The Sun.
London, England, 1822-02-22 00:00:00

CIIIUTISII PICESS.]

Several Petitions were presented in both Houses.
last night, representing the miserable state of the
agriculture of the country, and 'praying for relief
.by the remission of taxes. It. is very certain that
the hopes of the people in every part. of the Em-
pire have contemplated an extent of reductidnlar
greater than the pittance which Lord London=
derry has promised to deduct from-lhe malt
duty ; and if to the expression of such hopes were
objected the necessity of maintaining a:Sinkilig
Fund of five millions, the ready answer would he,
" diminish still further the expenditure of the-
Government, and give the .people a proportion-
ate relief." The siiicerity. 'of the wishes of Par-
liament to afford 'relief to the distresSes of the
country was tried 'last night in the House of Con*:
mons by Lord . Althorpe, who ~urged the 'expe‘--
diency. of reducing taxes to the amount of at
leas't.five millions. The Noble • Lard, in pur-
suance of a previous notice, moved ti
declaring that the reduction in the. -amount 6f
taxation proposed by the Ministers
,of the Croln
does not satisfy the just desires of the country.
This resolution, as an avowal, of a matter of fact,'
could not be safely contradicted ;_for if the wishes'.
of the people were collected individually upon
this questiOnOhe friends of a further reduc-
tion. in the taxes Ni7olll(Fwry far outnumbey
the willing contributors to the. Sinking Fund.

TUT REFUGE FOR THE'DEsmuTx.—Yester-:
day the . Friends and Supporters of this Institu.-
lion celebrated their Anniversary Festival, at the
City of London Tavern, illiihopsgate-street,:bis
Royal Highness the Duke of YOR', lil the Chairy
supported en the, left by Lord Sidmouth ;, we
also noticed amongst the :company .Lord"Ex-
mouth,Sir'Claudius Hunter, Sir Charles Flowery
Bail. Alderman Atkins, &c. with several Gen-
tlemen of the Church of England and the Jewisla
persuasion. In the course of the' evening the
Report was read, from which it appeared that
Since•the opening of the- Refage at' Hoxton icr
1806, 1014 females, and 451 males bad been ad-
mitted. During the last year .115 males and
116 females have been admitted into the Institu-
tion, and the riuMber' restored to.society with
good characters, and .sttpplied. with the means of
getting their bread, amounts to 112; and there
are now in this .Establishment 60 females and
5-Bmales.

ci ir

HaY-past One o'Clock.—Twenty minutes be-
fore one o'clock an express arrived at the Stock
Exchange, with the result of the meeting of the
Gentlemen who waited on the Lords of the Trea-
fmry, as foilaws :—Government gives 105 on the
4 per Cents., and the July dividend on the 5 per
Cents ; the above stock redeemable in 7 years ;
the Erst new dividend to be paid in January 1823 ;
the interest is calculated at about 44 per cent.
At this moment the Stock Exchange is in great
confusion,Consuls for May 784 f,- I; 4 per Cents.
137-4 r.lB ; 5 per Cents. 1042

The Resolution moved last night by Lord
AL:11011PE, " that the reduction in the amount
of taKation proposed by his MAJESTY'S,Ministers
is not sufficient to meet the just expectation of
the People," was intended to put in issue the
expediency of applying five millions of revenue
to a diminution of the national debt, rather than

appropriating it to the more immediate exigen-
ciei of the State, and thereby enabling Govern,
meat to dispense with taxes to the amount so
converted. The CuANcELLoa of the Excl!EQtErt
declared (though probably with no great fear on
his mind as to the result) that the decision of that
question would determine the success of the
tQancial arrangement to be this day submitted
for consideration in another place. As far as it
depends upon the vote of the House of Com-
mons, that arrangement sets out prosperously, for
an amendment to Lord A LTILORPE'S motion was
carried by a majority of 234 to 126.

