The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-15 00:00:00

take. But the great leader of the press, as it loves
to style itself—the Times—has not come to that
idea of honesty yet, although little by little you
see its leading articles coming round to an approval
of the treaty, and no doubt by and bye that paper
will maintain that it has approved of the treaty
all along."

The Reform Bill came next. It was, of course,
no news that it was not carried, which he attributed
to the "want of earnestness in and out of Parlia-
ment." Not that there was not a general feeling
in favour of Parliamentary Reform throughout the
country, it was so manifest that he who runs may
read it ; the wave may have ebbed, but there would
be a flow, and legislation while the subject was
calmly viewed was certainly the safer plan. He
declared that he believed the Ministers were really
the most honest supporters of the bill in Parlia-
ment. He is hopeful, however, for next session ;
he says: "I am emphatically not of the Cabinet,
and do not know what the plans of her MAJESTY'S
Government may be, but I should think that Lord
JOHN RUSSELL will again introduce a Reform Bill
similar in its provisions to that of last session. I
speak, however, only by permission, and not on autho-
rity, when I say that the probability is that there
will be a Reform Bill introduced into .Paliament
next session. Let me, however, say this: If the
people want a Reform Bill carried, let them make
their voices heard in the House of Commons, not
only by your representatives—both the voices of
your representatives were heard in favour of the
last Reform Bill, and their names were to be found
in all the various divisions upon it—not only that,
but let the voice of the people be heard by petitions
—hundreds, thousands of them, for it is a question
which affects thousands of the people, and let a
simultaneous cry be heard that the people want
reform, and depend upon it that they will have it."
We can only say, we hope Cabinet Ministers will
shew the pluck which the Minister not in the
Cabinet gives them credit for. Those who mean
to win must show that they are not to be daunted.
But certainly his advice to the people is sound.
When the chief question is whether working men
should get the franchise, it they do not trouble
themselves to demand it, .ethers will not trouble
themselves to get it for them. Petitions from the
unenfranchised, is what the extent of the franchise
offered next year, if not the fact of an offer at all,
will depend on.
On the Paper Duties and the Lords, Mr. GILPIN,
though enthusiastic for repeal, thought Lord PAL-
MERSTON exercised a wise discretion—in the excit-
ing state of foreign affairs, and the French Treaty
needing its projectors to work it, in not
jeopardising the Ministry. Lord HENLEY, how-
ever, thought the move a false one to lay on ld.
additional Income-tax, in order to repeal that duty,
wherein we must certainly agree with him. The
Paper Duty is infinitely less unjust and intolerable
than each single penny of the Income-tax
—that must go first. We are not left,
however, without such hope as general pro-
mises can give us of reduction of expenditure, and
if we can have that, of course the tax which is then
sum of all injustice, and which starves every other
tax, must go first. Mr. GILPIN, a minister, though
not a Cabinet minister, and though, he tells us,
glad to pay something more in the way of taxation
than Americans pay, for the privilege of living
under our limited Monarchy, yet is appalled at the
difference between American and English taxation.
Thirty-one millions of inhabitants in America, even
if we omit the interest of our national debt,
pay not half of what is paid by thirty
millions of Englishmen. If any one cares
to have the figures they are as follows :
" United Kingdom : Population, 30,000,000; gene-

ral Government expenditure, X 76,000,000 ; local
expenditure for county, town, and parochial pur•
poses, £lB,ooo,ooo—making a grand total of
£94,000,000. United States: Population, 31,000,000,
being 1,000,000 more than that of the United
Kingdom ; general Government expenditure,
£13,000,000, against £76,000,000 ; local expendi-
ture, £9,000,000, as against £18,000,000. These
are surely facts that require to be considered."
If, therefore, we subtract 28 millions for
our National Debt, it will still leave us
with an expenditure for local and general pur-
poses, of 48 millions against the 22 millions of the
United States. Mr. GILPIN adds :—" It would be

a most interes#ng inquiry to see what there is to
justify this most astounding difference in the ex-
penditure of the two countries, and I fully believe
ittrill receive the attention of her .21fajesty's Govern-
ment in the next session. We know where a great
portion of the money goes ; .but the question is
whether it is necessary that so vast an amount
should be expended as has been."
Mr. GILPIN then contrasts the Tory programme
with that of the Liberals :—" First comes DIS-
RAELI, with a standard of brass, and be proclaims
church rates universal and eternal. Tie is followed
by Lord LMANNER9' in sad=cOloured raiment, and
he proclaims taxation never to be decreased, but,
by the laws of progress, to be continually in-
creased. The procession is brought up by young
Lord R. MoNTAGU in a mantle of green, and says,
Down with GARIBALDI.' " .

Lord HENLEY agreed with all the radicalism of the
Minister, taking special pleasure in attacking Mr.
DISRAELI on Church-rates, who was represented
as having "put his, foot into it." His lordship
presented us in his speech with a new Reform
leader in the place of Mr. BRIGHT—he did not
disparage, he spoke honourably enough of the hon.
member's eloquence and talents, but we
wanted a Reformer of more weight in the
House, and, who should he be but Mr.
GLADSTONE!" "There was one man who was lis-
tened to wail. great weight, and would be followed
by that party—he meant Mr. GLADSTONE. He
had sat behind that gentleman, and listened to him
with great attention,and, with the single exception
of .Church'questions—with respect to every other
great political question they had at heart—no
firmer friend was to be, found than Mr. GLAD-
STONE. He did believe that the opposition which
Mr. GLADSTONE had received 'at the hands
of the Tories last session had inclined him still
more to Liberal opinions." Reverting to the
subject at the close of his speech, he remarked, " In
.his view the Chancellor of the .Exchequer would
'be more useful in the position of leader of the
Liberal party than he was in the epee of Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer, and he looked upon it as a
moat remarkable thing that upon both sides of the
house a member distinguished for brilliancy of his
eloquence was placed in an office which required
merely sound and solid. financial knowledge, and
an understanding of monetary affairs, rather than
in a position in which his pecnliar talents . would
be far more useful." With Mr. GLADSTONE as
leader of the Liberals, we must take our leave of
Lord HENLEY and Northampton.

Lady Ceclia Bingham was safely delivered of a
son and heir, yesterday morning, at 71, Portland-place.
Her ladyship and infant son are progressing favocurally
Colonel and Lady Henrietta Ogilvy have arrived
in town from Northamptonshire, Colonel Kemeys-Tynte, M.P., has arrived at.
Fenlis Royal R
highness the Duke of Cambridge
tTa'a otel, frem Tetten House, Somersetsh{re.
s enneral Comthandin-ia-Chief, the Wellington
' Canoga yuterday
vie , a

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