The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-25 00:00:00

SUN,

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 25,

Having arrived at this point of his narrative, Lord
John Russell said—" I was informed later in the

aftern .on that I was required to proceed to Buck-
ingham Palace ; and I was informed by her Ma•
jesty that Lord Stanley was n. t then prepared
to form a Government. Her Majesty then asked me to
undertake the charge of reconstructing a Government
which 'night be able to obtain the confidence of this
House, and I thought it my duty, :under these circum-
stances, to attempt that task. I have, therefore, assured
her Majesty that I would undertake it." Whether the
cause of Lord Stanley declining to form a Government
under the circumstances was a refusal on the part of the
Crown to exercise the prerogative in a dissolution of the
Parliament, or a feeling on the part of that statesman
himself, that such a dissolution was not at the present
time an advisable measure, there can be little doubt that
Lord Stanley's difficulty must have been with the pre-
sent House of Commons. The main facts remain, that
that Noble Lord was not prepared, under existing cir-
cumstances, to form an administration, and that the task
of reconstructing a Cabinet remains for the
Present in the hands of Lord John Russell.
It is, however, of great importance that the truth
should be known, and the country will wait with
impatience the time when Lord Stanley may, with the
permission of the Queen, explain precisely the state of
the case, and the motives which induced him to decline
the motnentaus task which had been assigned to him.
In the meantime we are satisfied that he acted wisely and
w -11. The movements of public men since Friday last
have been characterised by greater activity than pro-
gress. This is not wonderful. As far as we are able to
conjecture from the interviews of statesmen with each
other, and from their several audiences with her Ma-
jesty, it would seem that the efforts of Lord John Rus-
sell in the « xecution of his arduous undertaking are di-
rected towards the remnant of the Peel party. The name
of Sir James Graham occurs more frequently than that
of any other public man in our chronicles of such pro-
ceedings. Lord Aberdeen is, indeed, ale very often men-
tioned—but it does not appear in any instance, until last
night, he had dirt ctly been summoned by the Crown.
His advice, therefore, seems to have been somewhat irre-
gular, and the mode in which it is reported to have been
tendered, is hardly constitutional—either the accounts
are erroneous, or this ,mii,rer, requires explanation. Be
this as it may, it is :eietfeinely difficult to see what
strength Sir James Gra a., sulderlti to any Cabinet.
He iiiindeettsclittinguis! g •at power in debate,
an nsu Faat2 ad .. • . •ye 0 ility—but on every
quiWtion et of ilthicß - a t embarrassments have
t . are strongly in the di-
rectiOn of additi nal co. . a. His great speech on
the occasion of Mr. Disraeli's motion was altogether in
support of those financial principles which found so
little favour with the House of Commons, and unless
public belief is strangely misled, his opinions on the
other vexed question of Papal agression are such as
would ruin, in the estim «tion of the people of Eng-
land, any Cabinet, however otherwise strong, which
should venture to avow them. If, then, Lord John
Russo!! " knows the reason why " Sir James Graham
could bring any weight to the administration which
he has undertaken to construct, that " rea-
son why " must exist in some new and very
remarkable modification of his political creelf.
The causes which led to the defeat of the late
Ministry point out clearly enough the course to be
avoided by its successor. The country will not, as we
have repeatedly shown, and as recent events have fully
proved, sanction the perpetuation of an income- tax, im-
posed on account of a great state emergency, and that
under a solemn promise that it should be removed when
such emergency should pass away. The redemption of
this promise is a debt of honour which the Government
owes to the people of England, and no Administration
can stand which is based upon the avowed bad faith of
attempting to evade its payment. We do not intend to
pursue these remarks further on the present occasion.
The extent to which we have already carried them may
appear to some to be objectionable. We are bound,
however, to maintain the principles which we have ever
advocated, and in which We conscientiously believe.
Whatever may be the result, we will not be swayed
from our even course by personal or party bias; we shall
judge of public men by their acts, as the country will—
more concerned tbat the country should be governed
well, than that it should be governed by this or that
party in the State.

THE HOUSE AND INCOME TAX.
A meeting of the ratepayers and inhabitants of the
parish of St. Luke, Middlesex, was held in the British
and Foreign School-rooms, Cowper street, City-road,
ye-terday evening, to consider and determine upon the
propriety of petitioning the Legislature against the pro-
posal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to substitute
an unjust, odious, and unnecessary house•tax in lieu of
the window-tax; and also to determine upon the pro-
priety of opposing a renewal of the income-tax; Mr. J.
Tarplee, churchwarden, in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN read the requisition for the meeting,
and adverted to a former meeting held in the parish for
the repeal of the window-tax. Since that time the Bud-
get had been made public, in which it was retained under
another name, and only one-third of the tax taken off.
It was a most obnoxious measure. He trusted that agi-
tation would be continued, and that they would insist on
an equitable system of taxation—not one that fell on the
masses. The Chairman concluded by reading letters of
excuse for nonattendance, on the plea of having to at-
tend Parliament, from Mr. Mowatt, Mr. T. Duncombe,
Viscount Duncan, Lord Dudley Stuart, Mr. C. Lush-
iogton, Sir De Lacy Evans, Sir B. Hall, Mr. William
Williams, Mr. Banal Osborne; and also frau Mr. Al-
derman Wire.

