The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-29 00:00:00

PRE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 29, 1848.

the burglary,. A large number of skeleton keys were
found in Robins's lodgings.
Mr. Wilson, cigar-maker, Southwark-bridge-road,
said he had made the cigars now produced, expressly
for Mrs. Pope.
The prisoner denied all knowledge of the charge,
and as fully committed.
Mr. BINGHAM considered great credit was due to
the police constables West and Thompson for the
rapidity with which they had brought the charges
home to the prisoners.
MARYLEBONE. _ _

This being the day appointed for the further ex-
amination of John Davis, who, according to his own
description, had recently held a situation as clerk in
interest
was house of a tradesman at Oxford, much
was excited, and numerous watchmakers were pre-
sent with their witnesses, to prefer charges against
the accused, by whom they had been plundered.
The substance of what transpired upon the former
and present occasion may thus be briefly stated.
The prisoner had made it his business to go
to the shops of watchmakers in various parts
of town, at each he requested to look at
a watch ; he invariably selected one which he
thought would suit, and begged as a favour that it
might be wound up and regulated for him ; while his
request was being complied.with, he, in some instances,
snatched the articles from the hand of the shop.
keepers and bolted off with them, and in others he
made his escape from the premises with watches
which he had stolen from trays upon the counter. He
was at length captured in Marylebone-lane, by
Bushell, 220 D, while running as fast as he could
with a watch which he had just before snatched from
the hand of Mr. Vogt, Wigmore-street. He (pri-
soner), when taken into custody, had the article in
his possession, and when it was taken from him he
made no remark whatever respecting it. None of
the other watches had been discovered. Five cases
were clearly established. The parties robbed were
Mr. Vogt, above alluded to ; Mr. Suowell, Farring-
don-street ; Mr. Cribb, Southampton-row, Russell-
square; Mr. Leman, Gray's Inn-road ; and Mr.
Fitch, Redcross-street, Cripplegate. Upon these five
charges the prisoner was sent for trial.

