The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-19 00:00:00

where a people are borne down to the earth, by it, ie a
sore subject. It is not one to be trifled with. If the
Right Hon. Gentleman must inch:lgo in his levities, he
will not. if '.e be wise for himself, s,lcot the window
duties as a subj:‘et by means of which he may gratify his
propensities fur grave trifling. But Sir Charles Wood not
only unwarrantably makes his txperiments on the pa-
tience of the people of
,these realms, but must needs,
also, insult their understandings. Nominally, he repeals
the window duties; in reality, he does nothing of the
kind. In the same breath in which he announoes the
remission of the window duties, he apprises the over-
taxed people that he means to impose a tax on houses
rent which will produce two-thirde of the revenue re-
ceived from the tax on windows. Who ever beard of any-
thing so unjustifiable on the part of the .14gist Hen.
Gentleman, cr so disrespectful to the public ? lle
has evidently measured the understandings of the people
by his own. lie could not have ofcred them a greater
affront than to have supposed fur an instant that he could
success'ully impose win them by to clumsy a piece , f
fiso.:l legerdemain. The deception is so transparent that
the du!:est perception must at once detect it. In prc-
posing a fax on the rent of houses, the Chancellor cf
ehe
Exchequer proposes to do an act of flagrant injustice.
Lie propuset to tax certain portions of her Majesty's
subjects twice over for one and the same purpose. His
intended house tax would be equivalent to doubling the
property tax in the care of those who are the Owners of
household property. First, they pay tat it property tax
on the incomes they derive from their houses in
conjunction with their other sources of income,
and after having done that Sir Charles Wood
proposes is send the tax-gatherer to them to
demand the payment of another property tax—a
tax on the rent of their houses. Proprietors of houses
will thus, in efTect, have to pay a property-tax twice over.
So bold and reckless an experiment on puhiic forbear-
ance must recoil on the Right Hon. Gentleman himself.
The injustice of the thing is so glaring and so gross, that
it is difficult to speak or write on the subject with one's
accustomed calmness. But if Star Charles was anxious to
see bow far the force of philosophic resignation on the
part of the public could go, we surely would have had a
right to expect that he would not have confined his con-
templated injustice to the proprietors of heritable pro-
perty. Why were they alone, of all her Majesty's sub-
jects, singled out, as the parties to be made the victims
of his meditated injustice? Why should the fundholder
escape? Why should Consols continue untouched
by the stern taxing hand of Sir Oharles Wood, when
house proprietors, whose property is much more
precarious, much more liable to depreciation, are
pounced upon as fit subjects for the taxing propensities
of the Right Hon. Gentlemski? Why is the rich ship-
owner exempted? On what ground is the proprietor of
land permitted to escape? If injustice is to be done, let
it be done to all classes alike. Lot there be no excep-
tions in favour of any class. The Right Hon. Gentle-
man speaks and acts in a manner which is not reconcile-
able with the dictates of truth, when he seeks to make
the public believe that his scheme will abolish the
window-tax. Practically, it only proposes to reduce
that obnoxious impost to the extent of a third. In-
stead of paying 1,800,0002, as at present, in the
agape of window duties, the nation will henceforth
pay 1 200,0001., being two-thirds of the revenue at
present derived from the window duties. The only
difference is to be, that instead of the amount being
paid as a window-tax, it is to be paid as a tax on
house-rents. What matters it to the unhappy persons
who have to pay the tax, whether it be paid in the name
of a window-tax or of a house-tax? The burden will be
as great in the one tease as in the other. The pill is not
the less bitter to the taste because it is gilded. It will
be quite as hard for the public to pay a tax of 1,200,0001.
a year under the name of a house-tax as under the name
of window duties. But the thittlg must not be. The
window-tax must be entirely abolished, and no other im-
post be substituted for it, no matter by what fine name
the Chancellor of the Exchequer may choose to call the
contemplated substitute. All the demonstrations which
have recently been made in the metropolis and
provinces in opposition to the window-tax have
aimed at its total and unconditional repeal. That
must still be the popular object. Let Lthe cry be
everywhere raised, at the utmost pitch of the public
voice, and it will make itself heard, and command respect
and obedience even in Downing-street. We look to the
metropolis for the adoption of the necessary steps to set
a powerful and determined agitation on foot, against this
part of the Whig Budget in particular, and against the
measure in general. We imagine we already see the
men of Marylebone in motion. St. Pancras, Finsbury,
the Tower Hamlets all the other metropolitan
boroughs, indeed—will forthwith follow the example.
The City will not lag behind. The country will at once
take up the tale. The national appeal made by the me-
tropolis, will meet with a prompt and hearty response in
all parts of the country. The tide of public indignation
against this foolish and unjust measure, will, before
many days have elapsed, rise so high, and dash with
such tremendous force against it, as not only to sweep
itself away, but the Whig Ministry also, should they be
so infatuated as to attempt to uphold it.

