The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-27 00:00:00

SIR C. J. NAPIER'S STATUF.

During the present week the various passengers
whom business or pleasure has conducted through Tra-
falgar-square may have robsbly noticed a veiled statue
erected on a pedestal of severe simplicity. From local
tradition it is gathered that three or four days ago both
pedestal and wattle were placed on their present site,
under the superintendence of Mr. Cundy, a mason well.
skilled in such operations. However the feat was ac
complisbed, it took place at night.tirne, and the neigh-
bourhood of Charing craze, when it woke in the morn-
ing, wondered to find the new colossal inhabitant
stationed iu its great square.
Although the torn, of the statue was concealed by a
thick canvass veil, its subject was plainly indicated by
the inscription on the peclesta!—" Charles James Napier,
General, born MDCOLXXXII ; died MDCCCLIII.
,greeted by public subscription from all classes, civil and
military, the most numerous being private soldiers."
Such was the device beneath the mysterious figure.
The enigma is now ne longer enigmatical. Without
any inaegurating 'pomp, and ansii weather that was
marvellously bad even fer a London November, the
ceremony of unveiling took place shortly aft, r 11 a.m.
yesterday in the presence of a small but select body of
spectators, who braved the combination of s!eet and
slush to witness the addition of one more work of art to
the metropolis. The more hardy lounged about the
flagstones, the more cautious attended in carriages. A
great deal of curiosity was visible among the little throng
as the workmen ascending the ladders commenced the
process of unveiling, and a hearty cheer burst forth when
the statue stood unveiled in all its dignity, brought out
in full relief against Cie dull, foggy sky.
When fine weather shall have increased the number
of spectators, it will be found that the new statue is not
secondary in interest to any erected in the public tho-
rsughfares of Loudon. The illustrious General is repre-
sented with a scroll in his left hand, symbolical of the
akt teici
government awarded to Scinde, and a evrJrd in his right,
not branished in defisnce, but pressed against his br sum
as if in acknowledgment of its good service. Tt
tude is natural but commanding, the strongly marked
features are reproduced with powerful effect, and the
heavy mantle which is thrown over the back of the figure
answers the sculptural purpose of the toga without de-
stroying the national character of the General, who is
dressed in his proper uniform. The height of the figure,
which is of bronze, not blackened Over, but showing all
the colour of the metal, exceeds 12 feet, and the granite
pedestal, which is of the simplest kind, surmounted only
by a pinth and moulding, stands 17 feet from the ground.
It may be remarked that the feet of the figure are planted
immediately on the granite, without the intervention of
a metallic base.
The highly interesting work of art now exhibited to
the great public of Lennon owes its origin to a subscrip-
tion set on foot about two years ago by a committee
of which the Bari of El!enborough was chairman, and
Colonel Kennedy and Sir Colin Campbell joint secretaries.
Among the chief donors were the present Duke of Beau-
fort and the late Lori Hardin g°, who contributed each
100/. ; but the subscriptions descended to the humble
amounts of 21, and 11., and the words written on the
pedestal are strictly true.
Mr. G. G. Aearns, the sculptor of the work, is the
young and rising artist who distinguished himself by the
of
successful bust tee 'late Doke of Wellington, of which
marble copies were taken by the Queen, the present
Duke of Buccleuch, and Lord Eils..,mere ; and by the
statue of the same great General now erected in the
llAarliet-place of Norwich.