CITY OF LONDON ANTI-INCOME-
TAX MOVEMENT.
A Common Hall was yesterday held at the Guildhall
at twelve for one o'clock, for the purpose of petition-
ing Parliament against the income-tax.
The chair was taken at one o'clock by the Lord
Mayor.
Upon the platform we observed Mr. Pattison, M.P.,
Mr. Joseph Hume, M.P., Mr. Wyld, M.P., Alder-
man Sidney, M.P., Alderman Johnson, D. W. Wire,
Esq., Mr. bolt, Mr. Bennoch, Mr. Richard Taylor,
Mr. L. Taylor, and numerous other members of the
Common Council.
Notwithstanding the short notice which had been
given of the meeting the hall was crowded in every
part by highly respectable citizens.
The LORD MAYOR came forward and said that he
had called the meeting, pursuant to a resolution,
very numerously signed, for the purpose of consider-
ing the propriety of petitioning Parliament against
any increase or continuance of the income-tax.—
(Hear.) He had no doubt that the discussion would
be conducted in that temperate, and, at the same
time, firm manner which was most likely, and indeed
altogether the best manner, to give effect to their
determination. He should always be most happy to
give the citizens an opportunity of expressing their
opinions on all great public questions.—(Hear.)
D. W. WIRE, Esq., said that in consequence of
the great haste required in convening the meeting, in
order to petition Parliament this evening, a great
number of influential persons had been unable to
attend. He had great pleasure in moving the first
resolution, which was—
" That while this Common Hall is most desirous to
maintain public credit, and to support in all its efficiency
the public service, it is yet of opinion, that the imposi-
tion and continuance of the income-tax is unjust, unne-
cessary, uncalled for, and impolitic, inasmuch as it was
essentially a war tax, and was on its re-imposition, after
many years of profound peace, submitted to by the
people upon an express understanding that, being de-
signed to meet a particular urgency, it was to endure
but for a period, and also because it was accompanied at
the time by a considerable reduction in other branches
of taxation."
He quite agreed with the principle embodied in that
resolution ; it would have been much better if at the
commencement of the session the Prime Minister had
come down and stated to the House that in conse-
quence of the severe distress which had existed he
had desired the House to appoint a Committee to
consider how the expenditure of the country might
be reduced, in order to make the reduced revenue
sufficient.—(Hear, hear.) That would have been
a much more honest and manly course to
have adopted than the proposed bungling
and unstatesmanlike manner.— (Hear, hear.)
Then Ireland was to be exempted from this odious
tax, on the ground that they had suffered great dis-
tress. This might have been an argument in his
favour, if he had not put his hands in the pockets of
the British people, and taken from them some
8,000,0001. for the relief of that distress.—(Hear.)
They did not grudge that amount of money. But
was it right now to make this exemption in favour
of Ireland, after so much had been done for them ?
If the people of England submitted on a former occa-
sion to the imposition of the tax, was it to be sup-
posed that they would always submit to the imposi-
tion of taxes at the mere caprice of the Minister ?
If the country went on at this rate, adding to, instead
of reducing the national debt of the country, what
would be the enormous amount of revenue required
to keep faith with the public creditor ? The
income• tax was a most unjust one—it operated
most unfairly, inasmuch as the poor labouring man,
who obtained his income by the sweat of his brow,
paid as much as the possessor of real property.—(dear,
hear.) The imposition of the tax was uncalled for
and unnecessary, because a reduced expenditure of
the country would answer all the purposes required.
—(Hear, hear.) It was not necessary to keep up a
large standing army, or to provide for the defences of
the country, for with respect to England there
was profound peace abroad and profound tran-
quillity at home.—(Loud cries of " No, no.")
He maintained that it was so ; if there were any dis-
sensions in other countries abroad, it was entirely
among themselves; and so far from entertaining any
wish to invade this country, they were far more
anxious to obtain its alliance and to imitate their in-
stitutions.—(Hear, hear.) If the Court were uani-
mous, their voice would prove of great weight, and
they would be enabled to compel the Minister to
withdraw his proposal.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. L. TAYLOR seconded the motion. He be-
lieved that the doom of the present Ministry was
sealed, and the Noble Lord at the head of the
Government had, he believed, lost the confidence
of the electors of the city of London.—(Loud
cheers, mingled with marks of disapprobation.) He
maintained that it was so, and that should the Noble
Lord again come forward to ask their suffrages, he
would meet with a very different reception from that
which he had formerly botained —(Renewed cheers.)
Mr. J. HUME, M.P., came forward, and was re-
ceived with the most tremendous applause. Silence
being somewhat restored, he said, that he perfectly
agreed with the resolution. His opinion, however,
was that the resolution ought not to be directed
against the income-tax only, but against all taxes
which pressed upon the industry of the country.—
(Hear, hear.) 'When the tax was originally imposed,
8,000,0001. of taxes, were taken off many of those
articles which! entered into the consumption of the
lower and working classes. They were now in a
very different position ; the reduction of the duties
had made a reduction of only 3,000,0001. to the re-
venue. They were now called upon, not only not to
take off this income•tax, but to add to it a sum of
2,000,000/. more for the period of two years.-(Shame.)
He was prepared to take a course of opposition to the
proposal ; he had taken the first opportunity of doing
so. He had called upon the House of Commons not to
impose any other taxes until a general revision of the
whole system of taxation had been made. Looking
over the whole list of the taxes, he found that nearly
every one of them operated in an unjust manner.
The House refused to agree to his request, and he
called upon the meeting to compel the House to agree
to it. Upon his motion last Friday night he was only
supported by 59 Members. Let them not blame the
Ministry so strongly for persisting in their course.—
(Hear, hear.) The people must compel their repre-
sentatives to adopt a proper course of conduct. The
power was in their own hands; they had neglected
that power, and in all the questions put to candidates
at the last general election, he had never heard or seen
one among them to support measures of retrenchment
and economy.—(Hear, hear.) He earnestly trusted
that no increase of taxation would take place, but, on
the contrary, that a considerable reduction in the ex-
penditure of the country would be made.—(Hear.)
The resolution was carried by acclamation.
Mr. NORRIS trusted that the meeting would not be
influenced by anything like party feeling or bitterness,
but that in a bold and determined manner they would go
to the House of Commons with their petitions, and state
to the Government, if it was necessary to have funds
for the support of the establishments of the country,
let them come down with a fair and proper fiscal
measure, and they (the citizens of London) would
come forward willingly, as they had done upon many
occasions heretofore.—(Hear, hear.) He had great
pleasure in moving—
" That apart from the odious and inquisitorial nature
of the tax—of its being a tax on the skill and industry of
the country—this Common Hall is satisfied that by a
searching investigation into the financial condition of
the State, by a wise and judicious economy, by a re-
straint on the lavish expenditure of the Government,
more than sufficient may be levied to meet the deficiency
of the revenue."
Mr. FRANCIS BENNOCH said, that he could not
forbear addressing his fellow- citizens *against the
most odious, inquisitorial, and unjust tax ever devised,
by the mind of man.—(Hear, hear.) He deeply re-
gretted that the proposed measure was brought for-
ward by the Noble Lord who was their representa-
tive. The citizens must tell that Noble Lord, that
they would have none of it, and if he did
not attend to their request he was no longer
fit to be their representative.—(Loud cheers.)
What was this tax proposed for P to increase the
army. What would be the use of a large majority in
the House of Commons, and even 100,000 soldiers,
against the popular will ? The answer could be
found in the events which had just transpired on the
other side of the Channel.— (Loud cheers.) The
taxation of the country was most oppressive, and the
manufacturers were in consequence almost unable to
compete with the manufacturers of other countries.
He trusted that they should be able by unanimity to
prevent the imposition of the odious income-tax.
Mr. WALKER said, that he appeared before them
as an aggrieved man, he had been plundered by the
Income-tax Commissioners. (Hear, hear.) He
supported Lord John Russell—he deeply regretted
that he had done so.—(Cheers.) The time was come
when it was necessary to look into the expenditure
of the country, and if it was not done, civilization in
this country would become a bugbear, and honesty a
bye-word.—(Loud cheers.)
This resolution was also carried unanimously.
Mr. Deputy STEVENS said that he was decidedly
opposed to all taxes whatever; but as he was in favour
of a regular system of government, he found it
necessary that some taxes should be levied, and his
next proposition was that these taxes ought to be
raised
wtioonunled, such a manner as to fall easily and fairly
upon all portions of the community.—(Hear, hear.)
Ile did not think that the proposed income-tax was a
tax of that sort. He thought it a most unfair and
and
be
abletrusted
preventthat biyt
sa
showingdopti
adoption.—(Cheers.)
(ocl bold
eferrosnt
He thought that there was a little state-craft in the
proposal to exempt Ireland from the income-tax.
(Cheer!) He never knew a budget but contained
butesnomtireetlhyingbbaad._din(Lit,oudcheer
hetsh.r Heigtt
had greatthatthiswas
pleasure- in proposing, as the third resolution—
" That after a period of commercial difficulties, the

