The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 13, 1849.

MAJOR V. MAJOR.

In this case also the wife proceeds against the
husband, Mr. Wm. Major, for a divorce, on the
ground of adultery, and no opposition being offered,
the application was granted.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Nov. 12.
(Before Mr. Commissioner HOLHOTD.)
IN Its BISHOP.

The bankrupt was the proprietor of the Oriental
Club House, Vere•street, Oxford street. The case
came before the Court on Thursday last, when the
bankrupt's examination was adjourned sine die, and
without protection. A few minutes before 3 o'clock,
however, the bankrupt surrendered, and his protection
was enlarged until this morning at twelve o'clock.
That hour having elapsed without the bankrupt
making his appearance,
Mr. DUNCAN applied to the Court to issue a warrant
for his apprehension. His Honour would recollect
that the bankrupt's property in Vere street had been
seized by a Mr. Alfred Mortimer Job, who had put
into the house a Miss Angelina Job, and who re-
tained possession. The Court's summons to Mr. Job
was a perfect nullity. No such person could be found
to exist.

His HONOUR granted the warrant against the bank-
rupt's person.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Nov. 12.
(Before the CHIEF COMMISSIONER.)
IN RE RENTON NICHOLSON.
'I he application of the insolvent for his discharge
was supported by Mr. Cooke. Mr. Sargood opposed
on behalf of Mr. Shenton and Mr. Morrison.
The Court being informed that the insolvent was a
tavern keeper, inquired what was the name of the
tavern ? The insolvent—The Justice Tavern, 36,
Bow-street.
The COMMISSIONER—Oh! The Justice Tavern.
Insolvent,examined—Was arrested on a debt of
261., and is now out on bail. Had been insolvent on
three previous occasions, his debts under which
amounted to 11,3811. The debts on the present oc-
casion were 5,550/. ; making a total of 16,9311.
Had paid 5,0001. on the debts due under the previous
insolvencies. Did not now possess anything for his
creditors, unless the bankruptcy against Mr. Ellis,
of the Cremorne-gardens, should be superseded.
He believed it was about to be so superseded. In
this case he would be entitled, during the remain-
ing portion of Mr. Ellie's lease of Cremorne-gardens,
a period of eighteen years, to a salary of 300/. per
year, and which he was quite willing to set apart for
the liquidation of his debts. All his other property
had been disposed of.
Mr. SARGOOD—Have you not disposed of a car-
riage to Mr. Wrench ? The insolvent—Yes; that
K as my state carriige.— (Laughter.)
The ComeressloNEß—Just explain what you mean
by state carriage.
The insolvent—lt is the carriage, your Honour,
that, as 'president of the Judge and Jury Society, I
had used for the purpose of driving about the west end
and the parks. It brought business. It had a coat
of arms emblaa .ned upon it.
The COMMISSIONER—It has quite a judicial ap-
pearance, I suppose.—(—Laughter.)
Mr. SARGOOD (to the insolvent)—When did you
last take a drive in it ? Insolvent—l never rode in
it at all. I have paid for the carriage, but I had not
the means of buying the horses.—(Laughter.) I
purchased the carriage at Tattersall's in 1846. The
carriage and harness were deposited with Mr. Wrench
as security for a debt of 1501. In May, 1848, I had
in my possession certain wood blocks. They were
made use of in illustrating certain works.
The COMMISSIONER—What works ? The insolvent
—The Illustrated London Life.
j His HoNourt—The Illustrated London Life!
Insolvent—These cuts had been given to Mr.
Mayon as security for a debt of 601. A chandelier
had been given to a creditor. The other creditors
might probably recover it -by an action and paying
his debt.
Mr. SARGOOD—Was there not another carriage
Insolvent—Yes ; that was given to Mr. Lacey, another
creditor. He had last used it at Epsom races in 1848.
It was his business carriage—(Laughter)—and was
used to convey the members of his forensic society OA
their travels.
His HONOUR—How many will it hold ?—lnsolvent
—Six of us.—(Laughter.)