(Prom, the Times.)
,No taxes are popular things. . It •is not to be
expected that .they should be. Mader the disguiseof a high price paid for Your tea, ttoffee, or sugar
. at the grocer's, they are unpele:aenht:uneorn,sgheru. •
eißniy.t
- indirect taxation is still a veil, however thid a
i one, upon the Ch au collor of th
..-,.,1 When he puts his hand into your pocket and takes
out the actual contents of your purse, he, is the
robber undisguised. This is a rude, coarse, tins
. gentlemanly, impertinent proceeding, at which we
fire up, Whatever the financial reason of the com.
. munity may admit in favour of direct taxation,
imagination will always be against it.
But this is not the only objectioa to the income
tax. It is an inquisitorial tax, nor is it inquisito-
rial only as subjecting you to the sharp eyes and
ears of a collector - it makes you an inquisitor upon.
yourself, which nobody likes to be. Even if you
are only your own inquisitor, which is the very
mildest form of inquisition, that is a burden and a
nuisance to most people. There may be a select
few to whom it is not—some choice, happy spirits,
who let themselves off quite easily, and find it has
a most natural and healthy effect. They are not
troubled with any qualms or scruples and under-
take'
the responsibility of judgies.
their own case
with a fearless readiness. But the majority of men,
who have we trust some sort of conscience, find
this tribunal of self-inquisition not at all a com-
fortable one. If they decide against themselves
they seem to be unfair to themselves, and if they
decide in their own favour they seen to be unfair
to the State. They are in a fix, then, and what
shall theydo ? There are so many pros and cons
in the estimation of a large class of yearly incomes,
so many allowances which a man thinks he may
make, and fairly make, though at the same
time he does not make them with that per-
fect accuracy of self-approval which he would
like to feel. So he must draw a line some-
where between his own claims and those of
the Exchequer, and, wherever he draws it, he
either thinks he has done himself a little injustice
or done the State one. Either alternative is un-
pleasant, especially tin former, and we doubt aelt
:Intkby an honest man has had an tineess,snightsareer -
a sacrifice of himself in a decision which the Income
tax has imposed upon him. While he is tossing
about in bed the text, "130 not righteous over
much," has come to his recollection with uncom-
plimeetary vividness, and time alone has re.
stored the equilibrium of his mind, and imparted
the satisfaction of a good conscience.
But the income tax is not only a direct tax, and
an inquisitorial tax, but an unjust tax. We say
unjust, not as if injustice proved against a tax im-
mediately decided the argument against it, for few
taxes perhaps can be proved to be perfectly just or
to operate equally upon all classes. All that pub-
lic justice intrinsically requires is, that the taxes
together, taken in a lump and regarded as a sys-
tem, should be fair. But, as this is an intricate
question, and as it never can, perhaps, be shown
what the result of a whole system of taxation as
regards its justice or injustice is, we cannot be sur-
prised if people set to work very summarily to ex-
amine the justice of particular taxes, especially if
they are important ones, if they squeeze a good
deal out of the taxpayer, and if they happen to be
as objectionable in other respects as the income
tax is. In the case of the income tax, then, it
does so happen that the mind is immediately ar-
rested by a very obvious, mailed, and palpable
inequality attaching to the very nature of the tax,
and that is, that it extracts from the yearly in-
come, without any regard to the source from which
that income is drawn, whether a permanent capi-
tal in laud or the funds, or the uncertain and
fluctuating profits of a trade or profession. There
is at first sight a plain unfairness in taxing an
income which may possibly stop next year, and
which, at any rate, has an insurance to pay out of
it, exactly to the same amount that you do the
interest of a regular capital. You are taxing
equally what is in fact very unequal property,
whereas it is of the very essence of the justice of a
property tax that property should be taxed under
the act according to its value and amount. We
are aware there are certain financial metaphysi-
cians who profess to undercut this plain and ob-
vious view of the case as being shallow and super-
ficial. We will not deny the ingenuity of these
arguers, or deprive them of the merit of a certain
needlepoint acuteness and subtlety. They choose
to look at income entirely apart from the possessor
of the income ; then, when they have got this ab-
straction before them, they say that what the State
has to do with is the income of the nation for the
year, apart from all connection with the several
owners and their peculiar circumstances. One
man's income may have a permanent basis, another
a temporary, still the income of both is alike in-
come. and that is all that the state is concerned
with. If a man says that his income may stop
next year, they tell him he is to blame, not the
inequality of the max, but the inequality of his own
fortune. He is not so rich a man as his next-door
(
neighbour the capitalist, tout that is not the fault of
the tax, but the fault of Providence ; ho must take
his income as a present thing, with the liabilities
of taxation to which it is subject, and must not
complain because the basis of it is different from
and not so good as the basis of his neighbour's ia-
cow e—that is to say, because Providence arranges
a variety in men's lots, and has not made him so .1
rich as his neighbour. All this may be ingenious,
but no argument of this sort can ever do away with
the obvious prima facie injustice of taxing a casual.
income and a permanent income equally.
We cannot express any surprise, then, that peo-
ple should be considerably on the qui vise now on
the Income-tax question, and the continuance o f
the present rate of this tax. With respect to the
tax itself, the country has tacitly accepted it till
1860, but it was understood that the present rate
of it was only to continue till April next,—i. c.,
till a year after the termination of the war. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer, however, it appears
now, gives his own date to this event, and he fixes
it at the ratification of the treaty, instead of at the
Treaty of Psris i. self—a postponement which just
laps over the financial year, and gives him another
year's squeeze of the nation. The history of the
Income-tax is a history of Ministerial dodges and
pious frauds, cunning devices of Chancellors of the
the Exchequer to get the nation to put its neck
into the halter, the understandingb:i pats thengthat it is
na-
tion's neck,
taken out again at such a time. H
people, reasonable
people, you will not
and say 80-7hje"etGtoooad
little
fir a very 81" Only for three years,"
said'Sirll.Pf time."erel ;
and
when those were ended it
was (only to be for three years more, and when those
were over it was only to be for one year more, and
thee it was only aga-n to be for three years more.
This brings us to 1852, and then the Income-
tax promises faithfully, on its word of honour,
that it will positively only last seven years longer,
when the falling in of the Long Annuities will cer-
tainly suppress it. And now the present war-
rate of the tax is to be maintained a year longer
than it was supposed, and the Chancellor of the
Exchequer is provided, as he always is, with a pro-
fessional dodge for that purpose. But he is en-
countered by an Association. Yes, an Association
is formed having for its object the non-continuance
of the present rate of the Income-tax beyond April
next ; it has held a crowded meeting at the London
Tavern, and it exhibits considerable signs of activity
awl life, though it would not be complimentary to
add permanence, because, we presume, if the In-
come-tax is reduced to its old rate next April the
Association will disperse. We can only hope, then,
that this will be its fate, and that it will attain this
successful breviiy of existence. Associations have
doubtless been formed for grander, sublimer, and
more lasting objects, bat seldom for a more pram"
cal one.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

