The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-22 00:00:00

and though Mr. Thomson may feel no uneasiness res-
pecting them, but rather a degree of satisfaction, in
the prospect of the compulsion to reduce our own im-
port duties—for their high scale is the ostensible ground
of this Prussian league—still we think that so impor-
tant a commercial union against Great Britain deserves
to be well and seriously considered. The estimated export
to Germany of cotton goods alone, under the ad valo-
rem system, was to the amount of 2,320,000/., upon
which the dirty levied by the German Custom-houses
is estimated at 255,0001. Upon the present systems
the duty on the same amount of goods would be up-
wards of a million sterling. This is surely an impor-
tant matter for the consideration of a commercial com-
munity.—Morning Herald.
•

We learn from the Leeds Intelligencer that consi
derable dissatisfaction is felt by the most respectable
portion •of the inhabitants cm account of the manner
in which the commission of the peace for that borough,
under the Corporation Bill, has been filled up. The
persons recommended by the Town Council, to the
number of eighteen, are all in the Commission, but
Lord J. Russel has added four to this number, in mock
deference to therepresentations of adeputation of the in-
habitants sent to London to remonstrate against the list
of the Town Council, but to remonstrate against this
list on any other ground than that of its being too short.
The remonstrance was that the persons recommended
do not present such a proportion of the intelligence,
respectability, and public spirit of the town of Leeds as
ought to be found among its municipal Magistrates.
And to this the practical reply of the Noble Secretary
was not an improvement-e the materials of the list,
but an augmentation of its length. It is to be 'ex-
pected that the moment the Noble Lord can find
time for literary labour, a moment not, we suppose,
very distant, he will, seriously set to work to
transform Don Carlos into a tolerable -tragedy, by
tacking to it two. or three -additional acts.
Lord lohn, -we see, is suspected
.bye our • able, pro-
vincial- contemporary—above- Mei:Aid-led not to have
taken the trouble of thinking for-himself in the matter
of the LeedS- COMmission7 This ivould be quite right,
and greatly conducive to success no doubt, if the re•
modelling or, improving of the tragedy were the matter
in hand. But Secretaries of State, in afFairs apper-
taining to their 'daces, are expected to act in some de-
gree.upen their own judgment. We cannot bring the
subject more clearly under the inspection of our readers
than by transcribing the observations of the. Leeds
Intelligencer on the proceedings which , have ,been
going on :—" Now, the sort of earwigging that has;
been going on at the Office of the Home Department
may be inferred from this. Although Mr. Baines an-
nounced, a fortnight ago, that the whole of the packed
list sent up by the Council -would be appointed, and
stated in his paper.on Friday the extension of that list
by the addition of four names, no official intimation was
received by the Mayor, or any one authority in Leeds,
till Saturday evening last, and the Commission did not
come down till Tuesdal, evening. It is therefore as deer.
I I as that the original list -was packed in private before
the Council voted'. on it that Mr. Baines has been
carrying On a - hole-and-corner correspondence with
Lord John- Russell ; and as, the question of the local
Magistracy, so important to the borough of Leeds,
has manifestly been made -to depefid, In' a great de-
gree, upon what Mr. Bairreslias been pleased to sta c
in his communications, •We demand of him, in the
name of the borough, 'the publiCation of, his written
statements, and an accurate minute of his personal
intimations. The deputation., as. their only .means of
defence against Mr. Baines's taunts and aspersions,
wore driven to poblish their written ' representation' to
Lord Jahn Russell, and have, through use given the
substance' of their conversation with .Mr. Phillips.
Let us, then, have, equal candour and honesty on the
other side—let Mr: -Baines show his boasted love
of publicity and discussion by following the example
of the ' Tories.' If he shrink from this call the
inhabitants of Leeds will. at once see to whom the
charge of underhand proceedings, so profusely
thrown out by Mr. Baines and with those whom
ho is connected, are most truly applicable.
Whether our requisition be complied with or not,
however, the manner in which the Leeds magistrate;
have been appointed is likely to be fully brought.
,before Parliament and the public. Lord WharnclitY:
liar -given notice of
.a motion (postponed from Tues
day last to Monday next) on the 'general question of
the recommendations of Town Councils. . We are not
aware of the terms of the Noble Lord's intended ma
tion, but we hope that he will ask for copies of cor-
respondence, because that, we arc persuaded, would
develope a system of corruption and jobbery little su3-
pected by the public, and ,wholly unknOwn under th i
Old Corporations, bad as many of them -undoubtedly
were, espeeially where the Whigs reigned, as at York,
Nottingham, Gloucester, Be6.'' The concluding paril-
gragb of this article will be generally read with ;Ole
highest satisfaction. Lord Vtliarncliffe is a Nobleman
who is not by any means likely to have taken the snh-
ject up Without having carefully examined his ground,
and, fortunately; he is a Nobleman who,: when he trts
once undertaken to bring forward any question in
Parliament, never fails to do the fullest Justice to. it.—
Morning Post.