most disastrous and unprecedented, whilst manufacturing
industry is prostrate, and trading operations almost at a
stand-still, it is unjust to increase the taxation of the
country."
Mr. EDWARD Wl',sox seconded the amendment,
which was also unanimously agreed to.
Mr. GADSDEN congratulated the meeting on the
perfect unanimity which prevailed, and the total
absence of all party feeling. They ware met on
common ground to protect themselves and the country
from the imposition of the odious' income-tax.—
(Hear, hear.) He had great pleasure in moving—
" That, therefore, this Common Hall trusts the House
of Commons will, as the guardians of the public purse,
insist upon an abandonment of the proposal to continue
and increase the income-tax, and also insist upon such a
reduction of its expenditure as shall tend to relieve all
classes from the oppressive and burdensome taxation
which now weighs down the energies and impedes the
full development of our national industry; and this
Common Hall relies with confidence that a House of
Commons recently chosen, and which must be familiar
with the condition of the nation, will not fail, in this
crisis, to vindicate the just expectations of their con-
stituents and of the people."

JAMES GILPIN, Esq. (a member of the Society of
Friends), in an able and eloquent speech, seconded
the resolution. He trusted that a voice would go
forth from the whole country to their "pet repre-
sentative," that they would not have this odious
income-tax.—(Cheers.) He believed that there was
more true liberty in the constitution of this country,
if fully understood, than in any of the republics of
the present day ; and the union jack of Old England
would tell more of true liberty than the star-spangled
banner of the United States.—(Loud cheers.)
The resolution was also unanimously agreed to.
Mr. PAYNE (the Coroner for the city of London)
moved a resolution, that a petition be presented to the
House of Commons by Mr. Pattison, M.P., and that
Lord J. Russell and Mr. Masterman, M.P., be re-
quested to support the prayer thereof.—(Loud
cheers and laughter.) Since he had been in the Hall
he had heard that the proposal of the income-tax had
been abandoned by the Noble Lord at the head of the
Government.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. R. TAYLOR seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously agreed to.
Mr. PATTISON, M.P., said that he felt it his duty to
say a few words on the momentous subject before the
meeting. There was no individual present who was more
fully resolved than he was to oppose the additional in-
come-tax. When Lord J. Russell stated to him his in-
tention of imposing the tax he (Mr. Pattison) had told
him that it was his intention to oppose it. When he was
asked what tax he would put on instead, he said that
he would put on none at all, and that he would set to
work to economise.—(Cheers.) He had voted on
Friday night in favour of Mr. Hume's motion, and
he should continue to persevere in that course of
opposition to the odious income-tax.--(Loud cheers.)
He had heard since he had been in the Hall
that it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to withdraw the proposal of additional
income-tax. He believed that the proposal
was not so much that of the Noble Lord as that of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and he was the most
unfortunate financier that the country ever had.—(A.
voice—" Why did they keep him then ?") He believed
that, in consequence of the indisposition of Lord J.
Russell, he had said, in bringing before the House
the budget, many things which he would not other-
wise have said.--(A voice, "The excuse comes too
late.") He felt great pleasure in moving that the
thanks of this Common Hall are due to the Lord
Mayor for his conduct in presiding over it.
Mr. W. LAWRENCE seconded the motion, which
was carried by acclamation.
His LORDSHIP returned thanks, and the Hall
broke up.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
BOLTON.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
A number of other witnesses gave similar testimony,
and at four o'clock the Committee adjourned till to-
morrow.