for the week ending Nov. 22,
LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTERX RATLWAY.—Traffie re-
turn Corresponding week last year .................... 16,145 12 7
--
1856 ...... 217,014 8 9

Increase in 1856 .......................

£B6B 16 2

LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY...-.
Traffic return for the week ending Nov. 22,
18.56.
Corresponding week last year 11,300 5 11
Total of the half-year to this date, 1866 36 !,547 6 6
Total of the half-year to this date, 1855 346,103 18 9

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. —Traffic return for the
week ending Nov. 16, 1856
£23,860 11 3
Corresponding week last year 25,774 4 4
LONDON AND ItIORTII-WESTERN RAILWAY.--T
-.raffia
return for the week ending Nov. 23, 1856 257,032 0 0
Corresponding week last year 56,331 0 0
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return f. r
the week ending Nov. 23, 1856 ..................£5,468 0 0
Corresponding week last year ..................... 4,541 0 0

Increase in 1856 .................... . X927 0 0
LANCASTIIRN AND YORKSHIRE RAlLWAY,—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Nov. 23, 1856 ....221,343 9 8
Corresponding week last year . ............... 19,916 511
GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—TraffIo re-
turn for the week ending Nov. 22, 1856 26,727 10
corresponding week last year 6,148 1 3

Increase in 1856... £6o9 8 10
CORE AND BANDON RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for week
euilinc,r Nov. 22, 1856
Corresponding week lad year 261 0 0
GRF.AT LUXEMBOURG RAILWAY.—Traffio return for tho
'vea cu'liu y NO.. 23, 1856 1:804 4 8

LONDON
fur GENERAL OMNIBUS COMPANY.-Traffic re-
ic'r the wok can Nov. a 1656......A383 15 a

UNFURNISHED APA R,l MEN VS
Wanted for a L Awl r S,-tiraw , a
SITTING-ROOM, Three BED ROOMS, and separate KIT-
cgEN, where there are no other lodger , near a chief
thoroughfare ; between Charing-cross and Hyde-park-corner
preferred. Any party unused to letting would find the
advertiser a desirable occupant. References exchanged.
Address, with Hill particulars, T, 104, Strand.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—
M. JULLIEN'S CONCERTS. Last
Week but Two—The New Grand French Quadrille.—The
last time but Two of the Grand Selection from La Trayilxta.
—Miss Juliana May.—Madame Elisa Poma(prima donna from
the principal theatres in Italy), will shortly have the honour
of making her first appearance in En,?:land ,—S tend appear-
ance this season of the celebrated PIMA*: ArAbella

Goddard.
Programme for T"::IS EVENING (Thursday, Nev. 27) •
Part I. Overture, Will am Tell (fourth time this se :fon)
Rossini; Quadrille, the Promenade—Engelke ; Symphony,
Andante Cantabile, from the Jupiter Symphony—Mozart;
Radiate, " Questa o quella" (Rigoletto), Signor Millardi ;
Polka, My Mary Ann (16th time)—Jullien - Fantasia, Piano-
forte, " Recollections of Ireland" (Moschelles) Miss Arabella.
Goddard ; Varsovienne, the Warsaw (fourth time this sea-
soz)—jnllieu ; Grand Aria, Ernani ! involami (ErnanP,, Miss
Juliana May (her thir 1 appearance) —Verdi ; the French
Quadrille (the 17th time) with collations for flute; flar2;eolet,
oboe, clarinet, ophiclei•ie, and cornet, performed by MM. De
Polley, De Yong, Collinet, Lavigne, Sonnenber!., Hughes, and
Koenig; Finale ; Partant pour la Syrie, Vice l'Empereur,—
Jullien.
I Part 2. Opera, Grand Operatic Selection from Verei's
los opera
or
of " La Traviata" (Bth time of performance) with so f
violin, oboe, flute, clarinet, trumpet, ophicleide, and cornet,
by Messrs. Le Hon, Lavigne, De Folley, Sonnenberg, Duhem,
Hughes, and Koenig • Fantasia, Pianoforte, Les Patineurs
(Le Prophete), Liszt, Miss Arabella Goddard ; Valse, Moun-
tain Daisy—D'Albert ; Tyrolienne, In questo seraPlica
Petly), Miss Juliana May—Donizetti ; Polka, Flirtation—
Junin ; Air, "Una furtiva Lagrima" (Elisir d'Amore), Sig-
nor Millardi—Donizetti ; Valse, Victory—Emig ; Galop,
Etna—D'Albert.
Conductor—M. Jullien. To commence at 8 o'clock. Prices
•f admission :—Promenade, Is. ; Dress circle. 28. 6(1. ; private
boxes, 10s. 6d., El is., and upwards. Private boxes to be
secured of Mr. Nugent, at the box-office of
an the d
at Jullien
theatre ;
at all the principal libraries and musicsellers
and Co.'s, 214, Regent-street.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE.—
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.
Acting MAnager, Mr. C. Mathews. Stage Manager, Mr. R.
Roxby. Scenic Artist, Mr. W. Beverley.
ITALIAN OPERAS, COMEDY, and BALLET, every Evening

