The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-11 00:00:00

-Tack, I'm almost ashamed to take matters so
coolly ; another father now would have been in
a towering passion, but, damn you, I'm all calm-
ness." So is Mr. O'CONNELL. But then it is
after the Absolute fashion, with a good round
oath perpetually fluttering on his lips. When
he speaks, for instance, of the Whigs, his calm-
ness might provoke the envy of even Sir An-
thony himself ; but when he comes to Sir JOHN
HosTrousE—mercy on us, how he sweats and
fevers beneath the plethoric abundance of his
phlegm ! His attack on this gentleman is—if
we may venture to make use of such a phrase—
a written hurricane ! " Ferocious patriot" is
the mildest of his vituperative epithets. Yet
the letter has its merits ; for whether calm o,
otherwise, whether " gentle as a sucking dove,"
or outrageous as a baited bull, Mr. O'CONNELL
can sever put pen to paper without saying•some-
thing worth reading. His impassioned exhor-
tation to his countrymen to strain every nerve
to put down the " Whitefeet" atrocities is de.
serving of all possible praise. Equally valuable
is his advice that Ireland should stand like a
sentinel on the look out ; for these are not times
when she can afford to relax in her vigilance.
Though the appointment of Sir JOHN HOB-
HOUSE is an omen of good import, yet it can
only be turned to good account by an incessant
show of shrewdness and energy on the part of
the people whom he is now to take under his
fostering care. He is a Bashawor not, just as
they relax, or persevere in, a wholesome system
of political distrust.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER has
set an example of economy in his own depart-
ment which some of his colleagues would do
well to follow. Mr. WicKHAIK, his private
secretary, having been appointed one of the
Board of Inquiry relative to the Customs and
Excise, Lord ALTHORP has resolved on having
the duties of the private and official secretaries
performed by one person. Mr. WALPOLE, the
official secretary, has consequently returned to the
Revenue department, and Lieutenant DRum-
MOND has entered upon the situation filled by
Mr. WICKHAM, with the duties of the official
secretary attached. The amount of saving is
only 3001. per annum, but the example is im-
portant.

We understand that no accounts have been
received at the French Embassy from Frankfort
of a later date than those which appear in the
French papers. Indeed, the only information
relative to the troubles in that city, which has
reached the French Embassy, is that which we
publish from the French journals.

New York papers to the 16th March have
been received ; but they contain nothing of im-
portance.
SALEM AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE, MARCH 14.-
3,500 dollars, Ohio Sixes, 1211; 150 Shares United
States Lank, 108; 100 Shares United States Bank (on
time), 1074.

French and German Papers contain nothing
positive on the subject of the affairs in the
East. All is vague speculation, from which,
however, we can glean this one fact, that matters
at Constantinople are in a more perplexed and
complicated state than ever. Considerable
ferments exist among the lower orders in that
capital, so that the SULTAN'S personal safety is
hourly endangered.

There are many who profess themselves wil-
ling to alleviate the burdens of the country, if
they could but see any practicable means of
doing so. Mr. PENNY, the Editor and Pro-
prietor of the Slierborne Journal, has just pub-
lished a pamphlet, entitled " Practical Retrench-
ment, the Legitimate Object of Reform," which
appears to have beenvvritten for their express benefit.
Whilst he offers them abundance of suggestions
for" practical economy," they need not be afraid
of meeting with any ultra-radical opinions—for
the fault Mr. PENNY has fallen into, if any, has
been that he has not carried his principles a
little farther, and, instead of proposing a pro-
perty tax of five per cent., has not put it, when
affecting incomes above a certain amount, at ten
per cent. Mr. PENNY thus illustrates the work-
ing of his proposition for commuting certain of
our taxes, for a property tax of five per cent. :

" For instance, a gentleman of moderate habits, who
pays his bills annually, and lives with becoming liberality
(which, above all others of the gentry, is the c'ass that
should be considered), is suppos,,d to reside in the town of
A ; he has an estate in B, which pays him 1,0001. per
annum ;—what are the probable demands that would now
he required from him in the shape of taxes ? His house-
duty and window-tax would lie 25/. per annum; the duty
on his consumption of malt, Si. ; on his soap, 21. ; on
his insurance, 31. ; on his daily newspaper, 61.; giving at
once, 411., besides the miscellaneous articles, two-thirds
of which would be reduced on his paying 501. per annum,
whilst his tenants would he relieved from two-thirds of
their burdens, and the agricultural interest would have
the full benefit of the increased consumption of malt, which
a reduced price would insure. This, I contend, would
place the land owner in a better situation than he is in at
present, and his industrious tenants would be enabled to
pay their rents more readily than they are now. But the
great benefits of the plan would fall on labourers and
tradesmen, and they would reap the advantage of reduc-
tion, without any prejudice to property. Where there
are any legal obligations on estates, there would be no ne-
cessity for disclosures, as the property tax could be de-
ducted by the mortgagor from the mortgagee, when be
pays his interest, in the same manner as the tenant now
deducts the land tax, which, i❑ many instances, he pays
for his landlord. In the case of persons of property re-
siding abroad, or living without an establishment, they, I
must admit, would feel the operation of a property tax,
without reaping much benefit from reduced taxation, and I
certainly think that if there be any justice in keeping up
the offices of state, at the expense of the people, these
persons, above all others, should be required to pay their
due proportion, from which they at present totally exempt
themselves."

The taxes Mr. PENNY proposes to abolish,
are those on malt, soap, starch, paper, probate
duty on wills ; fire insurance, one half ; News-
paper duty, one half; advertisement duty, two
thirds ; and the house and window duties, one
half. Our only quarrel with this list, is the
preference which is given to the landed over the
town interest. What justice there would be
in reducing the whole of the tax upon malt,
and only the half of that upon houses
and windows, we cannot imagine. It is absurd
to talk of relieving the lower classes by taking
off the malt duty, as long as you oblige them to
go to one shop for their malt. Malt now
fetches the highest price purchasers will give
for it, and it would continue to do so if the duty
were taken off, No reduction; of duty will re-