the loud acclamations of the assembled multitude,
soldiers, Kafirs, and spectators all uniting, appa-
rently with heartfelt satisfaction, in long-reiterated
cheers at the happy termination of a contest of which
all parties seemed to be heartily tired.
His Excellency, surrounded by his staff, im me-
diately rode from the ground, sending a message to
the chiefs, that two oxen would te presented to
them for slaughter as provisions for their assem-
bled followers.
For some time after this the Kafirs were scat-
tered in groups over the flat, discussing what they
had just heard and seen, while many congratulations
were heard expressive of satisfaction at the return of
peace.
His Excellency saw the chiefs again in the after
noon, but the audience was not a public one, thouk,h
it is understood that the purport of the conference
was in substance a mere repetition of what had been
enjoined upon them in the forenoon►. The ceremony
was witnessed by a Kafir of Kreli's tribe, who
was immediately sent forward, charged with
a message from his Excellency to that
chief. He was to have been the bearer of the
" Staff of War" as well as that of Peace, but at the
intercession of the assembled chiefs the former was
not sent. Confident hopes are now entertained of the
entire and immediate pacification of Kafirland.
Notice is given by his Excellency of another
"Great Meeting" on the 7th January, at which is
to be determined the respective boundaries of their
future locations, and the details of their future go-
vernment.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 28.
Their Lordshirs assembled at Five o'clock.
PUBLIC ROADS (SCOTLAND.)
Lord ROSEBERY presented a petition from
Queensferry, and other places, praying for an altera-
tion in the mode in which the highways are managed.
THE EXCISE.

The NOBLE LORD also presented two petitions
praying for an alteration of the excise and distillery
laws.

HARBOURS OF REFUGE.

The NOBLE LOAD then, in the absence of Lord
Haddington, presented a petition praying for the
establishment of a harbour of refuge on the east coast
of Scotland.

BANK ACT.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from Mont
respecting the restrictions imposed by the Bank
of 1847.

INCOME•TAX.

rose
Act

Petitions against the proposed income-tax were
presented from the parish of Marylebone (agreed
to at a meeting held that day) by Sir B. Hall,
Bart.; from the borcugh of Northampton ; from the
inhabitants of Bethnal-green, by Sir W. Clay, and
from Brentford.

Mr. HUME gave notice—taking it for granted
that there would be a reduction in the Government
establishments —(Laughter)— that he would move
that an humble address be presented to her Majesty,
praying her Majesty to give directions that all per-
sons who shall be appointed to civil, military, naval,
or other offices after tr.is date, shall be appointed
subject to a reduction of salary.—(Hear, hear.)

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
Mr. HUME, seeing the Noble Lord the First
Minister of the Crcwn in his place, wished to put a
question to him in allusion to the late affairs in
France.—(hear.) In that country the Government
that existed but a short time ago no longer existed
now ; but a new one had or would be established.—
(Hear, hear.) Now, what he wished to ask the
Noble Lord was, whether it was the intention of
her Majesty's Government to withhold alto-
gether from any interference with the people of
France—(Great cheering)—and to leave them
at liberty to choose and settle what government
they pleased for their own country.— (Great cheer-
ing.) He had thought it his duty to ask the ques-
tion, and he hoped there would be no objection on
the part of the Noble Lord frankly to answer it.—
' (Great cheering.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL (who was much cheered)
said—l can have no objection whatever to answer the
Hon. Member for Montrose's question.—(Hear, hear.)
We have, as may be supposed, received official intel-
ligence of what has taken place in France—(llear
hear)—and in answer to the Honourable Mem-,
ber for Montrose's question, I have to state
distinctly that we h :ve no intention whatever
to interfere in that form of government—(Tre-
mendous cheering)—which the French nation may
think right to adopt, or in any way to meddle
with the internal affairs of France.—(Great cheering.)