Examination continued—Mr. Meikiam had lent him
3001. upon his acceptance. He bad given Mr. Meiklam
security over his property. That was all the property
he had. He had just before been turned out of the
Garrick's Head, which he had held for ten years. In
May, 1846, one Mr. Deberenger, granted a lease to
Mr. Wolsey, of the Cremorne•gardens. Wolsey
assigned this lease to Mr. Simpson at the in-
solvent's wish. Mr. Simpson afterwards granted
a lease to Mr. Ellis. On the Ist March, 1846, a
deed between Ellis and himself was executed under
which he, the insolvent was entitled to one-
eighth of the takings (receipts) of the gardens. The
insolvent was then examined at length touching the
gradual disposal of his interest in this guarantee,
from which it appeared that he had paid, at various
times, a number of bills on account thereof. In
February, 1849, he sold his remaining interest in it
to Mr. Ellis for 3001., and a guarantee of a salary of
300/. per year during the remaining period that Mr.
Ellis should hold the lease.
Mr. SARGOOD called the attention of the insolvent
to the circumstance that, although the receipt of
these bills was duly entered in his balance-sheet, their
application was not shown.
Insolvent—lt was three years since the transactions
to which Mr. Sargood referred. The money was
accounted for generally, if not specifically. Mr. Ellis
had accepted our bills of exchange, amounting to
1,5001., as due to him, the insolvent, on account of
his share in the takings of Creraorne gardens. He
had paid them to Mr. Foulkes, to whom he was largely
indebted. Foulkes had a registered judgment against
him for 8001. There was a claim of 3,0001. upon
Mr. Ellis, but that was in favour of his (the insolvent's)
children. The deed was in court. Foulkes had at-
tempted to prove against Ellis's estate in the Bank •
ruptcy Court, for the four bills amounting to 1,5001.,
but the proof had not been allowed by the Com-
missioner.
Mr. SARGOOD submitted that the Court would
order the insolvent to make out a debtor and creditor
account between himself, Foulkes, and Mr. Pooke, in
order to show whether he had properly or improperly
made over property to those persons.
Mr. COOKE submitted that it was not reasonable to
require this, and proceeded to re-examine
The insolvent—Mr. Renton, the opposing creditor,
was a wine merchant at Greenwich. He was a creditor
under a former insolvency, and had, after that in-
solevncy, been paid 201. on account of an old debt.
[lt was hero stated by the traveller for Mr. Shenton
that the old debt was due to Mr. Shenton's father, and
not to the opposing creditor.] Mr. Shenton had taken
his bill for 3001., giving him in return 150/. in wine
and 1501. in cash, less 27/. deducted for interest upon
the latter at the rate of 20 par cent. He would admit
that he had been irregular in keeping his accounts.
Ills books might show what had been done with the
money. They were in the court. He had been
travelling in the country lecturing upon poetry and
sociality, and his books had not been kept so fully as
they might have been. Foulkes was a bill discounter.
By Mr. SARGOOD—When examined at the Court
of Bankruptcy Foulkes swore that he never kept
books.
Mr. COOKE—BiII discounters seldom do.
Mr. SARGOOD—For a very obvious reason.
The COMMISSIONER said he felt called upon to grant
the adjournment that had been asked for by Mr. Stir-
g• ood A debtor should be at all times anxious to put
his creditors in possession of every information they
might require.
The insolvent—l hope I have not evinced any re-
luctance in this respect, your Honour.
The COMMISSIONER—Certainly not.
Mr. Robins, auctioneer, Covent-garden, proved that
a distraint for 1501. rent had been levied upon the
premises forming the Garrick's Head, and under which
furniture had been condemned of the value of 1701.
The distraint was levied by the order of Mr. Ady, as
agent for the Duke of Bedford.
Insolvent—He had paid 3501. per year to Mr.
Simpson for the Garrick's Head. Simpson had been
a friend of his. He did not know who was the
Duke of Bedford's tenant. His furniture had been
taken.
The COMMISSIONER (to Mr. Robins)—You did not
care whose property it was. Mr. Robins—Not the
least.—(Laughter.) We received the money for it
from Mr. Simpson, and paid it to the Duke's agent.
