The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-17 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 17, 1851.

of a regular system, we may readily imagine to
ourselves before long the possibility of one of the
bay-window bucks traversing the deserted saloons of
the Conservative, and exclaiming, like the hero of
Osstaav—" I passed through the halls of Balcleutha,
and they were desolate !" More particularly is there
a likelihood of this on the supposition that there are,
among the remaining members of the club, men as
sensitive of their independence as the Honourable
Gentleman upon whose conduct we have here eagerly
pressed forward to pronounce some few words
at least of earnest commendation. Let the
admirable example of Mr. WALTER be emulated,
and we will answer for it that the exchequer of the
club will experience the consequences. It is not
every one, however, who possesses spirit sufficient to
set the arrogance of a majority at defiance, even
when the injustice of that majority is glaringly re-
cognisable. We do not, therefore, anticipate that
much emotion will be excited in the south-eastern
corner of St. James's-street beyond that of dismay,
mingled, perhaps, with a dread of falling in like
manner under the condemnation of the so-called
Conservatives. Should the individuals who have
recently acted towards Mr. BETHELL and Mr.
TINDAL in this very extraordinary manner feel in-
cited to persist in a similar course of proceeding towards
their remaining associates, we rest assured, however,
that they will find ample reason of a like character for
requesting them to withdraw from all further con-
nexion with the Conservatives. Only upon the
supposition thrown out by Mr. WALTER in his
energetic communication to the secretary, that
Conservatism and Corn-laws are really conver-
tible terms, is the treatment of the two gen-
tlemen already particularised comprehensible
under the circumstances. Supposing this to be the
veritable principle upon which the majority of
the club have acted in the present instance, ample
opportunity will remain to them for multiplying
the number of persons thus gratuitously insulted
from two tr.., two hundred, and of provoking others
besides the Honourable Representative of Notting.
ham, to an indignant tendering of their resignation
We cannot but suspect, however, that the prompt
independence of Mr. WALTER Will somewhat mo-
derate the fanaticism of the more enthusiastic, in-
ducing the majority, who have been thus precipitate
in their arrogance, to place themselves a more ac-
curate construction upon the veritable significance
of Conservatism.

it is said, sweep clean, especially the besom of destruc-
tion. The demand of these great institutions for be-
coming the gratuitous tax-gatherers of the State is to
have a new solicitor of Customs fastened upon the
country, and a perfectly unprecedented quarrel upon
the docks. And if those alone who have been either
too credulous of the tale-bearing lies of traitors, or
too ready to corrupt the servants of great public com-
panies, and spread disaffection and unfaithfulness
among their dependents, were the only sufferers by
the fatal rigour and pernicious energy of the abettors
of the Government prosecutions, the verdict " served
'em right," would be the unanimous finding of pub-
lic opinion. " Oh, mother !" exclaimed CoaioLaNus,
"you have saved Rome, but lost your son !" The
London Dock Company have gained their cause,
but lost 13,5001. of costs—they have rescued their
two boxes of sugar at the sacrifice of about two
thousand times their whole worth.
Fortunately, at the back of all this, a Special
Committee of the House of Commons is sitting,
They have already discovered that the machinery of
the Board of Customs consists of an endless and intri-
cate system of futile forms and labyrinthine rules and
regulations, apparently devised for rendering profi-
ciency in the mysteries of the Customs business im-
possible, except by becoming the exclusive study of a
separate profession of Custom-house agents ; and
certainly calculated as much as possible to obstruct,
retard, and discourage, the entire trade and commerce
of the country. A complete case has been made out
for dispensing with the whole apparatus of the board,
and transferring its functions to the heads of depart-
ments in London, as it already is with signal advan-
tage at the outposts. It is proved that there is no
contriving head and methodical mind among the Com-
missioners. Simplification and precision, the unfail-
ing evidence of the presence of thoughtful intellect
and rigorous understanding, are utterly ignored in
the i,xisting system ; and a certain maze of meaning-
less officiousress overlays all real work with a suffo-
cating burden of the modes of transacting it. Ships
detained, goods stopped or seized, cargoes procrasti-
nated in the delivery, confiscations of merchandise
for the purpose of converting the Custom-house into
a retail shop for underselling the fadr trader,—these
are a few of the beauties of our fiscal theory. The
establishment whose aim should be to facilitate trade
and extend commerce, is a perpetual drag upon the
skill and enterprise of both. This not only prevails,
but at last its existence has been found out and ex-
posed. Before ss. 9d. of overpaid duties can be reco-
vered from the Crown the merchant has to obtain the
signatures of twelve officers, and wait twelve months
for his money. Fifteen thousand complaints of tra-
ders are sent to the petition seat every year. The
Board of Trade and the Treasury are overburdened

with memorials, on which neither of them can manage
to give a satisfactory deliverance. In short, things,
have come to that worst pass which proverbially
is the prelude to amendment. The Board of
Customs, we venture to prognosticate, will be entirely
remodelled. Half of the members (the whole would
be still better) will probably be requested to prolong
their fifteen weeks annual vacation through the whole
fifty-two. The rest will be endured until they are
legally superannuated. One or two men of

real capacity, experience, and vigorous men-
tal power, will be clothed with absolute au-
thority and undivided responsibility. Small in-
formalities and regulation traps will not be per-
mitted to reward pettifogging officers with "fines" or