during the Week, at Old Play-house Pricei.
'Upper Gallery, ls. ; Gallery, ls. 6d.: Pit, 3s. ; Upper
Boxes, 3s. 6d. ; First Circle, 58. ; Dress Circle, 78.;
6d. ; Private Boxes, one, two, three, and four guine-s.
In consequence of the extraordinary and unprecedented
success that has attended the introduction of ITALI AN
OPERAS at Drury-lane, the Lessee begs to announce that
he has re-entered into arrangements with Messrs. Cramer,
Beale, and Co., who have succ‘eded in prevailing upon the
eminent Italian Artistes to forego their Continental engage-
ments, in order to appear for a Few Nights Longer in the
most celebrated operas of the great composers :--Madame
Grisi, Madame Rudersdorff, Madame A.madei, Madame Sed-
lazek, and Madame Gassier ; Herr Reichardt, Signor Volpini,
Mons. Gassier, Signor Lorini, Signor Albicini, Signor Rovere,
Mr. Tensest, and Herr Formes. Powerful band and corn.
plate chorus, under the direction of Signor Li Calzi.
THIS EVENING, her Majesty's Servants will perform
(for the last time) Rossini's popular Opera Comique, IL
BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA. Supported by Madame Gassier,
Madame Clerici, M. Gassier, Herr Formes, Signor Rovere,
Signor Mattoni, and Herr Reichardt (his first appearance
this season).
After which, PATTER V. CLATTER. Mr. C. Mathews,
Mr. Templeton, dze.
To conclude with a Ballet, in which Mdlles. Osmont will
ap.
Bpearoxes stalls, and places can be secured of Messrs.
Cramer, Beale, and Co.' Regent-street, sad at the box-office
of the theatre, from 10 till 6. To prevent disappointment
an early application is solicited. The Free List will
be entirely suspended.
Doors open at half-past 7, commence at S.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
THIS EVENING, To-morrow (Friday),
and on Saturday evening, will be performed THE SCHOOL
FOR SCANDAL, in which Mr. Murdoch will appear as
Charles Surface; Sir Peter Teazle, Mr. Chippendale ; Sir
Benjamin Backbite, Mr. Buckstone ; Crabtree, Mr. Compton;
Joseph Surface, Mr. Howe ; Sir Oliver Surface, Mr. Rogers ;
Moses, Mr. Clark; Sir Harry (with a song), Mr. W. Farren ;
Lady Teazle, Miss Reynolds ; Mrs. Candour, Miss Talbot ;
Lady Soeerwell, Mrs. Poynter ; Maria, Miss E. Sabine. After
which, the successful new farce, A FAMILY FAILING,
in which Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Howe, Mr. Chippendale, and
Miss Blanche Fane will appear. With (for positively the
last three nights), the ballet of EL GAMBUSINO, by Perea
Nona and her unrivalled Company of Spanish Dancers. To
conclude with MY LITTLE ADOPTED.