Lord A urnoneE acknowledged, that to cut
away the n hole surplus revenue, and thus reduce
the income of the country to a bare level with
Us current demands, would be an impolitic mea-
sure, and be therefore urged the necessity of
.reducing our expenditure, as well as abandon-
ing the present plans for bringing down the
:National Debt. ft would appear, however,
that, in the opinion of the Noble Lord and
his supporters, this latter scheme was to be
the principal source of hope, for the reductions
which they pointed Out are either comparatively
unimportant, or of doubtful practicability, to
say nothing of their justice or policy. Lord
ALTHORPE considered that, with respect to the
Army, after making allowance for the increase of
pay, and increase, on the half-pay, in latter
years, an " approximation" might be effected to
the expenditure of 1:79; and he conceived that the
.end could be in part accomplished by making the
Colonies pay for their own defence. This, how-,

ever, is grmmd not rashly to be ventured upon;
nor do we thiuk, with the Noble Lord, that a
diminution of the annual expenditure would be
wisely or safely purchased by abandoning or ne-
glecting any of our naval arsenals.
Lord Joll'i RUSSELL spoke of retrenchments
that might be made in the Civil List, and in the
expense of Embassies ; but, in truth, the grand
and only important resource contemplated on this
side of the House was, to put off the public cre-
ditor ! It was argued that, according to the plan
of l'ilinisters, only thirty millions of the debt
could be paid off in six years, an amount so trifl-
ing in proportion to the whole, that it was delusive
to talk of such a payment as affording. any
ground of security to the fundholder. Now,
although thirty millions may be a mere dust in
the balance, an, object 'imperceptible by the
naked eye, yet we think that very important
consequences may depend upon the continuance
or the withdrawing of this tiny payment. When
a plan has been digested and acted upon for
discharging a debt by regular proportions,
however small, it makes a great difference
in the creditor's situation, whether those pro-
portions be regularly paid, or suddenly and ca-
priciously diverted to other purposes. The sum
which he would receive in any short space of
time is, perhaps, too trifling to be missed, but his
chance of ultimately recovering his :whole de-
mand sinks almost to annihilation, when the
whole arrangement by which it was to be liqui-
dated is wantonly given up. We say wantonly,
for whatever may be the present distresses of a
part of the community, we must allow great weight
to the observation of the CIL of the
EXCHEQUER, that while the national circum-
stances are in many respects so prosperous and
likely to improve, it cannot with any propriety
or attention to national faith and justice be
contended that this is a time for a remission
of taxes by tampering with the security of
the public funds. We think we are per-
fectly justified in assuming that if the ap-
plication of surplus revenue to the Sinking
Fund be abandoned at this period, it is not likely
to be ever resumed ; fur if it is now said that the
circumstances of the country do not allow a con-
tinuance of the measure, what aspect of affairs is
likely to occur in which the people will hear with
patience of its revival ?
Engrossed as we are at present with the com-
plaints of a suffering class, and dealing compara-
tively at ease with the national creditors, it would be
as well not to dismiss altogether from our minds
the possibility of another war, and to ask our-
selves in what situation all classes in the coun-
try, landholders as well as others, would be
placed, if we were called upon to commence
a new contest under the difficulties attend-
ant on on impaired state of public credit.—
It should also be fully considered how far
the agricultural body is really affected by
the present state of taxation, since it is very ge-
nerally allowed that the distress did not origi-
nate in that cause ; and it has been strongly ar-
gued, that a removal of taxation, even to the
extent required, would not meet the evil at its
fountain-head.

In reply to a question from Mr. BERNAL, Mr.
WicmoT stated last night in the House of Com.
mons, that no Order in Council had been issued
for opening the trade between the West India
Islands and America ; and that the step could
not possibly have been taken, inasmuch as the
Act which authorized the issue of such Orders
expired six months after the signing of the defi-
nitive Treaty of Peace.
Mr. HumE made eight motions for returns.