Mr. COOKE—In the articles removed were there
not some pictures ? Insolvent—Yes ; the pictures
of the judges.—(Laughter.)
His HoNoutt then ordered an adjournment to the
26th instant, in order that the creditors might be
furnished with the information desired,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE
MANSION-HOUSE.
MOVING PUBLIC-HOUSES.--A man named S'nzith,
the master of one of the halfpenny steamers which ply
between Dyers'. hall Pier-wharf and Westminster,
was summoned before the Lord Mayor and Alderman
Humphery for having, during the time at which
licensed victuallers are by law Obliged to keep their
houses closed, viz., about twenty-five minutes past
eleven o'clock on Sunday, the 4th inst., unlawfully
sold exciseable liquor on board his vessel, whereby he
was subjected to a penalty not exceeding 51.
The defendant pleaded guilty ; but
The LORD MAYOR having been informed by
Inspector Mitchell that there were constant repetitions
of the offence with which the man was charged, and
that it had, in fact, become of late a scandal in the
neighbourhood, desired that evidence should be given
in order that the most vigorous measures might be
adopted for its suppression.
Inspector Mitchell said, that, in consequence of
directions issued by the late Lord Mayor, he and
one of his men had gone in coloured clothes on board
the steamer, in which they soon found that, during
church hours, gin, rum, brandy, beer, and tobacco
were sold to the passengers; that the tap room
custom commenced soon after eleven o'clock, and was
kept up without intermission from that hour until the
public-houses on terra firma opened, and the interval
was so busily employed by the customers, that many
of them landed in a state of intoxication. The de-
fendant had, upon being remonstrated with on the
dangerous nature of the nuisance to which he had
given his sanction, promised that it should never be
repeated, and the inspector had reason to believe the
assurance would not be violated.
The LORD MAYOR asked whether the same latitude
which was granted to public-houses of inferior de-
scription was given in those steamer-places of amuse-
ment.
Inspector Mitchell said, precisely the same. From
the moment the guests entered they began to smoke
and drink ; and the game was kept up with many as
long as they had money in their pockets. They were
then put on shore, and several were to be seen stag-
gering along the streets when church-goers were
returning from places of worship, to the great scandal
of Thames-street and its neighbourhood. There were
difficulties in the way of the performance of their
duties by the police in cases of the kind, the Act
being susceptible of a construction favourable in the
opinion of some to those who authorised the practice ;
and he had been obliged to confine his evidence to
what he had seen while the vessel was still fastened
to her moorings.
The LORD MAYOR said the Act which exempted
steam-vessels from the penalties to which public-
houses were subjected for infringements of the law
could never have been intended to apply to the half-
penny and penny steamers which plied between the
bridges, but merely referred to the vessels which tra-
velled to such a distance as was calculated
to render the use of exciseable articles necessary.
He considered that the offence constituted a nui-
sance of the most dangerous as well as disgusting
character, and was injurious to the licensed vic-
tuallers, who were already so severely taxed for their
privileges, and he should certainly do all that the
chief magistrate could do to put an end to it.
Inspector Mitchell said his Lordship might form
some notion of the manner in which the trade was
carried on in the steamers on Sunday, from the fact.
that a short time previously to the present occasion of
complaint, he, and one of his men, had gone in co-
loured clothes on board one of the halfpenny boats,
and the instant it was believed that officers were
present off the master ordered the vessel, although a
thick fog covered the river; very luckily it ran foul
of no other boat, but she passed very near a sister
steamer filled with customers of the same descrip-
tion, who were halloaing and singing, and smoking
and drinking.
Al lernian ITUMPIIERY said some of the tap room
boats alluded to had, in order to come within the
meaning of the Act, obtained licences for steaming to
Sheerness, but confined their business to limits be-
tween Dyers'-hall Pier and Westminster-bridge, and
realised considerable profits every Sunday. If such
an abuse were allowed, the Thames would be soon
covered with floating public-houses, and robberies and
offences of still greater magnitude would become
easy of perpetration. He thought the Lord Mayor
in such an emergency would do well to apply to the
chairman of the Commissioners of Excise, who were
empowered to grant licences, to interpose their au-
thority, as, no doubt, advantage was taken of the
latitude of construction alluded to. It was quite
evident that these floating tap-rooms could afford to
take their passengers all day, backward and forward,
for the profits on the sale of the spirits, beer, and
tobacco.