THEATRE ROYAL, A D ELPHI.
Real Success. Great Adelphi Hit !
THE ELVES, a Grand New Fairy Ballet Extravaganza, in
which Madame Celeste will appear as the Statue Bride every
.vening.—Urgent Private Affairs and Good Night, Signor
?antalon.—THlS EVENING will be performed URGENT
PRIVATE AFFAIRS. Messrs. Wright, Paul Bedford, Selby;
Misses M. Keeley, Kelly, Arden, &c. After which, with new
scenery, dresses, machinery, and appointments, a new grand
fairy ballet extravaganza,. galled THE ELVES, or the Statue
Bride, founded on the grand ballet spectacle, now perform-
ing with unexampled success at the Theatrz Imperiale de
l'Opera at Paris, under the title of Les Elfes. Principal cha-
racters by Madame Celeste, Misses Wyndham, Mary Keeley,
Kate Kelly, Chatterly, Arden, Messrs. Wr'ght, Paul Bedford,
C. Selby, Le Barr. &c. Concluding with the comic opera of
GOOD NIGHT, SIG. PANTALON.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
THIS EVENING and daring' the week
will be presented Shakspeare's play of A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT'S DREAM

After which will be produced a new petite comedy, in two
acts, called OUR WIFE ; or, The Rose of Amiens. Princi-
pal eharactors by Messrs. Ryder, Harley, Fisher ; Misses
-Murray and C. Leclercq.
Mendelssohn's celebrated overture to A Midsummer
Night's Dream will commence at 5 minutes before 7.

LYCEUM THEATRE ROYAL.
Lessee, Mr. C. Dillon.
THIS EVENING (Thursday), the highly successful Play
of FABIAN, or "La Mesalliance." Fabian, Mr. C. Dillon ;
Pauline, Mrs. C. Dillon.
After which the extraordinary Troupe of Bedouin Arabs
.will go through their surprising performances.
Conducing with the Burlesque of THE WINTER'S
TALE. Misses Woolgar Wilton, Mesdames B. White,
Wiston, Messrs. Toole, Calhaem, Barrett, &c.

OYAL SURREY T CIE ATRE.
1.) Lessees, Mews. Shepherd and Cresivick.

THIS EVENING, ROB ROY. Rob Roy, Mr Creswick•;
Rashleigh, Mr Potter ; Frai cis, Mr. Charles ; Bailie Nicol
Jarvie, Mr. Volla.ire ; Dougal, Mr. Tapping ; Major Gal-
braith, Mr. S. Smith ; Helen Macgregor, Mrs. Brookes ;
Diana Vernon, Miss Ellis.
To conclude with DRED.

TRAND T HEAT RE.—MAnazer, Mr. T.
17.7 Pavne.—THlS EVE NI NIG will be performed
LITTLE DORRIT. Messrs. Howard, G. Lee, Fitzgerald.
THE QUEEN'S MUSKETEERS. Mesdames Cuthbert, Fitz-
inman, &c. And THE C XPTAIN'S NOT A MISS.
Commence at Seven. Stalls, :'s. ; 13,-mces, 2m. ; Pit, ls. ;
Gallery, 6d.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Lessee, Mr. Alfvd Wigan.
THTS EVENT7si(I, WIVES AS THEY IVER,E AND
MAIDS AS THEY ARE. Messrs. Addison, G. Vining ;
Mrs. Stirling, Misses swanborough and Herbert.
And (fourth time), a new farce, JONES THE AVENGER.
liessrs. F. Robson, J. Rogers, and '.Mss Marston.
Commence at haif-pest Seven.

THEATRE ROYAL, SADLER'S-WELLS.
Under the Management of Mr. Phelps.
THIS EVENING, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.
Christopher Sly, Mr. Phelps.
After which, WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A
WAY.
To conelwie with BETSY BAKER.

...LisTLErs ROYAL AM PFTIT Fl ATR E.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke.
THIS EVENING (First Week), MACBETH, with Eques-
trian Innidratinna by Mr. W. Cooko'g 11014111,2, frnined by
him. Macbeth, Mr. James Holloway.
After which, the SCENES in the CIRCLE ; Miss Kate
Cooke in her elegant act of man6ge,
To conclude with OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS.
Doors open at half-paqi six ; commenee at seven o'clock.
Box-office open from Eleven till Four
St
W. West. Eqxestrian Director, Mr. NV. eoaogkee,Miannna.ger, Mr'

CANTERBURY
HALL, Weattn.
OPEN EVERY EVENING,
_T}lB
Ing company of Vocalists are engaged for th performance of
The follow-
Selections from all the popular Operas, Madriglsi. Choruses,
Glees, Duets, tire., viz. :---Mis.o E. Pearce, Mrs, '
Caulfield,
Miss Brunell, and Miss Summers; Mr. J. Caulfield
Jongliman,, R. Grover, T. 11,illo T. Farrant, s, ,Jones, F.
Barker, W. Melling, and P. Collie ; Masters Austin,
nett, and Corti ; Mr. Sam Cowell and E. Mackney, pi.,-"'
forte, J. 7!arroway, H. A, ; harmonium, J. Caulfield, ju'r;
director, Mr_ J. Caulfield, Commence at Seven o'cloc,1; pr',"
cisely. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'c!ock. In addition to.
the usual Vocal Entertainment, the celebrated SPANISH
MINSTRELS will appear in costume at Nine and Eleven
o'clock Every Evening, and sing some of their favourite selec-
tion'', .

