The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1841.

Though it was known that the line in that
quarter was in a dangerous state, it was
with-
out watchmen from seven at night till six in, thel
morning. What is the use of watchmen, if they
are not on duty at all times when the trains run?
But Mr. BRUNEL'S evidence, and that 'of 'Mr.
SAUNDERS, proved something more they delibe-
rately stated that it was absolutely impossible to
prevent a quick train running into a slow one.
Are the lives of passengers then to be sacrificed
because the Company will not make proper ar-
rangements? They know the minute at which
every train starts, they know the speed, and if
one runs upon the other, they must take the con-
sequences. We have no hesitation in saying
that any person who suffers injury by one train
running upon another,Tis entitled to ample da-
mages. The public know nothing about the
arrangements. They trust implicitly to Railway
Companies, and these Companies must 'be an-

swerable. It is painful to make these remarks
on the management of a railroad, which, with-
out exception, is the first in the world; but
when we reflect on this awful calamity, and the
gross negligence which has been proved, we
consider that we perform only a public duty in
exposing the whole facts to the impartial judg-
ment of our fellow-citizens.

The fleeting of Parliament approaches, and
the nation is as totally ignorant of what is to be
proposed and enacted as if it had no concern in
the matter. It seems part of the Tory policy to
treat the public with contempt, and compel them
to abstain from interfering with State affairs.
The hosiers of Nottingham and the spinners of
Manchester have indeed been unceremoniously
told by the Tory Journals to attend to their spin-
ning and weaving, and leave legislation to those
who have a divine commission to make laws.
The public is to be practically taught that the
laws are made, as is sometimes said, exclusively
for the benefit of the law-makers, and the
people are expected quietly to obey whatever
new rules of conduct the Tory majority in Par-
liament may please to lay down. But such is
not the way in which the Government of this
country can now be safely conducted, and there
is one point especially on which it cannot be
successful. The revenue is deficient, the country
is in arrears, the expenditure exceeds the
income; how comes it that on the all-
important topic of taxation, the Tory Journals
and Tory speakers preserve a death-like
silence ? Whatever may be prescribed to them,
the public looks with anxiety to the Tory projects
for raising the revenue up to the expenditure,
which induces us to throw out some suggestions
on the subject.
If there were the slightest probability that the
Parliament would act on principles, we should
immediately proceed to discuss the reasonable-
ness of levying the whole sum of taxation neces-
sary by ONE direct tax. We should propose to
abolish all customs and excise duties, most of
which, like the spiteful duties on French brandy,
or like the canting 'duties on English gin, are
ordained for some other purpose, and from an
improper motive, than raising a revenue. One
direct tax, proportionate to the expenditure of
individuals, yielding sufficient to supply the
wants of the State, on account of its fairness, its
cheapness, and on account of its leaving every
branch of industry entirely free and uninfluenced,
is the beau ideal of taxation; but there is no
more chance that any scheme so simple, so
advantageous, and so just, will be adopted, than
there is that the priesthood will voluntarily give
up its endowments, or the landowners their
estates. A thorough revision and reform of the
sr-item of taxation on general principles, is not to
be hoped for, and it is therefore utterly useless to
discuss such a project. At the same time, as
the Tories would soon give up the reins if they
could not get well paid for holding them, we
may be sure that they will endeavour to force
on the people some measure for increasing the
revenue.

It is a cardinal principle of taxation that it should
be altered, except to be reduced, as little as possi-
ble- Trade and industry accommodate themselves
to fiscal regulations however absurd, and all
changes are more certain to derange the settled
habits of trade than augment the revenue. It is
clear, however, from the unsuccessful experiment
ofMx. BARING, that the rate of taxation, preserving
the same taxes, cannot be increased. In time of
peace, a system of borrowing to pay the ordinary
expenses of the State is not to be tolerated. In
fact, it is reprehensible in war and ruinous in
peace. It seems to us, therefore, that the Tories
have no alternative, but to propose some new tax
or to xes. To obtain freedom for trade, and an
improvement of the national resources by that
mewls, is the principle on which parties are now
ranged in hostility; and as the majority in
Parliament is against free trade, there is no hope
of arty sudden increase in the resources of the
country, and no means of equalising the revenue
and the expenditure but by increased taxation.
For that the people must be prepared.
If the Tories, under these circumstances, will
not t ell the public what they mean to do, it will
be proper in the public to tell the Tories what it
wishi ts. The industrious classes cannot possibly
contraute more to the State than at present.
They are as dry as a squeezed sponge. Manufac-
tures tind trade are declining under their present
burdi .tus. Shopkeepers are shutting up, fn nn
want cf custom, and insolvency. The servants; of
the S.t.ite will not forego their wages, and we
think- -they ought not to be exclusively taxed. We
see utki other resource than an exclusive tax on
the ix pulent classes. The great objection to the
house .tax, and the source of its unpopularity,
was its unfairness ; but the same objections
would: not apply to a tax on private dwel-
ling-h Louses as long as they are inhabited,
not used for shops or places of business, ex-
cludii ty; all below a certain size or value, and
incree (sing the rate in proportion as the hon se
incree sed in size or value. The tax might begin
with lio uses of which the rent might be 601. or
801., and, as it ascended in the scale, such
princely mansions as Chatsworth or Alnwick