The LORD MAYOR said he certainly should take an
early opportunity to wait upon the chairman of the
Board of Excise, upon the subject of the gin and
beer steamers ; and requested that the inspectors
of police would in the meantime vigilantly
observe the conduct of the masters, and report the
result of their observation at the Mansion-house.
WESTMINSTER.
DARING ROBBERY.—Thomas Haycock, a -men-
known thief, was charged with committing the
following daring robbery, attended with violence to
the person :
At about ten o'clock on Saturday night James
Bolt, a country lad, was accosted by two women of
loose character, near Westminster Abbey, and in-
veigled into a den of infamy in the neighbourhood of
St. Anne-street, where he had not been more than a
minute when the prisoner knocked at the door, and,
having been admitted by one of the women, asked
the youth for some money. The latter replied, he
had none, when the prisoner took out a knife, and
declared with an oath that he would have his money
or his life. The lad repeated he had none, when the
prisoner knoCked him down, and another fellow who
had entered the room held him on the floor while the
prisoner robbed him of 2s. 7d., which he had in his
trousers' pocket ; the lad fortunately escaping from the
house with a much larger sum in his fob, which they
turned aside to examin e the purse which contained
the 2.7 d., no doubt in anticipation of finding from
its weight—there being some halfpence in it—a
much greater booty. The lad gave information to
Knowland, B 50, who took the prisoner into custody
on Sunday night.
The prisoner, who denied thecharge, was remanded
for a week.
A respectable looking woman, apparently upwards
of GO years of age, attired in deep mourning, who gave
her name Eliza Howard Billingban, was placed at
the bar, charged with stealing a small drinking-glass,
Charles Frederick Clarke, barman at Mr. Spence-
ley's, the Swan Tavern, Sloane-street, stated that in
consequence of having of late lost a great number of
dram glasses, and suspecting the prisoner, who some-
times took a little refreshment and looked at the news-
papers, he watched' her upon the occasion of a visit
that morning, and he saw her put the glass in a
reticule basket she had on her arm, immediately after
which she walked out. lie followed and brought her
back, and then took the glass from her basket, when
she drew it out of his hand and let it fall upon the
floor, by which it was broken.
Serjeant M`Cloud, 18 B, proved having, since she
had been in custody, searched her lodgings, and found
three other drinking-glasses, one of which was identi-
fied as Mr. Spenceley's, and a second as Mr. Ilallifax's
of the Two Brewers, Queen's Buildings, Knights-
bridge. Ile also discovered a great number of beg-
ging letters and duplicates.
The accused, upon being called upon for her de.
fence, said—l had been reading the paper, and I have
not the least doubt I put the glass into my basket
with my spectacles by mistake.
The police having intimated that they should be in
a condition to prove a former conviction against the
prisoner, who is a well known begging-letter writer,
for felony,
Mr. BRODERIP remanded her till Monday next.
LAMBETH.
THE ATTEMPTED MURDER IN DULWICH Wools.
—The young woman Ewins, on whose life the despe-
rate attein t bad been made by the young fellow
Jordan, inDulwich-wood, on the night of the 19th
of September last, and for which the latter had been
left for execution, yesterday waited on Mr. Elliott,
accompanied by her grandmother, an aged but decent
looking woman.
In reply to the questions of the Magistrate, she
said she expected to be confined in the month of
January next, and that as soon as she get over that it
was her intention, if her health and strength permitted
her, to get into service again.
Mr. ELLIOTT informed her that a short ime before
Mr. Cope, the Governor of Newgate, had called with
two guineas from the Sheriffs of London for her use.
He also said that it was likely other sums would be
sent for her, and if so he should be happy to take
charge of it, and see that it was properly applied to
her use. Ile then directed that 20s. of the money
in hand should be given to her and her grandnuelier
for her immediate use, and expressed a hope that they
would not go about with a petition.