ILEGa WATER. AT LONDON BRTDG.F...
Tins DAY—Morn. 33 min. aft. I—Everini 48 min, an, 1
To-Moscow—morn. 5 min. aft. '3---Evonitv 22 :ni. aft. 2

THE WEATHER—Sus' OFFICE, NOVE3IBBR 27,
Thsinfoxsmi, IN rFai
48—highest sinae noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during the night.
43—this day at noon.
BAROMETIB, 29.69—rising.
WINT's W.S.W.—Light, with fine, mild weather.

crek _4141,
-

LONDON, THURSDAY, NOVENIBER 27,

Under any possible circumstances the Income
must
and PropertY Tax he brought before Parlia-
ment in the ensuing Session. It would he dis-
graceful to the Government to retain by a dis-
Graiitabje trick 24 igtF4V 2ch kasliwamt did

not intend to grant. Sooner or later the question
tflusit be [in.:right and r the consideration of the
Legislatur,-, and it would not only be for the
honour, but also for the interest of the PALMER.
STON Administration to anticipate the inevitable
discussion, and obtain the decision of Parlia-
ment at the earliest possible time. At present
the Income-Tax Association is labouring merely
for the reduction of the impost to the rate at
which it would have stood, from and after the
sth Apri', 1857—if the bills for continuing it for
a af!:Be. Mlle ratification of the Treaty of Peace
bad Licr reeetv,,cir the Royal assent. That is un-
questionably the first point to be gained, but it is
only a step towards the goal that must ulti-
mately be attained. As we have repeat-
edly explained, the nation does not object
to a Property Tax, if fairly and equit-
ably apportioned. Any impost is, of course,
oti)jectiuliable, and the Financial Minister
too often resembles the Irish druaiiner, who
complained of the unreasonable conduct of the
"floggee," whom he could not please by striking
either iiivll or low. But as the castigation should
be administered in either one form or the other, so
must taxation be continued in order to provide
adequate means for the liquidation of the national
liabilities and the maintenance of the national
establishments.

There is no impsst rcore equitable and expe
client; than a judiciously apportioned Property
Tax. Rone more objectionable than a charge on
precarious and temporary incomes. The moment
a man 3ossesses "a stake in the country" he
becomes a fitting " quarry" for the collecting
hawks. There is nothing inquisitorial in the pro-
cess by which he is assessed. A certain portion
of his rents or dividends is stopped in transitu.
In place of receiving 6001. he gets only 5601.,
and he feels proud in the notion that,
like a gsod citizen, he has contribu.ed his
portion to the national expenditure. The
publics debt fairly fell on him, because any
Parliament was entitled to charge existing pro-
perty, and he received it, whether by descent, or
purchase, subject to all its liabilities. But it is
very different with the man who gains his daily
bread by his daily labour, physical or intellectual.
Fie feels that his ancestors had no right to mort-
gage his exertions, that if he derived no advan-
tages from their provident forethought he could
not be saddled with any liabilities. He was
nominally born free, aid should not be compelled
to toil for the benefit of others. There is thus a
preliminary objection to the operation of an
Income Tax, which should prevail before any un-
prejudiced and impartial tribunal ! And if we
consent, for the sake of argument, to enter into
further dismission, it must not be supposed that
we waive or surrender that decisive point.
But supposing that all parties could be equally
assessed without reference to the sources from
:thence their incomes were derived, the notion
that all incomes, whether permanent and cer-
tain, or precarious and fluctuating, should
be equally charged, is so absurd that if it had
not received the Legislative sanction it would.
seem to be fighting with shadows—to make the
giants first before we kill them—to enter into
serious arguments on a self-evident question.
The idea that the tax will ever be relinquished is
simply ridiculous. The Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, whoever he may be—no matter whether
WOOD, DISRAELI, GLADSTONE, Or LEWIS occupy
the station—will not consent to relinquish an
item that realises sixteen millions sterling per
annum. It is, therefore, as well to place the
entire subjgt on a solid foundation, so that in
any event the people can have no reasonable
cause of complaint. We have borne with the im-
post rot no less than fourteen years. Every
Minister, from Sir ROBERT PEEL to Sir G. C.
LEWIS, has endea►oured to show that it is not
worth while to amend it, as it is only
for a brief period that he requires it. Mr.
GLADSTONE carried his hypocrisy further than any
of his predecessors, and obtained a much longer
term. But the people, who have served a double
apprenticeship of 14 years, may at last become
rational, and deal with tie matter on its real

merits.
Should Lord PALMERSTON decide on a just and
equitable course, he will render himself the most
popular Minister that ever presided over a British
Cabinet. Fiscal and monetary reformsare the great
wants of the nation. He has parly satisfied the
country with respect to his foreign policy. They
now want to know his views on domestic subjects.
Let him abolish the Income Tax, place the charge
on property on an equitable b Isis, and give the
people a really national 1/. note, and he will be
the most popular Minister that this country ever
had. His power will be consolidated, his hold on
office secured, and his name will descend to pos-
terity as the English Minister who caused the
mime of Englishman to be respected in every part
of the world, and who also made their homes
prosperous and happy, by relieving them of un-
just burdens, and creating a circulating medium
that gave every man that great desideratum,—" a
fair day's wages for a fair day's work !"

