The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-06 00:00:00

~y ~r~~r ~ns~

LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 1846.

THE QUARTER'S REVENUE.

The official return of the net produce of the revenue
of Groat Britain for the quarter ending sth April, 1846,
will be found in another column. This return exhibits
a decrease on the year of 2,327,2191., and on the quarter
a decrease of 1,121,5041., and considering the large
amount of duties which have been taken off, the distress
existing among the people in conseqaence of the failure
of the 1:,:;tato crop, and the enhanced prieei of all articles
of consumption, together with the almost total stagnation
of trade and commerce occasioned by the factions oppo•
sition given by the land,cracy to those rnes.ures of
commercbl reform which Lave been proposed by the
Minister, and have twice received the sanction of over-
whelming majorities of the House of Cominens, we are
only surprised that the decrease is not to a larger
amount. There is still, however, a surplus of
revenue over expenditure of 1,783,3081. As might
have been anticipated there is a considerable decrease in
the Customs and the Excise. The Customs revenue for
the quarter is 3,961,918/.; for the year it is 17,664,618/.;
showing a decrease on the quarter of 440,588/. and on
_tear of 2,512,113/. The revenue from the Excise

is for the quarter 1,626,4.58/. ; and for the year
11,886,0851., showing a decrease on the quarter
of 291,0271., and on the year of 338,8221.; so
that by far the larger portion of the decrease on the
year in the Excise revenue has taken place during the
last quarter, and as the amount of the Excise revenue
has always been considered as an indication of the
state of the working population of the country,
this large decrease furnishes an additional proof that
as provitdons increase in price so does the
distress of the labouring classes increase; the earliest
indication of the approach of that distress being a fall-
ing-off in the Excise revenue, consequent upon the
inability of the working classes to purchase those
humble luxuries in which, when in a state of compara-
tive comfort, they are wont to indulge. There is a de-
crease on the quarter, of 56,5931. in the revenue derived
from Stamps, the amount for the quarter being
1,685 862/. The amount of revenue derived from
Stamps for the year, is 7,095,5211., showing an in-
crease on the year, of 330,681/. The rise, progress, and
cessation of the railway fever, together with the present
state of stagnation in trade, will sufficiently account both
for the increase on the year, and for the decrease on
the quarter. The taxes for the quarter amount to
146,1421., and for the year to 4,224,0391.. showing an
,ncrease on the quarter of 1971., and on the year of
6,291/. The property-tax shows the increase on the
quarter of 58.1711, and a decrease on the year of
7.9,707/., the total amount of revenue derived from that
impost being for the quarter 1,963,882/, and for
the year, 5,034,74/. The Pest-office revenue, we are
rejoiced to say, goes on steadily increasing. The
amount for the quarter is 215,000/, for the year
768,0001., showing an increase on the quarter of 37,0001.,
and en the year of 89,0001. If the principle of the
uniform and cheap postage, conjoined with frequent deli-
veries and proper attention to the public wants and accom-
modation were fully carried ont, the increase in the Post-
office revenue would be enormous. If the experiment were
fairly tried, in five years the revenue derived from the
Post-office would exceed that raised under the old
system. The revenue derived from the crown lands is
for the quarter 45;000/, for the year 130,0001., showing
an increase on the year of 5,0001,, and on the quarter of
10,000/. Under the head of miscellaneous, the revenue
fer the quarter is 91,522/.; for the year 939,7474 show-
ing a decrease on the quarter of 323,4941, and on the

year of 127,607/. The total charge for the quarter
is 8,477,206/. The total ordinary revenue is, from
the quarter, 9,735,7901. ; and fur the year, 47,792,7511.,
!showing a decrease on the quarter of 1,121,504/_, and a
decreaie on the 3 ear of 2,327,219/, yet still leaving a
surplus of income over expenditure of 1,783,3081.