This they promised, and having expressed their
gratitude, left the court.

THE MURDER AT THE MILLBANK

PENITENTIARY.

Yesterday application was male to Sir George
Grey, at the Home-office, to grant an order to remove
the convict John Francis, who now stands charged by a
coroner's jury with having brutally murdered Thos.
Hall, the warder, from Millbank Prison to Newgate,
to await his trial at the ensuing sessions. After the
return of the verdict, at the inquest on Saturday last,
the wretched culprit was conveyed back to the refrac-
tory cell, but waj soon afterwards placed in a large
room, called " a day work-room," by himself. His
arms and legs were heavily manacled, and two warders
are stationed in the room with him to guard him.
He has displayed no remorse for having committed
such an atrocious deed, nor even alludes to the occur-

rence. He was allowed to communicate with his I
friends, who are of the Jewish persuasion, residing
in the neighbourhood of Houndsditch. His relativ s
are highly respectable, but he has been discarded by
them for some considerable time, in consequence of
his depraved and incorrigible habits. In consequence
of Francis being a Jew, he did not attend chard
on Sunday morning with the other prisoners, and he
applied to the Rev. Mr. T. Penny, the chaplain, for a
Hebrew bible, which was most readily given him.
He remained very quiet all day on Sunday and yes-
terday, and was constantly reading the bible. The
wretched murderer was tried some time since fur
robbery, and sentenced to ten years' transportation.
While at the hulks he complained of the diet, and
stsked Mr. Dabbs, the surgeon, for an extra allowance,
Mr. Dabbs, not thieking it necessary, refused to give
it him, and while he was walking away from him,
Francis suddenly struck Mr. Dabbs a most violent
blow upon the hack of his neck, with a heavy mallet,
with which he had been working. The un-
fortunate gentleman was knocked down, and Francis
would have repeated the blow, but was fortunately
prevented by several of the officers, who rushed to
Mr. Dabb's assistance, and safely secured the mis-
creant. Mr. Dabbs was confined to his room for
upwards of four months, from the effects of the
injuries, and he now frequently complains of his neck.
Francis was severely punished, after which he was
again sent back to Milbank prison as a most incorri-
gible convict. On his way from the hulks he re-
peatedly threatened that on his arrival at the prison
"he would be one with the officers, and that he
would not be treated as he had been." After Francis
had inflicted the fatal violence upon the unfortunate
deceased warder Hall, he was secured, and when the
two points of a pair of scissors were discovered in his
jacket pocket, he exclaimed " that he had carried
them about him for the purpose of stabbing Dr. Baly
on the first opportunity." He had endeavoured to
obtain an alteration in his diet at Millbank, and no
other cause can be assigned for his committing this
atrocious murder than that of revenge for his not
obtaining the alteration. Hall was universally
esteemed by his brother officers for his general ur-
banity and mild demeanour. He has -left a wife and
six young children, who were totally depending upon
him for support. The sum of 501. has been given to
the distressed widow, from a fund, which entirely
belongs to the officers attached to the prison. This
fund is raised by weekly subscriptions, and the fines
inflicted upon the officers for dereliction of duty are
added to it.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM TIIE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
CHRONICLE.— We proceed to consider the
question which we opened in our financial article en
Friday last, viz., what relief it may be practicable to
afford to the country from that pressure of taxation
which is unquestionably one of the heaviest clogs
upon its prosperity, and one of the greatest drawbacks
to the comfort and well-being of its productive classes.