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD
REFORM ASSOCIATION.
Sir,—On Monday the 17th, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer brought forward what is called the
Budget. As there 'freer was a case yet, in which
everybody was satisfied with such a performance,
there is no use in attempting to reconcile conflicting
interests now. But one great feature the present
measure possessed; which is, that it unostentatiously
recognized the great principle, that consumers are to
be relieved !rem all such payments, as without add-
ing to the aggregate of British industrial employ-
ment, inflict on the consumers a gratuitous loss
equal to the artificial difference of price.
A subject connected with a previous question is
beginning to swell into serious magnitude; and as
your immediate share of it, I would suggest to you
and the other commercial and maimfactnrirg consti-
tuencies, the propriety of to a certain extent getting
your hounc's in order,lor the hunt of a General Election .
The contents of the Irish papers show distinctly, that
the idea has been conceived among the Irish Catholics,
of turning out the present Government on the ques-
tion of Protection, as the means of opposeng the ad-
vance of the Ecclesiastical Titles Assumption Bill.
In other words, the Corn-laws are to be restored, by
the Pope and the Protectionists. It would be
useless to urge to the agitators, how probably
this would he followed by a rush of their ene-
mies for the restoration of the greatest portion of
the Penal Laws consistent with the temper of the
age ; for angry men are net accessible to reason.
The unaccountable policy of the Free Trade leaders
in declaring to their constituents that it is of little
consequence whether one set of Ministers ere in office
or another, will no doubt weaken the prospects of
resistance in the event of a dissolution of Parlia-
ment; and yet I should expect that Bradford, rich
and poor, would be of a different opinion. The
ground that has been lost, and the oppoi tunities that
have been thrown away, can never be literally re-
gained. But an early warning may do what
is practicable towards reparation of the evil.
On Tuesday no business of magnitude was trans-
acted, and the House broke up at six o'clock.
I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.
London, 19 Feb., 1851.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
ADMIRALTY LEvrEs.—Tho Right Hon. Sir F. T.
Baring, Bart., will receive cfficers desiring an interview
en Tuesday, the 25th instant, at one o'clock; and every
subsequent luesday until further notice. The number
not to exceed thirty on each day.
The senior naval Lord, Rear-Admiral Deans Dundas,
C. 8., receives officers on Tuesdays.

PROMOTION.

Mate—Robert A. Stupart (1849), late of the Sphyrm
steom-sloop, at Chico, tho rack of Lieutenant, vice
ilickley, promoted, vice Inca, deceased.

APPOINTMENTS.

Mate—Thomas L. Ward (1850), to the Excellent.
Assistant•Enginecrs—John Bruce, H. C. Thunder,
William Eyers, henry Jones, and John Trelwing, to the
Banshee steam-picket, fitting at Woolwich.
Gunners—lhnry Marshall (acting) to the Bonetta, 3,
Chatituaa ; William S. Deere to the Banshee.
Commander William Gowdy (1850), n masterofldBilesd
retired in August last, on the 12s. 6d. list of 1546,
now.,
tant
and
responsibTlehectffice3Tat Newcastle a few days since.
By this vacancy, the worthy
vonport Dockyard, Mr. Henderson, retires
the able as-
of commander, and we presume Mr. AI ,
Mr. Ilenaerson, as the
masteerti-ractstewnditahntthonfrDanok-
sistant-master-ntendant, sou:cc:Mr.
Lumsdale; and Mr.
latter gentleman succehade
st.
George, ordinary guard-
ship,Brown, the master ofr Mills.t
In this fair succession the
will succeed. lil
. onupor
aav now
by- Air. Henderson and Mr. Mills, will
held respectively - officers will have h 91- 1
efficiency of the
XCELLENT.--
and faithful services.
of good
reward
A TARGET FOR .
be preserved, and deserving officers
be towed up into Porchester Creek, to be a
hulk is co
target
for the Excellent. The new butt is progressing, b
. will
but the (ring not rake
place until next month.
Arab, 12, Commander Morris, has arrived at Chat-
ham, from the East Indies, to be paid off.
Argus steam-frigate was taken out of dock at Ports-
mouth, on Monday, and tried along the measured mile
in Stoke's Bay. She averaged (being light, without
masts or stores on board) ten knots four fathoms per
hour. She has been taken into the basin to be docked.
Buuetta, 3, brigantine, was commissioned on Monday
by Lieutenant C. Wake.
Cormorant, 6, steam-sloop, Captain Schtembew, ar-
rived at Bahia, Jan. 6, from Rio, on a cruise against
slavers.

Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour, flag-ship of Vice-
Admiral Sir G. F. Seymour, was unlocked at Chatham
on Monday, and was towed down to Folly Point,, t° get
her lower (:eek guns, water, provisions, &c.. on board.
She is all staunt, has all her sails bent, and will be out
of the hands of the dockyard in a few days.
I;,e,,lstance troop-ship, Sra;:ter-Commander Bradshaw,
lcfc the river on Monday, on her way to Portsmouth, to
be paid wag,i, and to proceed to Cork, Gibraltar, and
the West Indies, with troops.
Sharpshooter, 8, screw-gun-vessel, Lieutenant Com-
mander Bailey, arrived at Bahia, Jan.
5, on a cruise
against slavers.
PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 18.—The wind bas been to the
S W. for the hat 12 hours, but there are no signs of the
Prince Regent.
WooLwrcu, FEB. 18.—Commander William Rowlett
(1847) has bkon appointed to command tee Aiecto steam
sloop. commissioned at Woolwich.
The Monkey and Jasper steam-vessels have returned
to Woolwich, nttor Inwirqc ttao Resisitanca troop-0.i,,
went* the myrtle, n Lir mty to to 0144"
troop qt tti putt.