The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-25 00:00:00

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F.EBR U ARY .25, 1848. [PRICE SD.

COURT CIRCULAR.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited
the Queen yesterday at Buckingham Palace.
Lord John Russell had an audience of her Majesty
yesterday.
The Right Hon. W. G. Hayter, Judge-Advocate-
Gerieral, had an audience of the Queen, and submitted
•o her Majesty the proceedings of some courts-
.nartial.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales,
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess
Alice, took their usual airings yesterday in the Royal
.;ardens of Buckingham Palace.
_ _

The Royal dinnr party yesterday at Buckingkam
Palace included her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Kent, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess
of Saxe Coburg, Count Arthur Mensdorff, the Aus-
trian Ambassacr, and the Countess Dietrichstein,
lady Funny Howard, Madame la Baronne de Wan-
4enheim Baroness de Speth, Lord and Lady Alfred
Paget, the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, Colonel
Wylde, and Baron Fritsch.

The Queen's private band was in attendance after
sinner in the Palace, and performed the following
pieces

Overture, " Samori" Vogler.
Selection, " Allerseeleen,".} His Royal Highness
harp obligato, Mr. J. Blair the Duke Gf Saxe
Chatterton .
Finale, Ist Act, " Stradella" ... Flotow.
7inale Haydn.
_ _ _

Yesterday was the birth-day of his Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge. Their Royal High-
!lasses Prince Albert and the Duke of Saxe Coburg
paid visits of congratulation to the Royal Duke at
Cambridge House. Some of the foreign Ministers
and many of the nobility called during the day and
left their names for his Royal Highness.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester
gave a dinner in honour of the auspicious event at
Gloucester House. The company consisted of their
Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge, her Royal Highness the Princess Mary, his
serene Highness Prince Frederick of Hesse, his
Excellency the Hanoverian Minister, Lady Augusta
Cadogan, Lady Georgiana Bathurst, Mr. Culling
Smith, Col. du Plat, Baron Knesebeck, Major Ste-
nhens, Mr. Edmond Mildmay, and the Hon. Colonel
Liddell.

The Duchess of Gloucester had a select party in
he evening.

A deputation from the Health of Towns Association
had an interview with Lord Morpeth yesterday at
the Office of the Woods and Forests, in Whitehall-
place, on the subject of the Bill now beforo Parlia-
ment for promoting the public health. The deputa-
tion consisted of Mr. J. W. Tottie, Mr. John Dunlop,
Mr. R. B. Grantham, Mr. F. D. Goldsmid, Rev. C.
Girdlestone, Dr. Gavin, Mr. Thomas Dunkill, Mr.
William Austin, and Mr. Thomas Beggs.
The Belgan Minister and the Russian Minister
transacted business yesterday at the Foreign Office.
A deputation consisting of Mr. Pattison, M.P., Mr.
Masterman, M.P., Mr. Alderman Sidney, M. P.,
Mr. Charles Pearson M.P., Mr. Deputy Peacock, Mr.
Deputy Harrison, Mr. Deputy Evans, Mr. Sharpe,
the City Remembrancer; and Mr. Sheriff Uubitt,
M.P., had an interview yesterday with Viscount
Morpeth.
Lord and Lady John Russell's dinner :itirty has
been postponed from Saturday, the 2Gth of ebruary,
until Wednesday, the let of March, in Chesham-place.
Mr. William Gladstone had an interview with Sir
George Grey yesterday at the Home Office.
A deputation from the National Philanthropic As-
sociation, consisting of Mr. Charles Cochrane, Rey.
Mr. Lusignan, Sir Charles Aldis, Dr. Aldis (Chair-
man of the City and Liberty of Westminster Sanitary
Association), Mr. Randolph (Secretary to ditto), Mr.
G. A. Walker (National Society for 'Abolition of
Burial in Towns), Mr. Joseph George (Anti-Inter-
ment in Towns Association), Dr. Riadore, Mr. J. P.
Murrough, Dr. Serny, and Mr. Davies, had an inter-
view with Viscount Morpeth yesterday.
Colonel Sir Frederick Smith (Royal Engineers)
had an interview with the Right lion. Edward
Strntt yesterday, at the office of the Commissioners of
Railways in the Board of Trade.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had
a general meeting yesterday.
Mr. Wickham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes,
had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer
yesterday, at his otrictut Lasiaaa,a Dawntrig-street.
Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office, for the Governors of Hong-Kong
and Ceylon.
The Quadrant Committee for the Non-removal of
the Colonnade, consisting of Mr. W. Lloyd (Chair-
man), Messrs. Swan and Edgar, Stocken, Haines,
Michell, Pizzali, Noovva, and Hill, and Mr. V. H.
Haines (Honorary Secretary), had interview yes-
terday with Viscount Morpeth.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat
yesterday, and heard an appeal from Sierra Leone,
",Magnus Smith v. the Judges of Sierra Leone."

topsails set and in apparent good condition.lShe could
not have been making water fast.

