The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-26 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1850

There are few of the popular representatives
who could meet their constituents with better
grace than Mr. W. J. Fox. Although we do
not share his opinions on every question, we
must do justice to his great ability and indis-
putable honesty. He has not had to apologise
for any violated pledge. Every promise has been
faithfully performed, so far as it lay within his
power, and there are few popular representatives
who could better abide the most stringent ordeals
between their " sayings and doings," their pro-
fessions and practice. Mr. Fox could meet the
electors of Oldham with an easy conscience, and
therefore he did meet them. He could explain,
as none but an actor therein could do, the
grievous shortcomings of what he truly termed a
"Session of Nonentities." He had travelled, it
not " from Dan to Beersheba," from the open-
ing to the closing speech, and found "al,
barren." For two years nothing beneficial to
the People had been done, on account of tht
war. List year, its termination was the ex-
cuse for inaction. " True as the needle to
the pole" have been the Gyeernment to the
laissez faire piney. They were intent on doin
nothing, and both Houses were elaborately en-
gaged in helping them in the to k. Every one
was waiting for soinebo ly else. As Mr. Fox
graphically describes, " the House of Common:
has been waiting for the people to agirat3 for re
forms, and the people for the House of C.lnamon,,
to originate them !" The Lords waiting for
bills to be sent up, and the Commons for the re-
jection in the Upper House of the bills which they
had sanctioned. The Church waiting for the re-
signation of bishops whose advanced years and
impaired strength prevented them from discharging
the duties incidental to their office. The bishop-
for the positive assurance of comfortable pensions
for doing nothing. The circle has been complete.
The faineant policy has triumphed ! and the com-
munity at large have had to deplore a wasted
year I The Hon. Gentleman touched on many
interesting questions, and dealt with all in a
manly and straightforward manner, which was
quite refreshing when contrasted with the twad-
dle which has been putforward byother legislators,
both in and out of Parliament. Everything he
alluded to bore the impress of integrity and inde
pendence. He might have had a mirror in his
breast, so clearly did he explain his internal con-'
victions. His language was not given for the
purpose of concealing his sentiments, but of
placing them in the clearest point of view, so that
any man of ordinary capacity might comprehend
his intentions, and know the exact nature and ex-
tent of the efforts which, as one of the tax-paying
community, he wasbound to render, in order that
those of which he approved might be carried into
prictical execution.
, The first point to which lie referred was one
that must excite the sympathy of the industrious
middle classes, those who earn their daily bread
by 'skilled labour, physical or intellectual, pro
clueing sufficient to bring them within the limits
of the impost. The unfair and oppressive ap
portionment, by which all kinds of income,
whether permanent and certain, or temporary
and precarious, was so grievous an injustice that
it might seem to be " fighting against shadows,"
to be proving anxious to enter into argument on
the subject. But unfortunately it is an existing
fadt, Parliament has sanctioned the anomaly, and
many hard-working men, that with all their
EMOTtiOLlii OEM scarcely continue to make both
ends mos Aro groaning under the intolerable and