We received this morning the French Papers
of Tuesday, of which the following are Ex-
tracts :

" PAnrs, FEB. 19.—Yesterday the President
and a Deputation of the Chamber of Deputies
presented to the King the Projet of Law on the
Journals, adopted by the Chamber in its Sitting
of the 17th.

" Workmen are now employed in preparing
for the erection of the monument in honour of the
virtuous Malesherbes, which is to be placed in
the Great Hall of the Palace of Justice.

" Private letters from Naples, of the 31st
January, state, that, in consequence of the re-
cent disturbances in Sicily, two Austrian regi-
ments have been embarked for Palermo, and
1000 men from the garrison of Messina have
been sent to the same destination.

" Several individuals belonging to the princi-
pal families of Palermo have quitted Sicily, and
repaired to the Continent. Many persons under
arrest have also arrived at Naples, among whom
is the Ex-Deputy Dragonetti. Nine individuals
have been shot at Palermo : the Abbe Villa and
a Notary are of the number ; and many others
are threatened with the same fate. Lieutenant-

General Nunzianti is invested with very eaten
sive powers for the maintenance of order.

" The Bavarian Chambers have assembled,
and their first preparatory sitting took place on
the 15th January. The King, in his opening
Speech, expressed his satisfaction at the creation
of the Provincial Councils, which enabled the
provinces to state their desires and wants, and
also with the concordat, the execution of which
ought not to give the Protestants any uneasiness,
inasmuch as it did not interfere with other Chris-
tian confessions.

" We learn from Aschaffenbourg that Baron
Dalberg has received the following letter from
Madrid, dated the 6th of January :

" The enthusiasm of the Germans for the cause of Greece
has excited the warmest admiration of the Spaniards. We en-
treat you to Inform the Public that, at the end of the present
month, an expedition of 300 warriors will assemble in one of
the Mediterranean ports, who will be furnished with supplies of
every description by the Cortes, notwithstanding the Treasury
is so poor.

(Signed) " Count of Palma.
" P. Diaz do Moralez, Deputy to the Coites
" Nicol. Lucente, Political Chief."

FRENCH FUNDS.
Feb. 18, Five per Cents.
Bank Stock... ..............

90 f. c.
X 62 f. Lu c.

"FRANKFORT, FEB. 15.—We know from good
authority, that the definitive answer of the Rus-
sian Cabinet to the last note of the Porte, modi-
fying the conditions of the ultimatum of the
Emperor Alexander, has not yet been received
at Vienna.
" We learn from Petersburgh, that couriers
are continually passing between that capital and
the head quarters of the army of the Pruth.
Frequently the'dispatches are sent by officers of
high rank.

" HAMBURGII, FEE. S.—(Extract of a Private
Letter.)—The. German Company of the Indies,
which is formed of the principal manufacturers
in the North of Germany, and whose central
establishment is at Elberfeld in Prussia, has just
opened a commercial intercourse with St. Do-
mingo, and particularly with that part which
forms the Republic of Hayti. It has sent thither
a vessel laden with German manufactured goods,
to be exchanged for colonial productions. This
vessel is arrived safe at Port au Prince, and the
Agent-General of the Company, M. Holzschue,
has had an audience of the President Boyer, by
whom he was well received. The Agent-General
delivered to him his letters of appointment, and
presented him with a piece of silk, manufactured
at Elberfeld, on which the following inscription
was stamped :—" Homage of German Industry
to Alexander Boyer, President of Hayti."

NEW ENGLAND COFFEE-HOUSE, FEE. 22.

NEW TARIFF OF MEXICO.

Duties established by the Mexican Government.
ON EXPORTATION.—GoId, 2 per cent.; sil-
ver, 6 per cent.; cochineal, valued 75 dollars,
10 per cent.; granilla, valued 25 ditto, 10 per
cent.; vaynilla, valued 40 ditto, 10 per cent.;
granilla dust, valued 10 ditto, 10 per cent.

