The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-19 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1853.

Well, as we had anticipated, Mr. GLADSTONE
remains firm and unyielding on the subject of the
Property and Income Tax. True to his antece-
dents, he refuses to make any concession whatso-
ever. He still, and notwithstanding the implied
promises held out by the Ministerial Leaders of
the hereditary and representative branches of the
Legislature; refuses to recognise any distinction
between precarious and permanent incomes—be-
tween the fluctuating earnings of industry and the
certain proceeds of accumulated and realised pro-
perty. The country surgeon, earning 3001. per
annum, must still pay as much as the fortunate
owner of 10,0001. Three per Cent. Consols ;
and no allowance will be made for the expenses
incidental to his profession, and without • which
he could not discharge the duties by means
whereof he can alone obtain an income to be
taxed. In like manner, the Barrister who
has to go to circuit, and to different sessions,
must pay on his full receipts, in the same propor-
tion as the proprietor of well-circumstanced
ground rents, and that, although the latter may
apply every shilling of his receipts to such pur-
poses as he may think proper, while at least 2001.
out of the Barrister's 3001., will be absorbed by
the professional expenditure which he cannot,
under any circumstances, evade or even diminish,
'if desirous of extending or maintaining his prac-
tice.

We confess that we are in no degree surprised
or disappointed. We were not misled for a mo-
ment by the insidious, and, as it now appears,
:totally unwarranted intimations given by the Earl
of ABERDEEN and Lord JOHN RUSSELL. There
was a studied vagueness and uncertainty in their
declarations, which, while intended to convey the
impression that an equitable adjustment of the
present iniquitous system was fully determined
on, still bound them to nothing tangible, and left
too many loopholes for escape, to be received with
confidence. We felt that Mr. GLADSTONE could
not, after his speech on the DISRAELI Budget, with
any regard for his character or consistency as a
public man, consent to any modification. We
acted on this impression, and the accuracy of our
predictions have now been fully verified. With a
perverse and unyielding obstinacy he has abided
by his first determination, and will stand or fall
by an unmodified Income Tax. If the Fiscal Re-
formers be only true to themselves, we cannot
doubt which it will be. We would remind them
that no degree of expediency can sanctify an act
of injustice, and a more gross and infamous act of RefleCtion can only impress, more and more
injustice was never perpetrated than' the equal strongly, upon the public mind, the cruelty of
taxation of every description of income, without
referencethe attacks which have so frequently been directed
tothe source from whence it may be
obtained. aeainst KOSSUTH, the illustrious Leader, and
It
malatstehrs not that there are good points
once the Liberator, of the Hungarians. The ex-
in the financial
theeme-Tand we shall freely and endeavours'posure of all these infamous endeavours to depre-
willingly approve
portions worthy of commen-
d ciato his character cannot but tend to elevate him
dation, the unmodified Income Tax is a d
that must prove fataal tmno- Of that be possible) in the estimation of every
ing blot, a plague-spot
the entire project, and lead to the removal from the Englishman. The latest of these despicable
office of the Ministry that have lent themselves
so inequitable. attempts at insinuation, while it was undoubtedly
to a proposal in every respect the most flagrant, was also, at the same time, the
As to the contemplated cessation of the impost most paltry and the most utterly contemptible.
in 1860, we look upon that as beinc, neither more KossuTh implicated in the seizure of a large store
nor less than a gross delusion. What financier of arms and ammunition ! The search made by
can look forward with Certainty to even three order of her MAJESTY'S Government ! This
atrocity bruited abroad as an important discovery
years, much less seven. Before the arrival of the. by
Considerable talk
the Times and other rejoicing newspapers 1
time the country may be involved in a sangui-.
ogended
. nary and expensive war, or wars , or even sup-about satisfying the ends of
ment on jutistice, of inflicting summary punish-
posing that the Exchequer continue in a prosperous
neiliatory . explanations upon the
. condition, and that everything progresses accord- I inc, into'
le refugee conspirators, and of enter-
oc'currence withee
ing to the most sanguine anticipations of the Rightl
Hon. Gentleman, what right has he, we ask, to giveladvi„rs ! Many
were deceived
the Austrian EMPEROR and his
the then Parliament, or legislate as re by this confident
any pledge for bluster --and —an yet the whole transaction
then arise ? or to forestal
. to be nothing turns out
to the surplus that may
office ? Unfortu- ! •mare's nest
the labours of his successor in • immediately it is brought under" the considera-
'lately, however, we have had too many promises, ;t. : ion of Parliament. It can
scarcely be for-
already violated, to yield any credence to its con- gotten very soon, that the "large store of
templated cessation. It will be too convenient a ! arms a consisted of sundry unloaded shells and
tax ever to be relinquished. Nor would ye have 'rockets ! That not an ounce of powder was coma