What earthly guarantee can Russia give ou
railway For a loan she can pledge her whole
revenue if she will, but fur a railroad Russia can
give no guarantee worth an honest man's taking.
We asume, of course, that she does not offer
tier four or five per cent. on the fair cost of the
line, be it what it may ; that would be equiva-
lent to creating a new loan to an indefinite
amount, for the payment of the interest on which
she must saddle her revenue with a first charge
for the benefit of the shareholders. She will do
nothing, like th-at. If she would contract with
coniptent and respectable foreign firms, to exe-
cute the work for a definite sum ; if she would
then take the working into her own hands, of
course executing it by contract, and bear herself
the loss or receive the nett profits, foreigners
might feel pretty safe, that is as safe as in other
Russian securities ; but of nothing do we feel
more confident than that the ultimate sharehold-
ers in ..,ny Muscovite railway conce.4sion will find
themselves " chiselled" out oF. fifty, if not one
hundred, per cent. of their investments.
Prior to all examination, this would be our
c'uaviction, We would urge our friends to avoid
Russian Railway Stock or Shares. just as we
Would urge our sous, at the University, or in the
Barracks, to keep out of the Jew money-lender's
hands. If she issues a loan, she has no means,
except those employed by Austria, or Spain, or
Pennsylvania, of
cheating her foreign creditors.
This would not suit it
become her interest toher,
repudiate
that
herit all
foreign ; sho udl
edh
we have no more doubt of her
doing it than of
her readiness to Hango humane antagonists, or to
cheat the allies at Bolgrad or the Isle of Serpents.
Not to pay interest On a loan would slop the sup-
plies for all future projects of ambition ; but to
inveigle the simple-hearted customers of the
BARINGS, the HOPES, and PEREIRES of Western
Europe, into a speculation which would ruin them
and set her up with military railways, would be
to her matter of ezultatum. Nay, it Would
raise the popularity of the CLut to the utmost,
if his troops were seen steaming along 20 miles
az Lour, the coat of Yrazca and .11:40a4d

every " varedshed Cossack" would sing Te Deums

to the Czar Rho had fleeced his enemies in time

of peace. The troops would ride to Kaffa or to
Warsaw, enlivening their transit across their

barren steppes by the band playing the new
Russian popular air of " The Western Sharehold-

erg Folly."

We begin to hope, however, that the Westerns
way yet save the Russian bards and minstrels the

trouble. The letter of the " Hertfordshire Iu-

cumbent," which we inserted yesterday, must open
the eyes of all who wish to see. Two things are

quite plain, both of which we insisted on from the
first, that the lines are military, not commercial
lines, and that they will never pay, for this gene-
raticn at least. As to the first, we know that
hundreds care not twopence whether they make
money out of a loan to crush Hungary, or a rail-
road that might ultimately bring Russia to the
confines of India. Money is money to such men ;
if in shifting the shares about, they can get a per-
centage, or make a " good spec " by Bear and
Bull feats on the Exchange, the money would be
quite as acceptable as the most honourable gains.
We trust, however, that the fact referred to will
prevent so many better men from entertaining the
project for a moment that the shares will never
float. We suppose it is the obvious military
character of the proposed lines which has called
forth the fiat from the Ruler of France, forbid-
ing the French newspapers to advertise the shares.
He may also think that it is better for him that
money should flow into France than out of it.
As to the profit, never was the old adage of
" dreading the Greeks even with presents in their
hands" more appropriate. Already the gifts are
augmented ; 16,0001. per mile is now to be
allowed instead of 10,0001. for construction ; iron
is at last to be imported duty free for railway
purposes ; and the interest guaranteed is raised to
5 per cent. All very plausible ; but what if the
difficulty of obtaining efficient labour on the
barren plains of Russia, the large rivers to be
crossed, the lengthened undulations of the steppes
and long cuttings, the dearness of serf labour,
and the remoteness from the appliances of civilised
life, should make the railways as costly as in more
thickly-peopled countries. Why, then, the result
is that the railways may cost almost double the
estimate, and the lucky shareholders will receive
no interest at all. One piece of cunning worthy
of Russia—worthy rather in its audacity than its
dexterity, is a clause in the agreement which will
enable the Russian Government as the end of
twenty years to purchase the lines, on the basis
of the nett profits for the preceding three years.
Should these therefore be, as we fully expect they
will be, nil—then Russia will take possession of
the lines, having merely paid interest, perhaps one
per cent, on the actual cost, to the shareholders
for the twenty years. There is but one way in
.
winch terms worth having can be had from Rus-
sia, and that is the old and approved one, the
way in which all good bargains are made with the
Russian Government namely, by handsome
bribes to the "offs," " goffs," and " koffs," whose
official salaries would starve them, but whose cor-
ruption makes their fortunes.
Really, after all, the impudence of Czardom is
as great as it is cunning. Its schemes are as
shameless as they are plausible. From the con-
clusion of the " precious peace" to this hour the
overreaching has been so palpable, though al-
ways defended by some plausible but dishonotrable
subterfuge, that one almost questions the superior
sunning of Russia. It is the cunning of an
acknowledged sharper. There is nothing like it,
except Yankeeism, in the world. You are cheated
to your face. If you don't resent it, or yield for
peace and quiet, it is a triumph ; if you show
your horns, there is no blushing, it is only to hold
out if possible, and to retreat. Russia is not
really angry when she blusters. That is all mere
assumption and pretence to carry her point if
possible. She is only angry with herself if she
has not been quite deceitful enough. Like other
impudent knaves she " tries it on." If Europe
will make her army four times more dangerous
by building her railways, if the Allies will allow
her to get water communication with the Danube
by a false map, or to threaten its mouth by seiz-
ing a Turkish island, all well ; if not, wby she is
none the worse off. Honour she has not lost, not
having the article to lose; and of territory she has
lust none, for she had no right to it. Russia is
the embodiment of audacious cunning.