ON IMPORTATION.—Foreigners to pay 25 per
cent. ; Spaniards, for national goods in Spanish
vessels brought from Spain, 15 per cent. port
entry, Vera Cruz, Tampico, Alvardo, Sans Bins,
and Acapulco. Flour and tobacco are prohi-
bited; other produce of the Kingdom prohibited.

IRELAND.—The accounts iJf outrages received
this morning are not very numerous. Some more
burnings and robberies have however been per-
petrated. It was a party of the Listowell Yeo-
manry who so gallantly repulsed the Insurgents
in the late attack upon Listowell Barracks.

On Monday th.r4 Special Commission for the
County of Cork proceeded to the trial of the
Whiteboys and other prisoners confined in the
County Gaol. The Court was crowded, and
was attended by many persons of distinction. A
panel, consisting of upwards of four hundred per-
sons summoned as Jurors, of whom not thirty
were absent. Fourteen prisoners, named Murphy,
Reardon, Lehane, Brun, G oggin, Buckley, Lucy,
Hurley, Hincky, Kelleher, Schriven, Swiney,
Lynch, and M. Swiney, were put to the bar,
charged " with having, at Carreganimmi, in the
County of Cork, on the 24th of January, assem-
bled illegally, and fired a gun on the liege sub-
jects of the King ; secondly, with having
fired a gun at ROBERT If. ErRE, Esq. and
other persons ; —and thirdly, for being pre-
sent when a gun was fired by a person
unknown."— (This was the affair with the
King's troops after the attack on the Cork and
Tralee Mail Coach.)—The ATTORNEY-GENE-
RAL, in stating the offence of the prisoners to the
Jury, said, that the objects sought to be obtained
by the deluded men who had recently committed
so many outrages were very difficult to be as.
certained. It was accurately known, however,
that it was an association of the lowest persons,
without a single man of respectability, leagued
together for purposes, which they, perhaps,
scarcely knew themselves. If purposes they had,
they were purposes of undefined hostility to the
establishments of the country, without the capa-
bility of substituting any thing in their place.
Their oaths required obedience to unknown
leaders to effect undefined purposes. " To say that
a religious or political feeling had any influence
in them, was idle and absurd. They were an
association of ruffians, who had severed them-

selves from earth and heaven,-,--outcasts equally
fr©m God and Religion, whose violence was di-
rected as well against the Prie:A at the Altar as
the Monarch on his Throne. Bold, hopeless, and
fearless as they were, to mention Religion in
conjunction with them, was to profane its sacred
name and character." After a long and patient
examination of Nvitnesses on the part of the
Crown, amongst whom were several gentlemen
and soldiers, ten of the wretched men were found
guilty ; and four, namely, the two Swineys,
6'chriven, and Lynch, were acquitted. None of
the prisoners called any evidence, except as to
their character.

PITT CLUB.—It was recently predicted in the
chief Opposition Journal, that the political cha-
racter and principles of our late illustrious States-
man, to whom all Europe is indebted for deli-
verance from the most formidable Despot that
ever oppressed mankind, were sinking fast into
contempt, and that there would be " no more
PITT DINNERS "!! ! To the mortification, if not
to the shame, of the factious Prophets alluded
to, the PITT CLUES are daily increasing in ge-
neral estimation, and there are not fewer than 46
of the most respectable characters now candidates
for admission to the FOUNDATION CLUB in London,
who are recommended by many of the most re-
spectable of the present Memb,ers. To chew
still further the folly, ignorance and falsehood
of the Factious Seers; the ANNIVERSARY DINNER
in honour of the birth-day of our great departed
Statesman and disinterested Minister, is an-
nounced, and it has been proposed that a second
Monthly Dinner should be held in April. There
can be DO doubt that there is an equal zeal for
admission into the numerous PITT CLUBS through-
out the British Dominions, and we predict that
the name of PITT will descend with increasing
veneration to the latest posterity.