The tone and temper of Mr. O'Coxerra.'s speech, on
Friday right, on moving his amendment upon the Pro-
tection of Life (Ireland) Bill, were deservedly recog-
nised by Lord JOHN RUSSELL and Mr. SIDNEY HER-
BEE.T, and likewise well received by the House. We
fear that Mr. O'CONNELL has frequently damaged the
interests of which he is so powerful an advocate by
having suffered himself at times to be betrayed into the
loss of that equanimity of temper which governed his
observaticns on the measure under discussion. But the
forbearing spirit he exhibited on the occasion adverted
to will not, we are sure, be without its due
influence amongst his legislative colleagues. He
handled with great ability every topic that
could be introduced in opposition to the Govern-
ment measure. In this respect he left little for
his country to desire. W hat he did, he did well. His
acknowledged talents always guarantee as much. If he
has failed to prove that the Bill he opposes is not fitting
to be passed, this is to be attributed to the strength of the
deplorable materials on which the Ministry grounded
their application to Parliament, and not to any deficiency
on his part. The sum of Mr. O'CoetetzLes advice was,
to let the law remain as ii is ; in other words, to let the
crime of murder rage on (which must inevitably
be the consequence, remembering that the ordinary
law has been declared to be ineffectual for putting it
down), whilst Parliament attempts to root out the
causes that lead to the perpetration of the most fearful
criminal atrocities. We think the Ministry hold the wiser
language, when they recommend that, by enactments
of sufficient vigour, the law shall first be rendered
supreme over the murderer, and that then, or simul-
taneously, if possible, Parliament should address itself
to the task of endeavouring to remove the irritants that
may have goaded the people on to the commission
of the horrid acts recorded against them. - Much
of Mr. O'Coeeenn's speech was devoted to allusions to
different Irish political grievances, and so far it was not
very relevant to the matter in hand; for he himself
joined the Minister in admitting that the outrages set
forth partook in no wise of a political or religious
character. It may then be taken as admitted, that, in
respect to the desired security for life, and the causes
that endanger the same, the religious wrongs or political
ills of the Irish are not the points that demand imme-
diate redress. Mr. O'CONNELL attacked many of the
clauses for their undue severity. This may be per-
fectly just; but they ara details for consideration when
the Bill shall be committed. He urged that all
former Coercion Bills had failed, and that the present
was severer in its character than any of its predecessors.
If the previous measures failed, such failure might be
attributed to their inadequacy for their object; and ex-
perience may dictate to us the necessity of a more
powerful remedy than heretofore, if the assassin is to
be brought to his merited doom. But we do not be-
.ieve that coercive measures—certainly not the latest
(considered strictly as such)—have failed; on the con-
trary, they have been remarkable for their moral effects.
This was strikingly proved by Mr. SIDNEY HER-
BERT in the official reports: received by the
Government during their operation. In one in-
stance, a return to the Lord-Lieutenant showed that
comparing the year preceding the proclamation against
the county and city of Kilkenny with the subsequent
one, there was a diminution of outrages in 1834 from
1,590 to 331—a difference amounting to 1,259 ! Coer-
cion Acts have not been suffered to expire on account
of any abuses that sprung up antler them, but avowedly
upon the representation of the resumption of social
tranquillity. The storm has been lulled, but the suc-
ceeding calm has always been delusive. Such, how-
ever, would not have been the case had the Legislature,
while it prudently stayed the hand of the murderer, care-
fully investigated the vitiated condition of the
country, and provided accordingly by salutary laws.
Inasmuch as this benevolent policy was slighted, and
altogether neglected, the danger and cruelty of which
has been so ardently expostulated upcin by Earl GREY
in one House, and Lord JOHN RUSSELL in the other,
so far, it may be fairly said, that measures of coercion
have signally failed. This is doubtless the sense in which
the word failure ought to be applied to all former
Acts, necessarily, under the circumstances, restrictive
of the liberty of the subject. Mr. O'Coreeinex asserts that
the poor man will not be conciliated by the measure—
we feel convinced that he will be so. It is for his pro-
tection that we consider the Bill as conducive to the
highest ends of mercy. Of the truth of this Mr. SIDNEY
HERBERT furnished an admirable and statistical expo-
sition. The landlords who have fallen victims bear
an insignificant proportion compared with the unpro-
tected peasants ; when impunity fortifies: the machina-
