The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-06 00:00:00

quillity to the contending nations of Christendom.
A pitched battle on the banks of the Danube,—
simultaneously with the bombardment of Selo.sto-
, pol by the combined fleets underAdmiralsDurrlnAs

and HAAfF.T,IN—and with the bombardment of

Cronstadt by the united maritime armaments
under Admirals NAPIER and DESCIL NES,—
the latter attack leading to the erfywning
onslaught upon the capital of St. Peteiuburg
thus might the maritime Powers con-
trive to effect the conquest of their gigantic foe as
by one irresistible thrust of a trident, or as by
the overwhelming rush of a threefold thunder-
lbolt,. The allied forces having actually set out at
le sigth, the English from Scutari and the French
fi •om Gallipoli, to unite with the Turkish army at
S chumla, by way of Varna and Adrianople—all
vi '0 can do now is to await the result of those
iilitary combinations, sustained in hope by an
i nplicit reliance upon the benignant aid of GOD.

The Public Revenue and Consolidated Fund
Charges Bill, which passed through committee in
• sal
• the House of Commons on Friday, will meet with
univer: approval thoroughout the country.
'There was scarcely any matter more strongly
_PresF,ed. by fiscal and financial reformers than that
-13 f b ringing all the expenditure of the nation under
-the control of Parliament, of subjecting the costs
of collecting any impost, to the supervision and
.rection of the guardians of the public purse.
Leretofore it was the "net" returns only that were
b rought into the Exchequer. A portion of every
tax was deducted in the first instance. There
vas a stoppage in transitu of indefinite amount,
r expecting which Parliament knew nothing, a,nd.
,4could obtain no accurate information. The Go-
-vernment "ouvriers," the employes in ail the
public offices, were paid their salaries and. extra
'claims; without being exposed to any impertinent
inqvaries or observations on the part of any offi-
cieras member. Everything was involved in a
dense cloud of mystery that effectually prevented
a' ny hope of amelioration. The medicated atmo-
f There surrounding enchanted ca-Ales iu the old
: fairy tales did not more effectually paralyse the
, energies of the chivalrous knight errants burning to
achieve the rescue of sleeping Princesses, or the,
. restoration of deposed Monarchs, than did' Vac
system of keeping the accounts puzzle the brains
and entrance the faculties of the modern Reform-
era of established abuses. The effect was very
similar in each instance. The chivalrous assailant,
wl 'ether armed with glittering and well-tempered
fa Achim or grey goose quill, with steel-pointed
ante or adamant tipped, was invariably cast into
a deep sleep or trance, during which the abuse
vanished from his sight, and such terror was in-
flicted on his soul that, however brave, he shuddered
at the notion of returning to the onslaught. The most
inveterate detector of arithmetical errors—Vac)
keenest economist would shrink from attemp4,;ing
the solution of a problem in which all the data
were withheld, and there was not the faintest
I glimmering light to guide 'him in the devious
course on which he had entered. Hence it, was that
:matters, which would attract immediate atten-
lion if witnessed in a striking point of view, were
suffered to linger on until they became " grey
iniquities," and their very antiquity was relied on
as sufficient to prevent any improvement.
But it was not merely the expenses of collection
that were deducted from the "gross" proceeds.
The system afforded too many opportunities for
jobbing to be neglected. Situations were created,
not for the purpose of carrying out the nomijal
objects, but of rewarding political adherents. The
waiters on PROVIDENCE not merely looked out for
vacancies, but exercised their ingenuity in finding
out new offices that, although practically sinecures,
would yield handsome incomes to the recipients.
Generally some plausible apology was offered that
might excuse the nomination ; but if the
illegiti-
mate offspring or favourite of a Sovereign was to
be provided for, if a patriot was to be " con-
ciliated," or, in plainer terms, to be pur-
chased, the matter was accomplished by means
of a perpetual annuity or annuities, which were
deducted from the accruing revenue before any
payment into the Exchequer.

It was this latter part of the case that inter-
posed the greatest obstacle to any reform. The
pensioners were, generally speaking, men of
exalted rank, with many influential connexions
who were enabled to stifle inquiry. There could
scarcely be an Administration, whether Whig or
Tory—a joint stock, in which some friend or re-
lative of the Dukes of GRAFTON or MARLBOROUGH,
of Earl COWPER, or other aristocratic sinecurist or
pensioner, did not hold a prominent position
that enabled him to procrastinate, and eventually
shelve, the disagreeable subject. Thus, then, the
evils gathered strength in their progress until
their duration could be counted not by years,
but by generations, and if we desired to search
out the origins, we should go back to the profli-
gacy of the Second CHARLES, or the wide-spread
corruption of the WALPOLE Administration.

Mr. GLADSTONE is entitled to no ordinary
amount of credit for having the intrepidity and
disinterestedness to grapple with these monster
grievances. If we are ready to condemn any
error committed by the Right Honourable Gen-
tleman, we are no less willing to bestow the praise
which he has so richly deserved, and to
make honourable mention of his zealous
and energetic exertions. It is true that
we do not concur in all the details of the pro-
posed measure—that we should earnestly desire
some alterations or modifications in its provisions.
But we also feel that it is a long step in the right
direction—a large instalment of justice ; and that
the man who had not merely " introduced the
sharp end of the wedge," but driven it " three
parts home," has deserved well of the community,
and that his reward should not be alloyed by
direct censure or " damned by faint praise." If,
therefore, we venture on suggesting any amendment,
it is not for the purpose of depreciating the efforts
or detracting from the praise of Mr. GLADSTONE,
but rather of rendering the measure what we be-
lieve he desires to make it, as efficacious as
possible.
The reason for withdrawing the Crown lands
from its operation is obvious. A direct and posi-
tive contract had been entered into between our
dearly loved SOVEREIGN and her affectionate and
loyal subjects. The Royal Lady had relinquished
the lands' revenues of the Crown to her people in
return for the provision which they made for
the proper maintenance of her dignity. But
certain stipulations were made which could
not in any degree be interfered with
not merely without her direct assent, but at her
especial instance. There should not be the
slightest appearance of coercion or even pressure.
But those who know and appreciate the character
of the Royal Lady, will also know that the wel-
fare of her people is her greatest desire, and that
she will not permit any private or personal
interest to stand in the way of promoting that
welfare. We may, therefore, reasonably hope
that the initiative for placing these matters also
under the control of the Legislature will be
speedily taken.
Other things, such as the salaries of Judges,
already on the Consolidated Fund, are to be left
there. The propriety of these changes are beyond
the possibility of doubt, but that is no reason why
they should not be left to Parliament. There
should be no question on such matters, and ex-
emptions antdhoaeptxpceptions are always objectionable,
asshealifte°rrdioll
g
owrhtuionhitiiess
bfoeyronrdealreapbrousaz. underlve
trust this matter may
lat.
One
e be remedied ere it is too
great objection, however, relating to the
hereditary pensions we shall not touch on at pre-
sent—requiring more time and space than we are
enabled to bestow in this impression,
therefore, for the present, not notice thew all
claims of
the Dukes of GRAFTON and MARaasonotrou, the
heirs of the Duke of SCHOHBEROH, Earl COWPER,
and the fortunate assignees of the late CHARLES
BOONE, Esq., with whom, however, we shall have
a word to say anon.

OPERA COMIQUE, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.--These
performances were to have commenced last night with
Adam's Le Bijou perdu, but Madame Marie Cabel, and
others of the artistes suffered so much from their pas-
sage across the Channel, that they wore unable to ap-
pear, and the opening of the theatre was postponed to
Wednesday next.