Mr. RICHARD PIIILLIPS moved the first resolution:—
" s hat this meeting views with surprise and indigna-
tion the attempt of the Chancellor (f the Exchequer to
impose a house-tax instead of a window.tax, not only
because it is vnnecessary in a time of peace with the
present enormous revenue of the country, but also be-
cause it is mist unjust and unctionl in its character; and
this meeting pledges itself to oppose such a tax in the
most energetic manner by every consitutional means,
sad to insis; on the unconditional repeal of the window.
tax."

seconded by Mr. norm and supported by Mr. PALLISER.
Sit JAMES DUKE had much pleasure in attending the
meeting um rdiog to the invitation he had received. He
nad gone dow❑ to the House ; but as it was adjourced,
he had come with Mr. Wakley, than whom they could
not have a better representative, and be trusted that he
might long enjoy their confidence. He would only state
that they should have his most cordial support for the
repeal ut the window-tax, and, further, they ought not
to submit to have any other tax imposed in lieu of it, and
he assured them he would oppose any Government that
proposed any such measure.
-Mr. NICHOLAY, of Marylebone, then addressed the
meeting.
Afrer which

.Mr. WAILLEY rose, and said that he hardly deserved
the kind expressions of Sir James Duke and Mr. Nicholay.
He had been prevented from executing his duties for
two years from causes that he need not mention, but he
was thankful to his constituents for their forbearance.
Towards them now he was placed in a very peculiar po-
sitien; some were effeuded because he was ill, and others
that his health was restored again. He wished to
convey his thanks to the former. Well, what was the
Object for which they had met that nigh.? First, for
ever to get rid of that infernal window-tax; secondly,
to oppose the imposition of a house-tax; and, thirdly, to
decide whether the income-tax should be passed in its
present odious form. But there was another subject of
the greatest importance—an evil which was the source
of many other grievances. He alluded to the present
mock representation of the people. If the millions bad
voices in returning members to Parliament they would
not be here to complain, but would strike at the root of
the grievance itself. Now, the Parliament had ad-
journed until Friday next, at five o'clock, in order
to enable a Government to be constructed. His ad-
vice to them was to hold continual meetings between
this and then for that purpose. He was at the House
of Commons that night, and Lord John Russell had
informed them that he had felt it his duty to tender
the resignation of himself and his colleagues, and
that her Majesty had received it. Well, he would tell
them that afterwards Lord Stanley, the leader of the
Protectionists, was sent for, but be could not form an
Administration. Lord n was recalled, and he was
now engaged in forming 'Cabinet, and on Friday they
were to bear what sort of ono it was. Now was the

time, then, far all intelligent constituencies to speak out,
and not allow the new Ministers to taka office without
knowing what the people wanted. They did not care
whom they selected for the Ministers. provided they
would advance in a right direction; but if they were
opposed to elective franchise he should mistrust them
from the commencement, and he hoped the people would
too. The aristocracy for the last few days had been in
great confusion. Why? because there were places to be
got and money to be pocketed. But could they only be re..
verned by them? He thought in this business they had not
only miscalculated their power, but were ignorant of the
opinion of the people. He denied that with the energetic
and masculine character of this age they could only be
governed by puny lords. He trustecilkithat the new Ad-
ministration would think of this. The old factions—
Tory and Whig—were worn out, and he was of opinion
that the people ought to be as much represented in the
Cabinet as in the Legislature. He again earnestly ex-
pressed his hope that this would not be the only meeting
held before Friday next, for they ought to let the new
Government know that they demanded an enlargement
of the franchise. In conclusion, he begged to assure
them of his most cordial support.
The resolution was then put from the chair and carried.
Mr. DALE moved a resolution to the effect—
,' That a petition for the repeal of the window-tax un-
conditioually be presented to the House of Commons by
Mr. Wakley and Mr. T. Duncornbe."
He hoped the petition would amount to a command, as
the new Ministry would find they must comply with it."
Seconded by Mr. CHRISTIE.
This was also carried.
Mr. SIIILLIBEER moved—
" Thut this meeting, while it desires that the neces-
cessary revenue to meet the legitimate expenses of the
State should be fairly levied, considers it a duty to use
every proper means to oppose the renewal of the income-
tax, us it cruelly taxes the
bodily exertion of a.hardworking
ard industrious tradesman and pr.r‘eistorial man as
heavily as the permanent income arising from real pro-
perty; and that the exigency which it was adoptyd to
meet having passed away there is no necz:seity for its re-
newal."
Seconded by Mr. BRISCOE. and supported by
Mr. PALLISER, who par icalarly objected to. the in-
spection of their trade accounts by the Commissioners.
Mr. NORMAN thought that if the incomeetax were re-
pealed the property-tax would go, and he warned the
working classes that the burden of the taxes would fall
things into
on then!. H
about enlarging their franchise. ace thought that that instead of taking these
ought to be
Hheoldeoinngclumdeeedtinbgys
MOIR an amendment to the effect that direct tazitiQa