The junction of the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans by means of the proposed Honduras
Railway would appear to be one of those things
which are at once exceedingly desirable and
practicable. In these days of steam despatch
gold mining and astounding colonial development,
a scheme which will insure a saving of 1,500 or
2,000 miles in the route to India, China, and
Australia is worthy of more than a momentary
consideration, and such a scheme is the forma-
tion of the railway in question. Crossing the 160
or more miles of territory intervening beween the
two oceans, the Honduras Railway will carry
European and North American travellers, mails,
and merchandise at a rapid rate to the remark-
ably capacious Bay of Fonseca or Conchagus, from
which steamers, owing to the almost unbroken
calm, can speed them on the Pacific towards their
destination at the rate of 15 or 20 miles an
hour. The practicability of the scheme
comes next in order, and oa this head we beg
to refer the reader to the letter of Dr. SCHERZER,
of the Imperial Academy of Vienna, to Sr.
DON TICTOR HERRAN. The learned doctor,
it will be seen, points out the great valleys of the ,
rivers Ului an'cr Goascorau (the former emptying
itself into the Gulf of Honduras and the latter
into the Pacific) as offering every facility for the
construction of the line. Collectively, he tells
us, these valleys have a length of 160 English
miles, and the greatest elevation of the country
where they may be said to join each other is but
2,400 feet. Tile thorough reports," he proceeds
to say, " which have been published on the pro-
posed railway by Mr. SQUIER, formerly Minister
of the United States in Central America, supported
as they are by the high authority of Captain
FITZROY, R.N., in his communication to Lord
CLARENDON on the subject, render it unnecessary
for me to enter into details ; and I accordingly
confine myself to saying that, throughout my tra-
vels, I have had abundant opportunities of
verifying these reports, and can testify
to their accuracy." As to the eligibility
of the proposed railway route we have this testi-
mony—" Between Mexico and New Granada there
is no point which from its geographical position is
so favourable as that afforded by the isthmus of
Honduras, and whether we look to the transport
of passengers or of merchandise, the rapid trans-
mission of the mails and of treasure between the
Atlantic States of the United States and Cali-
fornia, or between Europe and Australia and
China, in all these respects its advantages are
most obvious. The ports which form the points
of departure on both seas combine the conditions
most favourable for the realisation of the vast en-
terprise, but more especially that on the Pacific.
The Bay of ronvioa may perhaps be considered
as the safest gadrAot commoZow port on tlo

entire western coast of Atherica. All the navies
of the world might meet in the grand basin to
exchange, for the benefit of humanity, the deli-
cious products of the tropics against the manu-
factures of European civilisation."

Many might say as much, but testimony like
this, on the back of corresponding testimony, front
a recognised authority, must be allowed great
weight. In addition to the advantages of the
railway already indicated, we have the assurance
of great facilities being forthcoming in Honduras,
towards its construction, and the prospect of the
cultivation of the remarkably fertile and salubri-
ous plateau of Central America, by English and
other settlers, to say nothing of the mineral
riches to be met with in the country. Nothing,
apparently, is wanting to recommend the scheme
to favourable consideration, and all that remains
for us to do at present is to wish the projectors
the success they deserve.