It must by no means be supposed that in turning our
attention, in the first instance, to this branch of the
subject, we are overlooking or disparaging the im-
portance of retrenchments in the national expendi-
ture. Whether it be in the affairs of states or of
individuals, we appreciate at its full value the
" magnum vectigal" of a vigilant and penetrating
economy. Our incessant solicitude for this object is
qualified by no other consideration than a regard to
public faith, to efficient service, and to the just remune-
ration of labour. Those who have seen the result
of the armrclothing system, as described by our
Metropolitan Correspondent in his seventh letter,
will he at no loss to understand what we mean by the
last-mentioned condition. It is impossible, however,
to glance over the Finance Accounts without a lively
conviction that many of those who now serve the
public are too highly paid, that the services of some
might be dispensed with altogether, and that too many
are paid who do not serve the public at all. Three
things must be amended, but the reform can only
operate by degrees. In regard to pensions and sine-
cures, we are waiting the expiration of a vicious
system which is soon to become obsolete. Time
alone can set us free from compacts into
which the State never should have entered, and
the like of -which it is not possible for it to enter
into again. The consolidation of offices, and the
revision of salaries again, have already commenced,
and they will infallibly be carried on. The in-
tense pressure for employment, and the general
reduction of profits, will not suffer the recipients of
Government salaries to enjoy both a higher scale of
income, and at the same time that exemption from
reverse and uncertainty which official station affords.
We are firmly opposed, indeed, to the short-sighted
policy of underpaying public functionaries ; but
justice demands for those who have to struggle un-
aided for subsistence, that ability and industry should
not find a more lucrative provision in a public than
they would meet with in a private career. It is upon
the high ground of justice to the community that we
assert the paramount duty of economy in the dispen-
sation of the public income. Extravagance is injus-
tice : the endowment of sinecurists, the over-payment
of those whom the State maintains, are frauds upon
those who, by their labour, maintain the State. The dis -
content which is roused by the spectacle of such abuSes is
deep-seated ; it is well-founded ; and it is dangerous.
In considerations such as these we find ample motives
for desiring and advocating economy. In those, on
the other hand, which have been put forward by
some classes of financial reformers we find little or
no force. So far as the condition of individual tax-
payers is concerned, the effect of such retrenchments
in the public departments as can be made consistently
with national security and with good faith must be
almost insignificant. The utmost rigour of the
pruning-knife could do comparatively nothing to
alleviate the pressure upon the millions who are
suffering the hardships of poverty or illeremunerated
labour. If, indeed, it were possible to effect a saving
of several millions at a stroke, there might be seine
reality in the prospect of relief, but whoever
has had the temerity to advance such a position
has shrunk from the proof of it. It is the opinion
of one of the ablest and best informed of our modern
writers on taxation, that, "so long as we make ade-
quate provision for the security and good govern-
ment of the different parts of the empire, there is not
so much as the shadow of a ground for supposing
that our expenditure can be sensibly reduced. On
the contrary, the probability is that it will have to be
enlarged." The experience of the past certainly goes
far to confirm Mr. M'Culloch's view. If we carry
our eye back over the finance returns of the last
fifteen years, we shall observe an unmistakeable ten-
dency towards increase in the expenditure of the
nation. Whatever may be said of extravagance in
the public departments, it can hardly be asserted that
erovernments are comparatively more profuse now-
a-days than they used to be. The inference remains,
that the necessary cost of governing the country has
increased with the increase of population, territory,
and civilization. As the area is extended, and
the machinery of Government becomes more compli •
cat-d, the cost of working it becomes greater. In
1838 the total payments out of the Exchequer were
47,678,6881.—in 1848 they amounted to 56,175,042/.
Allow a very wide margin for reducible items, there
still remains a large substantial advance in the de •
mends of the public expenditure. It is plain to any
one who reflects on the tendencies of the times, that
the wants of society, which Government is called
upon to satisfy, have increased of late years in a still
more rapid ratio than its numbers. Concurrently
with the progressive increase in the expenditure of
the State, there are some other financial features
which it aflOrds us snore comfort to dwell upon.
