The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-15 00:00:00

or less, and in winter the poor must have fuel to enable
them to go on with the labour by which many of them
gained their subsistence. If they had not the means
of purchasing it they naturally betook themselves to
pilfering from the woods and demesnes of their wealthier
neighbours--and this, besides confounding right and
wrong in their minds, necessarily created a degree of ill-
will between those whose property was stolen, and those
who were of necessity compelled as it were to turn pilferers.
A state of animosity was, therefore, engendered between the.
poor and rich, by the difficulty which the poor found in
obtaining a supply of fuel." Now why did these cogent
and unanswerable objections to a coal tax occur to the
mind of Sir Robert Peel, on this occasion, for the first
time? Why did he never suggest them to former Chan-
cellors of the Exchequer, who had been his colleagues, and
more especially to his friend Mr. Goulburn ? In truth,
there is something about the " Opposition side" of the
House which has a wonderful effect in illuminating men's
minds upon the actual state of the country, and the inju-
rious consequences of various foolish measures of the col-
lective wisdom, which appeared to be perfectly unobjec-
tionable when seen through the " golden mist" that enve-
lopes the Treasury benches. We trust that, if Sir Robert
Peel should ever find himself again on the seat of power
he will recollect that a bad system of taxation may demo-
ralise a people, and that there are crimes for which the
dolinquent deserves pity, and the legislator punishment.-
-Morning Herald.

Our readers will see with regret, from the proceedings
of the two Houses of Parliament last night, that the small
tax proposed to be levied on funded property has, in con-
sequence of the opposition offered to it in the City, been
abandoned by his Majesty's Ministers, and that the taxes
on glass and tobacco must be continued. For the adoption
of this course we were not assuredly prepared ; sad much
as we are inclined to give credit to any Minister who shows
due deference to public opinion, we must be frank to own
that, in the present instance, his Majesty's Ministers
have been but too ready to yield, and have yielded, not
to public opinion, but to the interested manoeuvres of
a junta in the City, who get their daily bread by deal-
ing on the Exchange, and whose business in this way
might have been affected by the proposed tax. The Go-
vernment ought to have stood firm to its proposal, and
shown its determination to release industry from its tram-
mels, and increase the comforts of the working classes by
increasing their employment. The country would have
supported it; and from all that passed in either House of
Parliament, we see no reason to doubt that it would also
have found ample support in them. The proposed con-
tinuation, in consequence, of the tax on glass will be,
. . .

if not a serious evil, at least a serious diminution of an
attainable good—a serious drawback on an increase of em-
ployment—and a serious obstacle to the improvement of
a manufacture in which we are excelled by almost every
country in Europe. The abolition or diminution of the
tax would have given rise, not only to an increased
consumption, but to corresponding improvements in the
quality of the article. So also with the tobacco trade.
The duty, as every one knows, is extravagantly high, and
has given rise to an enormous system of smuggling, which
would have been in a great measure done away with by a
reduction of the duty. With respect to the condemnation
of the consumption of the article, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer had nothing to do with it. It may be useful
or it may be hurtful ; and the only facts that he had
to deal with in considering it were, that tobacco was
consumed to a great extent, and principally by the
working classes, whom it was his object to relieve, and
that the high duty upon it was not only a great burthen
upon them, but led to smuggling, and a consequent ',de-
terioration of the public morals. The Chancellor of
the Exchequer, therefore, determined to abandon as much
of it as he conceived could well be spared from the receipts
of the Exchequer ; and we would fain hope, notwith-
standing his unwilling desertion of the land and fund tax,
that he will still be persuaded to continue the reduction.
We have no doubt that the modified, would be as pro-
' ductive to the Treasury as the high, tax. In addition to
the above taxes, it will be seen that a discussion was got
up on Cape wines, and Canada timber, and on the most
senseless grounds. With regard to the former, they may,
or may not, be taxed ; for the public generally cares
nothing about the matter ; but with respect to Canada
timber, the sooner its importation ceases the better. It
possesses no one quality but cheapness to recommend it,
in comparison with the Baltic timber.-3forn. Advertiser.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.