tions of the midnight ruffian the afflicted and menaced
cottier is alarmed by the weakness of the law
which he is taught he ought to obey, but
which he finds incapable of affording him protection.
And in this way his fear preponderates over his duty,
and thus, we appiehend, he has too frequently become
the facile tool in the hands of the nocturnal monsters.
lie is drawn into the vortex from which he would in the
first instance gladly have escaped, had he been guarded
by an effective, in the place of an enervated, administra-
tion of the law. The chronic emasculation of all whole-
some authority is painfully evident. ,At first night was
deemed an indispensable shroud, both for the counsels
of the ruthless conclave and the execution of their
fiendish mandates. Emboldened by the success of their
diabolical schemes against the poor, and under the veil of
darkness, they have fearlessly progressed, and in open
day inflict a sanguinary death on members of more
elevated society, violence on hom under such circum-
stances they had not formerly ventured to contemplate.
And whilst we have to lament that the law has so long
been paralysed, it is not to be doubted that if Parlia-
ment should be wanting hi its duty, this frighful state
of things would continue to spread with alarming
rapidity. Viewed in this light, we think Mr. O'CON-
NELL is erroneous in attacking the measure, because
its provisions are principally framed for being
effective at night. True it is that many murders are
committed in the day. Nevertheless, this is, in almost
every case, merely the execution of the terrible sentence
that has been resolved on at the nocturnal meetings of
the confederates. Pursue them to their deadly haunts,
and their designs, both by day and by night, will be most
effectually frustrated.. In other respects Mr. O'CoN-
NELL'S speech is most valuable. He traces the causes
of criminal pollution almost entirely to the abuses
of property, to the inadequate state of the
relationship between the landlord and tenant.
On this branch of the subject he dilates with
the greatest force, and his remarks are entitled to the
temoet weight. He was the first who laboured to bring
this matter prominently before the country. To the
laudable recoonstraeces and startling arguments con-
tained in many of his letters were we indebted for the
appointment of the Commission of which Lord DEVON
was at the head, and hereafter, when Ireland shall be
clothed with the features of real civilisation, posterity
will feel itself deeply indebted to Mr. O'CONNELL. He
advocates the extension of the Ulster tenant right to the
other provinces—demonstrates how well it has worked,
wherever it was recognised as a custom,
even though unfortunately it was not the law, and how
lamentable have been the effects whenever it has been
resisted. his remarks are most apposite, and we should
rejoice to see them duly appreciated in the Bill, promised
to be laid before Parliament, for improving the condition
of landlord and tenant in Ireland. We are aware how
difficult it will be to obtain full concession in a Senate
composed almost exclusively of landowners to these
salutary measures, for eradicating the prolific sources of
crime, where it may seem to intrench upon their own
territorial rights. But we trust that they will be ani-
mated by a lofty spirit, and consider no sacrifice too
great to disarm those who are bound to look up to them
for guidance and protection—whose interests and wel-
fare are committed to their charge, by a judicious course
of kindness and conciliation—of what they have too often
been taught to consider their only remedy—the wild jus-
tice of revenge.

The petty disputes between Lord ABERDEEN and M.
G nizoT about the affairs of Greece are below the dig-
nity of great states. Of so little importance are they to
the balance of power, or to political influence in the East,
that we must class them among those personal quarrels
in which even grave statesmen occasionally indulge. What
is Greece to France or England ? What part could
she play in a contest for Constantinople or
Egypt, or any other bone of contention ? She
cannot exist upon her own resources, much less pay her
debts; she is constantly disturbed by civil or military
fections ; her King is a non-entity, and her Ministers
are guided by their own selfish or party interest, and
seldom or never attempt to elevate this beautiful and
classical country to the rank so fondly anticipated by
the nations of Europe. Many- years of slavery have
impaired the energies and morality of the people,
and a long period, we fear, must elapse before they can
defend themselves, or be of service to either of the great
powers that took them under their protection ; yet flies°
powers are constantly at variance with each ether re-
specting her internal policy. One considers it a master-
stroke of statesmanship to get COLETV substituted for

....5013.4?),..A.p • .
,*7l_
.741;,_-, • " ' ;le
1,
,