The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-18 00:00:00

locution Offices, it is impossible to be surprised.
Neglect is a venial offence compared with robbery
and heartbreaking.

The excitement on the subject of the iniquitous
Income Tax has increased, is increasing, and will
speedily arrive at the highest point. Meetings
are daily held in different districts throughout the
country, where the speakers express their calm
and deliberate determination to abate the social
nuisance, and to remove the obnoxious blot from
the National Statute-book, without a moment's
unnecessary delay. They have made up their
minds for its modification or abolition ; and nei-
ther the. Government nor Parliament will dare to
resist the earnest pressure from without to which
they will speedily be subjected. Let the agitation,
then, proceed ; and if sufficient zeal and energy
be displayed on the part of the people, we can
promise an amount of success at no distant day
beyond the extent of their most sanguine expec-
tations. The inhabitants of the various parishes
in the metropolitan districts assembled on Tues-
day, as did also the Corporation of Dublin,
to give expression to their views, follow-
ing the precedent afforded a few days since by the
men of Southwark. Let others pursue a similar
course, and, if equal earnestness be displayed, the
battle will be virtually gained even before the
meeting of Parliament.
We have already explained the nature of the

unfair and pettifogging arguments put forward to
justify the continuance of the rate at 16d. in the
11. until the sth of April, 1858. Should Sir G.
C. LEWIS persevere therein, he will prove that he
is, indeed, a worthy successor to ,Mr. GLADSTONE
—and prevent the people from ever again repos-
ing the slightest reliance on his honour and integ-
rity. We shall not, however, condemn him
before he has the opportunity of being heard in
his own defence. Thera is a locus penitentice, of
which he may avail himself at any time before
the delivery of the next financial statement, but
he should not permit the chance to pass away. His
political sentence will be pronounced if ho at-
tempts to put forth the arguments now advanced
by comparatively irresponsible underlings. The
increased impost was granted for one year
from the sth of April, after the termination
of the war, that time being conceded for the pur-
pose of permitting the accounts to be wound up.
The Treaty was signet/ on the 30th March, but
although the ratification was delayed for some
weeks it was a mere formality, which could not
affect the spirit of the enactment in any shape or
form. If Sir G. C. LEWIS should attempt to take
advautaea of mere words to enforce a claim not
sanctioned by Parliament, he must not only be
disqualified from holding the exalted position he
now occupies, but from the society of every
straightforward and honourable man.
Another point strongly objected to is the exten-
sion of the area of taxation, so as to grasp within
its meshes men at moderate weekly wages. Not-
withstanding the specious pretexts and elaborate
arguments of Mr. GLADSTONE addressed to his
favoured correspondent, Mr. PHELPS, of Birming-
ham, men in the receipt of SOINO 101. per month,
strongly object to being made liable for speeial
calls. They are by no means anxious of being
permitted to rub shoulders with either the landed
or the monied aristocracy. ,He well knows that
on other occasions they ignore his existence,
and he requires no change for that occasion only.
But we will do justice :to the numerous class
concerned in that extension. We believe that
they are more annoyed at the gross inequality
and palpable injustice of the so-called equal (!)
apportionment than at the amount. As a body
they would unhesitatingly agree to contribute
equitably towards the national exigencies. But
they cannot feel while they are drinking heavily
taxed tea, sweetened with well-taxed sugar—while
there is an extra Property Tax, charged on the
house they inhabit—while their beer and spirits
are subject to heavy imposts, that they should be
brought within the same regulations as the owner
of wide-spread domains, or the wealthy proprietor
of some hundreds of thousands of 3 per Cent.
Consols. That is the bitter part of the transac-
tion ; that it is that makes the iron really enter
into their souls. Render the assessment fairly
equitable, and you remove the main objection. It
may be impossible to prevent the occurrence of
some grievance. No merely human institution
can be made perfect, but we venture to assert
that there might be such an approximation as
would content, with few and rare exceptions, the
great body of the people.
The best, being the most equitable as well as
the most politic mode, is to tax all kinds and
descriptions of property according to its capitalised
value, without allowing any claim for exemption.
As we have already stated, any owner of property,
however trifling, is fairly liable ; nor will he, if
an honest man, shrink from the responsibility.
He will rather feel a pride in contributing his mite
towards the support of our national institutions
and establishments. He is a limited owner in fact,
subject to the State mortgage. But the person
who only possesses his own skill and industry is
in a very different position. There being nothing
tangible to tax he is subject to an inquisitorial
examination as to his earnings, and, most vexa-
tious of all, with wages that have already been
expended. In such cases the impost will prove
the insuperable obstacle to parties making
the first step towards improving their posi-
tion. " That money makes money" is a
time-honoured adage, but when the first
scanty savings are carried off by the collector, or
possibly a debt contracted to satisfy his cravings,
the hopes of improvement are, completely and
permanently frustrated.
The people, then, should strive to abolish the
Income, but retain the Property Tax ; and, with
some slight modifications, they will satisfy the
claims of the National Exchequer in the most
equitable as well as the most expedient form. -

We invite attention to a prospectus—the Mona
United Collieries Company, Limited, the object
of which is to develope the resources of cer-
tain Collieries situated in the most cen'7
tral and best portion of the well-known coal
Basin of Mons, in Belgium. A portion of the
collieries is now in full work, comprising an area
of 2,000 acres, and yielding a profit of 40,0001. per
annum. The portion to be worked consists of an
area of 18,000 acres--156 well ascertained seams
running thro ugh their whole extent. This looks
well, and promises a fair field for investment.

Letters from Turin announce that as soon as the
Piedmontese Chambers shall have assembled, a bill for
a loan of 50 millions of livres will be presented.
The steamer Alhambra has brought is £21,489 in
specie. aad the Spanish screw steamer Hamburg°
£20,000, both from the Peninsular.
It is now estimated that the shipments of specie and
bullion by the steamer Indus will reach the sum of
£450,000 or £500,000, nearly all in silver. This
amount is very much larger than was anticipated a day
or two ago.
It is apprehended in some quarters that the threat-
ened war with Persia will tend to stimulate the efflux
of silver to the East.
At Hamburg there has been a further advance in the
rate of discount. About a fortnight back it had receded
to 41-, but it is now again at 6 per cent.
Lombardc:V4inetian Railway Company have an
nounced a payment in London and Paris of 3f. 75c. per
share, being six months' interest at the rate of 5 per
cent. per annum.