWNE, and Sir ROBERT PEEL—hints
the more significant when we consider that Mr.
GLADSTONE is the colleague whose " time and
attention is to be devoted in order to see in what
manner the measure can be amended, and in
what manner the measure thus amended can be
defended." The Noble Lord also expressed hisbelief
that it " would not be possible for any man, or
set of men, entirely to expunge injustice from the
measure," but at the same time declares that he
thinks it "possible, though not to attain a just
measure, to make a greater approximaticn to justice
than in the measure hitherto in force." And feeble
as the encouragement contained in this admis-
sion must be considered, it is still further dimi-
nished by the subsequent qualification, that
,c if not successful in the endeavour, they
will come down to the House of Commons
and expose all their arguments and reasons on
the subject, and ask the House of Commons fairly
to judge whether they have not fairly grappled
with the question with the view of making v s just
as possible the measure in regard to that large
portion of our revenue." Nous verrons. We
shall see how far the faint and rather doubtful
promise may be kept. But of this, we can assure
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, and his Ministerial colleagues,
that the country will not be bamboozled by any
casuistry, however specious, int ) the belief that
precarious and fluctuating income—the result of
physical or intellectual labour—is equivalent to
fixed and permanent property, which is produc-
tive whether its owner be sleeping or idling. Let
the new Ministers look to it, for on their decision
will mainly depend their tenure of office.
Lord PALMERSTON, who, we regret to say, was
suffering under the remains of the illness which
prevented him from taking any part in the vote
or division on theßudget, had not so many explana-
tions to offer. His absence on that occasion pre-
cluded the necessity of offering any defence against
the imputation of undue motives. The Noble
Viscount spoke liberally and fairly of the late
Administration, to whom he rendered full justice,
in a tone and spirit that will be appreciated by
themselves and by the community in general.
One point his Lordship adverted to in respect to
his present position in the Cabinet. He declared
that "the Home Department was the office he
wasmost desirous of filling." We cannot, of course,
doubt his Lordship's word, but we believe that
the country would greatly have preferred seeing
him either at the head of the Ministry, or, if
not, in the department which he had so lcng filled
with credit to himself, and advantage to the
nation ; and in which he acted so as to cause the
name of " Englishman " to be respected through-
out the civilised world.

The Memorial so numerously signed by the
different classes of society, on the subject of the
persecutions of the MADIAIS at Florence, which
was placed in the Home Secretary's hands in
December, for presentation to her MAJESTY,
undoubtedly expresses the feelings of detestation
and disgust with which anything like persecution
on account of religious opinions is viewed by a
vast majority of our countrymen. " The sacred
right of every hu man being to liberty of conscience"
is commonly supposed to be a governing principle
throughout the whole length and breadth of our
empire, and as " lovers of liberty, civilisation, and
security," we are ready to join in the strongest
protest against every " violation of the right of
every man peaceably to follow the dictates of his
own conscience." We also share in the " abhor-
rence at the spectacle of a woman on such a
charge," as ROSA MADIAI was tried on, " con-
demned to imprisonment in the degrading com-
pany of the worst of criminals." Actuated with
these sentiments, our attention naturally turns to
The situation of many persons of both sexes in our
own country exposed to disabilities, privations,
and penalties, solely on account of their religious
belief, which the public in general have no idea
of, and which we think only requires to be fully
brought before them to be speedily remedied.
We allude to the situation of those indivi-
duals who, being neither Quakers, Mora-
vians, nor Separatists, but belonging some to
the Church of England, and some to Dissenting
Communities, believe the taking of an oath to be
strictly forbidden them in the New Testament.
They take the Bible as their only guide in Religion,
and, exercising the right of private judgment, are
compelled to the conviction that the taking of an
oath is contrary to their Christian duty, because
they find in the New Testament a positive com-
mand from our SAVIOUR against it, and that com-
mand repeated and enforced by one of his Apostles
in an Epistle addressed to the twelve tribes, to
whom, under the Mosaic dispensation, oaths were
lawful. This is the reason of their belief, and,
without entering into any discussion on the sub-
ject, it will surely be admitted that, as Christians,
they should rather be entitled to respect
for striving to carry into practice the pre-
. c3pts of their Drvi-NE MASTER, than to be sub-
jected to disabilities, privations, and penalties
for following the dictates of their conscience.
We will now briefly state the nature of these dis-
abilities, privations, and penalties, and the public
will be astonished in learning that Christian' men
and women in this country, where religious free-
dom is admitted to be an inalienable birthright of
every human being, should in the present day be
liable to them for no other cause than that,
honestly acting on the glorious and distinguishing

principles of Protestantism, they have been coin'
pelled to adopt a belief on one point of religion
different from that which is commonly received in
the world. In political life they are excluded
from all the higher honours and offices,—from
being a Privy Councillor, from being at the head
of any public department, or the Governor of a
colony, and from every office where the person
appointed to it must take an oath before he can
enter on its duties. If born to a peerage, or
1 1I t
Ttaol
.ti electedrtehhyae:
tang
aP;t,
rn.ao,:sg the House of Commons, they cannot
take their seats ; and, descending to lower ranks
('n,. society, we find that even if they are unopposed
Registration Courts, Courts, they may be disfran-
-1 clasecl at eve contested election by the bribery
a tenderedpett to them by the opposite party.
sit on the bench as a magistrate,
municipal
affairsywor a special constable ; and in
dspeercritviwughicthhenatheir fellow-citizens Ofe also trace their disabilities,
offices of honour and re-
ling to confer upon thrv-citizens might be wil-
tthheemLatowtaalliyid etxicioludeehdurfrnerho.ro, In civil life we find
so
llle professions, as
commercial matters they and we know that in
tages which others are freellrf under
These are
evils, and to them mi.riotnith:e added that
4:ffiaCtedfetrititilltis:
they cannot act as an executor, ors z
trator, and if called on to fulfil either
must commit to others the management 7 they
iaffairs which, often involving matters of family
arrangement, it is most desirable to be kept entirely
in their own hands. Again, when summoned as
jurymen, they are punished with fines ; and in the
common occurrences of life they are liable to fine or
imprisonment every day, since no one can say but
that in his daily avocations something may happen
which will require him to give evidence in a court
of law ; and then, because he cannot violate his
conscience, although most willing to give the