" satisfactions." The scandalous huckstering in ad
valorem duties, ruinous to the fair profit of the im-

porters, carried on confessedly at a loss to the Crown,
and destructive to the retail trade of perfectly inno-
cent shopkeepers, who with rent, taxes, and fixed ex-
penses to pay, cannot compete with the Customhouse
broker's bazaar,—all these abuses will, doubtless,
meet with summary correction.
Above all, the uniform civility, obliging spirit, and
prompt assistance which earn for foreign, and
especially
American Custom-house officers, the good-
will even of those they tax, will be strictly enforced
in our own. The public will be ensured a plain
and satisfactory answer to simple questions. The

merchant or the stranger will not be fobbed off with
the insolent direction to employ a Custom-house
agent, or, when he goes to the petition seat, in-
formed that he will neither be enlightened on the sub-
ject of the reasons for having injured him, the pretext
on which redress denied, the statements he is to
meet, nor the tribunal to which he is to appeal. The
reign of Jacks-in •office has come to a violent end,
and we may look for a little common sense and coin-

mon civility from those whe are paid well for giving
us both, and seem, for that very reason, to be habitu-
ated never to give us either.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

vanced posts of the town were fired upon. All these
manifestations cannot, however, improve the nature of the
resistance which the populations of the Sahel will be able
to oppose to our troops. This resistance was carried to
its utmost extent during the expeditions of 1843, 1847,
and 1849. That of 1851, undertaken with very superior
means, and with the advantage of the influence acquired
by the first successes, will certainly complete what the
others had commenced. Letters from Bugia state that
secret preparations were making for an outbreak among
the tribes who only last year submitted themselves to
General de Barra]. The false Cheriff Bon-Bargbela is
said to have turned his efforts to that side, and had been
listened to by men who impatiently support our recent
domination. Nothing in fact is more probable than the
first success of these attempts, but we have every reason
to hope that the first blows dealtlby General de St Ar-
naud, and the approach of a column sufficiently strong
arriving from Setiff under the orders of General Csmon,
will promptly restore order. The Governor-General,
par interim, will embark on the 13th for Bougia and
Ujidjelli, where he will meet General de St. Arnaud,
on the 15th or 16th, and decide on the measures which
are to be taken.",
The following are the chief items in the weekly
bank account :

Francs.
Specie in Paris .., 415,150,160
Ditto in branches ... 140,893.147
Bills in Paris portfolio ... 46,452,911
Bills in branches ... ••• ... 73,182,748
Bank-notes in circulation 414,114,900
Ditto in branches ... ... 102,818,775
Credit to Treasury .. ..• ... 105,558,965
Private credit accounts ... ... 85,298,179
Ditto in branches ... .•• . 28,154,101
Gold has increased in Paris 4i millions, but is less
by 2f millions in the departments. The portfolio
has increased nearly two millions, and for the de-
partments 1, million. The bills in circulation have
increased 4 million in Paris, and 21- in departments.
The credit to Treasury is upwards of 5 millions more.
The Bourse was feeble. The Five per Cents. opened
at 89f. 90c., fell to 89f., 80c., rose subsequently to 90f.
25c., and closed at 90f. 10c. ; the Three per Cents.
closed at 54f. 95c. Orleans Railroad Shares, 810 f.;
Rouen, 612 f. 50c.; Great Northern, 472 f. 50c.; Avignon,
223 r. 75c.; Vierzon, 420 f ; Basle, 143 f. 75c.; Bordeaux,
4001.; Paris and Strasburg, 3621. 50c.; Tours and
Nantes, 273 f. 75c.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, MAY 16.
Boulogne and Amiens, 93,E - Dutch Rhenish, 314—Lnzem-
bourg, 1 —Namur and Liege,7 —Northern of France, 1434
- Paris and Strasbourg, 101—Tours and Nantes, 6,i —West
Flanders, 3.

SPAIN.
Madrid journals of the Ilth have arrived.
The elections had passed off in Madrid without dis.
turbance.
The Bolsa was closed on the 11th.