We may observe, pari passu with the increase of
outlay, a proportionate increase of revenue,
accompanied by a progressive decrease in the
sources from whence that revenue is derived. A very
large amount of taxation has been remitted, while
the total receipts of the Exchequer have been
augmented. The poor and the industrious classes
have been relieved from some of their most oppressive
burdens. Look over the items of Customs and Excise,
and observe how vast is the advantage which they
have gained by recent fiscal alterations. Bread,beer,
coffee, candles, salt, sugar, leather, starch, vinegar,
printed goods, and many more articles of prime ne-
cessity to the humbler classes, are now either tax-free
or are taxed at a much
lower rate than they were
few years ago. Existence is thereby rendered much
easier to these classes than before. The amount of taxes
paid per . head is considerably less. The pressure of
population upon the resoures of the country is miti-
gated. We may well be thankful to those statesmen
who have guided the course of our recent legislation,
that the fiscal policy of the country has taken such
a turn. It would have gone hard with the labour-
ing classes if it had been otherwise. Let
any one who is acquainted with the condition of the
labourers reflect for a moment upon the consequences
of attempting to re-impose upon them the catalogue
of taxes which we have just enumerated. No states-
man, let him be called either Free-trader or Protec-
tionist, would venture on such an experiment. Yet,
though these once heavy imposts on the subsistence
and comforts of the population are irrevocably gone,
the country, notwithstanding, pays
its way, and bears
up against its increasing obligations. How is this to
be accounted for ? The fact is, that there are two
ways of replenishing the Exchequer : one by se.
creasing the weight of taxation, the other by di
minishing it. The older and coarser method
has in bygone days been carried fur enough,
and experience has shown that its limits are
I easily reached—for, in the arithmetic of finance,
two and two do not invariably snake four. A more
enlightened public economy has taught us the art of
increasing the product by lowering the rate of cur
taxation, of drawing our supplies from a wider sur-
face and an extended range of consumption, and of
opening new sluices for revenue to flow in by
removing the barriers of prohibition. Instead of a
fiscal system which was oppressive, we have endea-
voured to substitute one which should be elastic. By

such a policy we have relieved, re animated, perhaps
saved from utter prostration and decay, the industrial
energies of the Country. But is there no further
roam left for the development of such prolific relaxa-
tions ? Is the work of fiscal reformation even now
fi,iiAled and complete—or is it not possible, by
further experiments in the same direction, to lighten
still more the weight that yet presses down our
heavily-taxed population in the keen race of compe-
tition, and in the arduous struggle for subsistence?
Let us see.

HERALD.—Of all the marvellous aspects in which
that marvellous animal man is to be regarded, there
is not one more marvellous than that which presents
him to us in the concrete military state of an army,
or a regiment of soldiers. We think nothing of it, it
is true—we think nothing of the most wonderful
things in existence, because we see them or read about
them every day, and take everything for granted that
does not startle us by its novelty, or astound us by
its noise. We wonder at any departure from fixed
laws, physical or moral, but the most wonderful phe-
nomena are not these erratic exhibitions, bat the
regular methodical goings on of the world, upon
which we rarely bestow a passing reflection. Fami-
liarity breeds contempt. We do not marvel at the
discipline of the army which we see every day,
though there be no greater marvel in the world
than that we do see it every day. We
only wonder at any slight deviation from
it—at any transient symptom of irregu-
larity that may manifest itself, after a long
interval of monotonous repose. Then we lift up our
hands and our voices. It is discovered that the army
is in a most unsatisfactory condition—that the reins
of discipline are loosened; that authority is being
openly set at defiance ; that our soldiers are insub-
ordinate, and our officers incompetent ; and that. our
towns are being overrun by a stream of miliitary
licentiousness, which, if its current be not speedily
checked, will disorganize society and desolate the
land. All this it is, on some accounts, satisfactory to
contemplate. There can be no higher tribute paid
to the general discipline of the army than the ex-
citement occasioned by any temporary infraction, of
it. There are countries in which military disorga-
nization is the rule and not the exception. Tb ere
the revolt of a regiment, or a score of regiments, is
too ordinary an event to create any excitement in the
country. The attention which is bestowed upon. any
erratic social manifestation is the truest standard of
the regularity from which that manifestation is a
departure. It is so rare a thing to witness anyt/king
remotely assembling insubordination in a British
regiment, that we are incontinently astonished at the
unwonted exhibition, and magnify all its unseet ely
features until a very trilling affair expands into
gigantic proportions, and bristles with incalculable
terrors. It is on this account that the disturb-
ance in the 3d Dragoons at Nottingham has as-
sumed an importance that does not belong to it. It
is seldom that we are called upon to chronicle
such events, but the wonder is not that they occur
sometimes, but that they occur so rarely. %Vlhen
we think of the constitution of a regiment—the clan ses
from which it is recruited—the slender tie that bia ids
the soldier to his officer—the numerous induceme, nts
to excess—the contagious effects of bad examplt
the absence of all domestic comfort in barracks—tile
almost entire forfeiture, indeed, of the domestic el ut-
racter, with all its subduing and restraining influ-
ences, we cannot but wonder that the many are Ic .pt
in subjection so easily by the few—that the ma gic
of authority is so potent to keep the rude elements . of
military society in subordination to any fixed Li WS.