PROPERTY AND INCOME-TAX.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The man who advocates the late system, and
the present proposition of levying a tax upon property
and income, is a bold one indeed ; I care not what his
rank or station be, he well knows he is advocating that
which is neither just or honest, but what is in violation
both of justice and honesty.
If the tax is to be continued, as I suppose it must (a
property-tax is equitable), let the impost be levied
honestly, and then honest men will not heed the growlings
of the hitherto proured class. As there are separate
assessments for the property and the income-tax, a right
line can be drawn without the least difficulty. Let the
property be varied, either in point of amount produced
from it or the duty chargeable on it from the amount
produced by income, or the duty chargeable on it. This
can, by the distinct assessments, be readily done.
The sentiments of the income-tax payers must be well
understood, and must be so declared as not to be mis-
understood by the privileged class, who have had too
much of "protection" at the serious loss of others.
DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY.
February 23.

THE INCOME-TAX.`!

ST. BRIDE'S.
At twelve o'clock yesterday a most respectably-at
tended meeting of the inhabitants of this parish was held
in the Vestry. room, " for the purpose of taking into con-
sideration the propriety of petitioning the House of
Commons against the proposed measure." The chair
was occupied by Mr. T. C. Bates, who was supported by
Mr. Alderman Sidney, M.P., Mr. Deputy Obbard, Mr.
Williams, and several other influential inhabitants of the
parish.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY, M.P., proposed the first reso-
lution, to the effect that the meeting was of opinion that
the proposed increase of the window-tax was unneces-
sary and uncalled for, and one which ought not to
be endured in the time of peace, particularly at pre-
sent, when trade and eommerce were so much de-
pressed. He said he had great pleasure in joining
with his fellow-parishioners in demanding from the
Government of the country justice to that
class which contributed in the largest degree to the
taxes of the empire—he meant the middle class of society.
The Prime Minister demanded this increase to the
income-tax on the ground that there was a falling off in
the revenue. The Prime Minister had laid his proposal
before the House, and it remained for the people to say
whether they would sanction it or not. He, for one,
would not object to the Government receiving every
necessary assistance, but he certainly was of opinion
that the present difficulty could be met by more popular
means than those suggested. Why, he would ask,
should there be any increase to the naval and military
forces, and why should there be any fears of war raised,
particularly in the thirty-fourth year of an uninter-
rupted peace ? In 1835 he found that the estimates for
the army, navy, and ordnance amounted to 11,730,000 L
On various occasions since there had been slight in-
creases, and they had now crept up to no less a sum
than 17,841,0001.—(Hear, hear.) All this was done in
time of peace. He considered the proposition to
increase the army or navy a most unnecessary one.
He might safely say that no tax was more unpopular
than an income-tax. After some further observations
the Hon. Member proceeded to observe that the tax
was one of a most unjust nature in its operation ; it
pressed most severely on the middle and-industrious
classes, while it scarcely touched real property. After
some further remarks the worthy Alderman concluded by
proposing the resolution above referred to.
Mr. Deputy OBBAND seconded the resolution, which
was put from the chair and carried unanimously.
Mr. J. B. BACON proposed the next resolution, to the
effect, " That the meeting was further of opinion, that
the income of the country would be sufficient to meet
the next year's expenditure and the dffidency of the
last, provided the national expenditure were submitted
to judicious and efficient retrenchment."
Mr. DENEY seconded the resolution, and expressed a
confident hope that the Prime Minister would be induced
to abandon the measure. This increase of taxation
would, he feared, ultimately bring the middle classes to
utter poverty.
The resolution was also carried by aeclamativr.
Mr. WILLIAMS moved the adoption of a petitibn em-
bodying the views of the meeting, and in doing so he
called for a revision of the pension list, and the abolition
of military and naval sinecures.
After some further remarks, Mr. WILLIAMS con-
cluded by moving the resolution, which was seconded by
Mr. R. Coosa, and carried unanimously. _ _

Mr. Lows then moved a vote of thanks to the church-
wardens, which was seconded by Mr. DEVEZ, and carried
by acclamation.
The Lurcting then separated.