Castle, -with their spacious parks and gardet is,
might be rated at 5,0001. or 10,0001. a year. Suich
a sum would not bear a greater proportion (o: ne
eightiet h or one-fortieth part) to the incomes of
the Du, Ice of DEVONSHIRE or the Duke of
NORTHL raiBERLAND, than the old house-nix
bore to t :he incomes of the common people, and
could no t, therefore, be very unjust. Such ais .x
levied of i all the mansions of the rich and great,
and on their mansions only, would replenith
the Ex•zh equer, without inflicting any injury on
industry.

Our gre at magnates enjoy all the advantages
of the Cct nstitution it is made for them, and
they would be willing, we are sure, to pay hand-
somely ) preserve it. At present it is seriously
threaten( and must be preserved, if at all, at

their cost » They will not allow the nation. to
have free trade, which is on this account unable

:o pay a El the expenses of the State, and it is

just, then :fore, that those who are enriched by
the State should bear its burdens. If we are to

have incr eased taxation, and the silence of -the

Tories is ominous, let the people be prepared to
demand- —3 vhether by the project we have sug-
gested, or a ny other—that it be levied exclusively
on the opu?,ient.

We see 'with great pleasure that Ireland,
under the ticrispices of Mr. O'CoNNELL, is making
a forward movement against the Corn-laws;
and. we fe, .t 1 more surprise at its having been
so long del eyed, than at its now taking place.
No class of 7 men are more injured by those laws
than the C atholic population of Ireland, who are
now shot h a ck in shoals on their country, and no
persons ar e supposed to derive so much benefit
from the 1 tws as the owners of the Protestant
soil of Ire Land. Mr. O'CONNELL seemed quite
in his elern ent, when he introduced the subject
to the me( i 1 .ing held on the 24th, and expressed
his cordial .;ipprobation of the repeal of the Cor n-
laws. Re ;solutions declaring that it is expedient
that all I reland should petition for the total and
immediat ,e repeal were agreed to, and will no
doubt be ; zealously followed up. Nor can -we
fail to gi Fe urineed raise to Mr. G. THOMP-

SON, anartir. BRIGHT, of Rochdale, whose mi s-
ittnk tck puWin ;vas instrumental in bringing
A 4.
out-tne pleasin g 'result. - ' -

The Paris PaperS: 6f Sunday have all been re-
ceived.' They contain no news of the slightest
European interest. Though the Chambers were,
to be opened on Monday, the circumstance at-
tracted no attention, nor was the expected
Speech
.from the Throne the object of .a single
important conjecture, The Government' is
supposed to have gained a great accession
of strength in the Chambers by the con-
viction of DUPOTY, which having .produced
•no outbreak, is regarded .as equivalent to
a complete victory over the Press of
France. To the credit of M. TRIERS it must be
said that he did all in his power to. procure
DUPOTY'S' acquittal, and that nearly the whole
of the minority consisted of his personal friends.
QUENISSET'S life is to be spared as a reward
for exertions in the conviction of his less guilty
accomplices. COLOMBIER and BRASSIER alias
JUST, will suffer death.