But so it is. A sentence written in the order-bo
or a word spoken on parade, and eight hundred Is len
are as obedient to one as though they w ere
little children under the eye and the rod of the
pedagogue. Nobody wonders at this—nobody w co-
ders at the orderly conduct of soldiers in our g ar-
risen towns, at their steadiness in barracks, at the
ready obedience they yield to their comma Ili ling
officers, at the almost infantine docility of these be nds
of sturdy, vigorous men. Few even admire the
beautiful system which presents an almost unbrofren
succession of these phenomena. But many pour out
noisy abuse when any rare departure from t ;he re-
gularity of the system is presented to their i meter-
standings, upon soldiers and all soldierly this igs, as
though the adjective military were entirely sz rackny-
mous with I:centious. And this is called lib walit y.
Liberal writers are always great upon the sul ject of
military licentiousness. On the wonderful s'a bordi-
, nation which is the rule of the British armj - they
condescend not to bestow a thought, or if the 1 inwel-
come thought should force itself upon the n k it Is
speedily enveloped in a cloak of silence, and. lourked
in its very infancy. There has been a great deal of fuss
made, and a great deal of stuff written, about t he , recent
disturbance in the 3d Dragoons. The imp prtance
of the affair has been greatly exaggerated— -partly
because at this dull season of the year a yes y little
matter may be advantageously elongated into 3 many'
sheets of attenuated " copy ;" and, secondly, because
the peccadilloes of the military are nuts to -a certain
class of journalists. A number of men, a xious, it
' would seem, to enjoy a little convivial zercourse
with some friends who had come to visit ti iem, and
not being able to entertain their visitors rol •pectably
' in barracks, determined to disobey a restric-ti ve order
' which had been issued as a punishment to, the regi-
ment for bad grooming, and to sally into the toveh•
They had hoped that the order for their r, et ention 10
barracks, after being some time in effect, vvc Auld have
been rescinded sufficiently soon to have en at bled theta
to break their confinement;without breaking • the orders
' of their commanding officers, but the anticilpt led relief
not coming opportunely, they quitted the p rescribed
bounds, and committed thereby a gray a military
offence. There was doubtless as double in discretion;
the order was an indiscreet one, because it; tried the
forbearance of the soldiers too severely; its i, nfraction
was still more indiscreet, for no provocati,on , justifies
such acts of military lawlessness. T:he offence
committed, a third mistake was made. Inefficient
measures were adopted for the suppreim ion of an
irregularity so discreditable to the corps. A party
was sent out under a non-commissiomd instead
of under a commissioned officer, and the first
offence was greatly aggravated by resistance
to authority. The consequence is, that there have
been several courts-martial, and the crimira/s
have been sentenced to expiate their offenact in prison,
and to learn better manners for the fu tt ire. The
officers, too, will not improbably profit by I he lesson,
and learn to exercise their authority henceforth with
better judgment. Such accidents as the:4e seldom
happen unless there has been something or other to
generate them in high places ; some want of temper
—some want of judgment—some want of consistency-
' We are sorry for this business at Nottingham; but,
after all, it is only one of those unfortunate excep-
tions that prove the fortunate rule. It has made
stir in the world because, happily, such acts of insub-
ordination are rare in the British army.. If that
army had not been the best disciplined in the world
we should not have heard so much of the affray.

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