The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-12 00:00:00

It is reported of GEORGE the THIRD that, when
lireatened with a Ministeriel resignation en masse,
accompanied by gentle hints as to the impossibility of
any other party being capable of carrying on the go-
vernment of the country under the peculiar circum-
stances of the case, the MONARCH boldly declared
that he would go down to Charing-cross and call on
the first twelve honest men be met to form a Cabinet.
The unexpected determination thus exhibited as-
tonished the PREMIER. He found that be could
not reduce his SOVEREIGN to a mere cypher,
and that " the traditions of office" should be
dispensed with when vigorously and firmly resisted.
This salutary lesson was taught to a First Lord of
the Treasury, even in the " good old times," when
rotten boroughs flourished and the prices of seats in
the Legislature were as freely quoted in the market
as Consols, Bank Stock, or railway shares are at the
present day. There was then, as there is at this
moment, a public spirit that would have resisted,
and successfully, every attempt at coercion or domi-
nation by any Parliamentary clique, however influen-
tial. If then, WILLIAM PITT in the heyday of power
and vigour of intellect, could not control " opinion,"
or carry his own views into execution, despite the
popular will, how can it be supposed that his suc-
cessors, men of very inferior abilities, could, under
much less favourable circumstances, overcome diffi-
culties that foiled their great predecessor ? " The
people" will not now consent to be bound or to sur-
render their judgments to any persons whatsoever,
whether the present or quondam possessors of office.
It would seem, however, as if Sir Celeamns WOOD
supposed that the calm and deliberate decision of the
popular branch of the Legislature, sanctioned and
confirmed by the approbation of the community in
general, could be controlled and set aside through the
unreasonable and improper refusal of some parties
to serve on the Committee of Inquiry into the
mode of assessing and collecting the Property
and Income-tax. The vast experience, the won-
derful acquirements of the " Nestor of Fi-
nance" have suddenly acquired almost miraculous
authority in the eyes of the Right Honourable
Baronet. Without the help, aid, and assistance of
Mr. HERRIES and the recusant Peelites, he (Sir
CHARLES) could not possibly enter upon the investi-
gation. With the becoming modesty for which he
is so celebrated he declared that " if he were to serve
on the Committee he would find himself in a difficult
position, being the only person having experience in
financial matters on the Committee," and that "it
would be impossible for him to do his duty to the
public creditor unless adequately supported." If the
Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Stamford
be really of such pre-eminent powers that nothing
could be accomplished without his intervention, why
is not the Government of the country surrendered
into his hands and those of his colleagues ? The
present Ministers have not only deeply felt, but they
have acknowledged their weakness—openly and can-
didly avowed it to their SOVEREIGN, to both Houses
of Parliament, and to the country. Nothing can
be done, crede Sir CHARLES WOOD, on the most im-
portant question that could be brought under the
legislative notice, if Mr. HERRIES refuses his assist.
ance. How easy then must it be for the Right HOD,
Gentleman to overthrow any Government ! It re-
quires no actual defeat—no motion as to a want of
confidence or other direct proceeding—sufficient if
the Member for Stamford abstain from taking an
active part in the public business of the country.
whether his absence be occasioned by a timely
fit of the gout, or the " pressure of hie public and
private engagements," or, what is, perhaps, just as
probable, a desire that be should have the matter
altogether in his own hands when he can grasp
the seals of office, without being fettered or re-
strained by any report of a Committee, particularly
of one of which he himself had been a member.
The Protectionists desire to abolish the property-
tax, because they believe that if that be abrogated
the exigencies of the Exchequer will re-
quire the imposition of duties on articles of
primary necessity, and amongst them the resuscita-
tion of their much loved " bread tax." According to
their views, anything in the shape of direct taxation
is to be eschewed; and therefore the more
objecticnable and the more inequitable the
mode of assessing and levying the charge
the better, as it is the more likely to excite the dis-
gust and indignation of the people, and to be con-
demned by their representatives. On the other hand,
Sir CHARLES WOOD wishes to retain the charge,
but he loves it for its very imperfections, and
if materially improved it would lose favour in his
sight. He has therefore given an exaggerated notion
of the evil to be occasioned by the refusal of
Mr. HERRIES and the Peelites to serve on
the Committee, desirous of evading the pro-
mised inquiry, but not seeing that he is
!bus playing the game of his opponents. We believe,
however, that the country would greatly prefer such
411 inquiry being carried on before men of
sound common sense, than before a body of
practised
red-tapists, whose intellects were tied
down by specified
rules, which they regarded with
superstitious
from
reverence, and which prevented them
taking enlarged
and comprehensive views on any
subject. The p
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER him-
self will be a
sufficient obstacle to any great
improvement,
and it will be a consummation devoutly
to be
person
having (official) m
wished for, if he should indeed be "the only
experience on finan •
al mat-
ters serving
upon the Committee:.

Nothing new under the sun, is one a
•
among those
coxcomical aphorisms which, considered
according
disproved, being
to their popularly regarded signification, are
almost every day now by some enter-
experi-
bytrusoemeenouscgihen, tainfide obvious
prizing speculator, now
mentalist. It is of course
enough into the bargain, that the laws of Nature,
being immutable in themselves, are the same now
that they were at the first instant of creation, and
that consequently nothing can therefore be termed
new
according to the more recondite acceptation.
But to say that there is nothing new in the vulgar
meaning
of the phrase, is little less than an absurdity
in an age remarkable for so many marvellous
discoveries and almost
preternatural contrivances.
The . electric telegraph alone would be a
sufficient illustration that marvels hitherto
even unconjectured have started into life in the pre-