On Saturday, at two in the morning, the condemned
Jarrasse, Pelet, Dufour, Boggio, Mallet, Launois, Du-
poty and Bazin, were taken from the Luxembourg to be
transferred, some to Mont St. Michel, the others,
amongst them Dupoty, to Doullens. Boucheron still
remains at the Luxembourg.
The advocates of the three condemned to death were
permitted to see them. They had all on the strait-
waistcoat, Quenisset and Colombier were calm. Brazier,
uffected by the thoughts of his mother, prayed his ad-
vocate, M. Blot Seguenne, to try to console her. He is
now more calm. Abbe Grivel visited the condemned.
The Commerce announces that the Pilote du Calvados
and the Haro de Caen are to be prosecuted for giving an
account of the secret deliberations of the Court of Peers.
The Marquis of Lavalette, Secretary of the Neapo-
litan embassy, arrived on the 21st at Marseilles, and
embarked in the Sesostris, Levant steamer, to land at
Naples with despatches.
Accounts from Algiers of the 15th reached Toulon on
the 20th. Rear-Admiral Rigodet and M. de Rumigny
have arrived. The latter replaces ad interim General
Bugeaud.

The system developed by Count Pellet's Bill, in the
Council of Agriculture and Commerce, relative to sugars,
received unanimous support. It consisted of equalizing
the duty on both sugars within a period of five years, re-
ducing the tax on colonial sugar 3f. each year, and aug-
menting that on beet-root sugar lf. each year, so that at
the' end of five years the duty on both would be 30f.—
Pressc.

We find the following article in the Petits de Calcades
(Caen), of December 23 :-

" Just as our paper is going to press we learn that we
are summoned to appear before the Court of Correc-
tional Police on the 31st of December, to answer for a
violation of the laws of September in articles of our cor-
respondence of the 17th, which are accused for the ac-
count given of the deliberation of the Court of Peers."
The Augsburg Gazette announces that the Journal des
Debats has just been prohibited at Rome. What a com-
fort to the Gazette!

- -
The Eclaireur de la ffliditerranee of the 21st inst,
writes :

" At this moment there is great activity in the con-
veyance of troops from Toulon to Algeira. We learn
that several steam-boats are preparing for the purpose."
The 10th Regiment of Light Infantry will be em-
barked for Africa on Tuesday next. Besides the sending
of the regiments to Algeira, it is observed that those
which were to return to France, are making no prepara-
tions to leave Africa. Hence it is naturally inferred that
the army in Africa is going to be augmented, according
to the wishes said to have been expressed by the Gover-
nor-General. This measure was rendered necessary for
the execution of the system adopted by General Bugeaud.
—Constitutionnel.

TOULON, DEC. 21.—The Marango (of the line) which
left Algeira on the 15th, anchored in our road on the
20th. When it left that city the Meteor had just arrived
there with General de Rumigny and Rear-Admiral Ri-
jodit. We have not yet been able to learn what effect
was produced on the minds of the army and the colonists
by the provisional or definitive removal of Gen. Bur-
geand. The Maraggo, has brought no letters.—Le
Commerce.

Some of the London Aldermen boast of the
City sobriety at this season, and attribute it to
the New Police Act, and the vigilance of Com-
missioner Harvey. Had they attributed the cir-
cumstance to Fathet Mathew, or Father Pusey,
or Sir Andrew Agaw, or want of money, they
might have obtained some credit; but what be-
comes of their conclusion, when it is known that
at the West-end, and even within the City
boundary, no such sobriety was observed ? At
Clerkenwell Police-court the number of drunken
charges was very great ; and at Queen-square
the police-sheet yesterday presented " a long list
of drunk and disorderly charges."

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.
LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, DEC. 27.—We have
had an active business doing in the Cotton Market to-
day, the sales amounting to 6,500 bales nearly, including
1,200 Surats, 31d. to 4d. Speculators have taken 1,400
American. In exports nothing doing.
LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, DEC. 27. Great
Western, 85; New 59i ; London and Birmingham Quar-
ter Shares, 254; Ditto, 321., 56; New ditto, 27i; London
and Brighton, 384.
MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, DEC. 27.—We have
no material alteration to report in our Share Market
to-day. Lancaster and Preston, Three-quarter Shares,
16i ; Manchester and Leeds, Quarter Shares, 31. 16s. ;
Edinburgh and Glasgow, 431 44 ; Manchester and Leeds,
65 67 ; Manchester and Birmingham, 27i 28.
By the arrival of the London packet-ship Ontario, at
Portsmouth, from New York, papers to the 4th inst.,
have been received at the North and South American
Coffee- house. The packet-ship Montreal, had arrived
at New York, after a quick passage of twenty-seven days.
The New York papers do not contain any political news
of the least interest ; all parties were anxiously waiting
for the President's Message.
The following is the state of the Money Market. The
sales at the Stock Board to-day were to a fair extent, but
prices did not vary materially. Delaware and Hudson
improvedll, Stonington I, Paterson 1-, Mohawk 1, Bank
of America Long Island declined 4, Illinois Sixes
per cent., Indiana fives 11, Sale of Bills on Philadelphia
5 to 51, Baltimore 4, Mobile 10, New Orleans, 6 to 6i.
Another sale of State credit was made to-day at
auction, being 100,000 dollars six per cent. stock, nomi-
nally at par. The actual price was much less than that.
The state of things in regard to uncurrent money
remains much the same. All the bills are bought with
caution, and those of the Bank of Watertown, at Water-
town have been thrown out.

"I 411 71
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IN Mil :17.2. L-11 ti

D
iptttatr 4E3pititott.

" Who runs may read."

ronmaGN.
Two of the three prisoners condemned to death by
the French Court of Peers, will, our Paris Correspondent
says, be guillotined. Quenisset, the guiltiest of them
all, is to have his life for betraying his accomplices.
His Holiness the Pope has prohibited the circulation
of the .Journal 'des _Debate in the Papal States. This
comes of writing saucy letters to such Venerable
PrelateS as the Bishop of Chartres instead .of
humbly bending "to receive in silence episcopal
correction. The Church is always insulted when men
attempt to reason with their pastors. And yet we would
Let our inkstand against a crozier that the Debuts in the
long run will be more than a match for the Bishop and
the Sovereign Pontiff.--From Madrid we have accounts of
the 10th inst. Up to the afternoon of that day,
the dispute between M.; de Salvandy, the French Am-
bassador,rand the Cabinet, as to the presentation of his
Excellency's credentials, had not been arranged. M. de
Salvandy claims to deliver them to the Queen in person
in a private audience, and the Ministry insist that as
her Majesty is a minor that they must be presented to
the Regent as the Sovereign de facto. M. de Salvandy
menaced to demand his passports, and the reply of Senor
Gonzales was, that his Excellency might have them if
he thought proper.
In a Madrid letter of the same date we find the fol-
lowing :—" Two thousand four hundred and fifty-three
butts of sherry wine were exported from Xerez and Port
St. Mary's during the last month of November, and this
month's export is expected to be larger ; but the grand
aim of the shippers should be to send none but good
wines, for the purpose of keeping up their reputation;
instead of some of the trash, miscalled sherry, which
has been sent to England of late years.

PUBLIC OPINION.
The object of the principal leading article in the He-
rald is to show that the recent conviction of M. Dupoty
by the Chamber of Peers, must hereafter constitute an
event in the history of France ; inasmuch as it proves
that our neighbours have now, despite the revolution of
July, " a law of constructive treason in operation." The
Herald then goes on to ask, " shat have the French
gained by that revolution ?" and adds, " a Government
sufficiently strong to protect the nation against anarchi-
cal principles, in which Government alone there is safety
for France, tranquillity for Europe."
The Times has au article on the subject of Mr. Cob-
den's project of a land-tax, the object of which is to
prove that the whole of his theory about an original title
in the Crown or the State to " certain services or pay-
ments in kind out of the land, and a subsequent reserva-
tion of a rent-charge in exchange for those services or
payments," is not merely unsustained, but absolutely
contradicted by facts.
The Advertiser observes, in the course of a leading
article speculating on what may, or may not, be expected
from Sir Robert Peel, "we know not what he will do ;
but we are quite certain that he has prepared the public
mind for no great changes on any question; but on the
contrary, everything indicates his intention, as much as
he can, to avoid all alterations and reforms."
The Post affects to reply to some observations that ap-
peared in yesterday's Chronicle on the subject of the
present dull and disconsolate aspect of the Tory party ;
and, without denying the fact, simply contents itself with
taunting the Whigs with their " bitter abusiveness,"
which, in the Post's opinion, " indicates a most morose
condition of mind, and a very disturbed state of the
bodily juices."
The Chronicle contains some comments on a remark
made by the late celebrated Mr. Ricardo, to the effect
that country gentlemen have not only a temporary, but
a permanent, interest in prohibitions of the importation
of corn ; and adds, " when we shall have arrived at a
state of things in which the pinching bellies of the la-
bourers will so much increase mortality as to make the
deaths equal to the births, Britain will be the Duke of
Wellington's paradise."