The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-24 00:00:00

THE SUN,

House of Commons. There is no delay that can
fairly be objected to in this. Mr. DISRAELI is
prepared to meet his opponents face to face, and
to discuss the important questions in all their
bearings.
We cannot conclude without directing attention
to the petition from the Liverpool Chamber of
Commerce, which will be found in another part
of our impression. The gentlemen by whom it
has been signed are deeply interested in promoting
the welfare and prosperity, both of England and of
India. The arguments they have adduced for refer-
ring the measures of the present and the late Govern-
ment to a Select Committee, are worthy of serious
consideration. They of course desire, in common
with every disinterested and unprejudiced person,
that the Government should be transferred to the
Crown, and that the Indian Minister, by what-
ever designation he may be known, may be as-
sisted by a Council, the majority of whom may
have a personal knowledge of India. And
they desire that the electoral principle should in
some degree be adopted, in order to secure to some
extent the independent character of that Council.
The electors being parties who have held military
or civil appointments, and also from European
residents in the different Presidencies. The
members of the Council should also have a
better salary than that proposed, and not be
debarred from sitting in the House of Commons.

There are other suggestions worthy of notice,
which may properly be canvassed on another
occasion, before the question is fairly brought
before the Legislature.

The public will be delighted to learn from the
statement of Lord DERBY last night that no
exclusive privileges will be granted to Aus-
tria, or, indeed, to any party iu the proposed
telegraphic lines of communication with Alex-
andria. When the matter was lately canvassed
we denounced the bare idea of granting a
monopoly as preposterous and absurd. A
monopoly implies a special benefit to one
party at the expense of the others. And to give
Austria, of all nations, a monopoly, were simply
ridiculous. Other countries may display more of
self than is consistent with fairplay, but Austria
is the very :incarnation of covetousness and
all uncharitableness—not even excepting Naples.
Some of these days we may be at war with
Austria, or countries nearer home, and to be
dependent for our communication with Alex
audria and India in such dilemmas were
utter folly. No ! if other people can make
telegraphic lines, so can we, and better lines
too, inasmuch as we shall be independent of
their encumbering help. We pointed out
some time ago, that a line might be
hid down either by way of Malta or Corfu ;
but as the Earl of MALMESBURY stated last night,
a line could be laid by way of Gibraltar
to Malta, thus obviating every foreign
obstacle to our despatches, Lisbon excepted.
At any rate we are DOT in safe hands as to the
future, for no monopoly will be tolerated iu a
matter that concerns not only the best interests of
the present generation, but those of our posterity.

Last night a resolution was carried in the
House of Commons, without opposition, for impos-
ing a duty of ld. on all cheques on bankers with-
out exception. It is said that the representatives
,f the moneyooracy were primed and loaded, and
fully prepared to discharge a volley of objections
against the proposition, but somehow they all
hung fire, and before any one could be induced
to offer resistance the position was captured and
the hostile flag floating over the bastion t Every
impost is in some degree objectionable. It would,
indeed, be a fiscal paradise in which there would
be no taxation, where there was no debt to be
liquidated, and there were funds in hand for the
maintenance of the national establishments and
the national defences. But in these days we can
carcely hope for such an Utopia—ways and means
must be provided. Every demand must be
promptly liquidated, and taxation is a necessary
evil. Whether the Financial Minister "strikes
high or low" he cannot please all parties. The
attempt would be as vain as that celebrated in
nursery fables as the story of " The Old Man and
his Ass." The balance of inconvenience must be
fairly apportioned, and that which is least onerous
to the community at large impartially selected.

We have no hesitation in asserting that there
is no indirect tax against which fewer obj,.ctious
can be offered than one on cheques. Every such
cheque represents some transaction ; and if the
receipt stamp is to be maintained, it is only rea-
sonable that the purchaser should contribute
equally with the vendor to the revenue in refer-
ence thereto. Each may be supposed to have pro-
fited in some degree, and there should be perfect
reciprocity. No man would abstain from a
business transaction because it would require a
"Queen's head" to be affixed to the epistle in
which he concluded it, nor would any man
go to the trouble and annoyance of keep-
ing a large quantity of cash on hand
because he might be compelled t 3 expend
a few coppers, which he would freely bestow on
the first crossing-sweeper in avoiding the incon-
venience. At all events, as all persons who can
write cheques may reasonably be supposed to be
amenable to the Income Tax, they will benefit by
the reduction of 2J. in the pound, which Mr.
DrsRAELI has sanctioned, far more than they will
suffer by the contemplated tax on cheques.

As we have stated, "the nimble penny" has
proved wonderfully productive. It is the prin-
ciple of "small profits and quick returns" which
has proved so beneficial to all who have fairly
adopted it. The Post-office and receipt stamps
have proved its efficacy. But wherever an excep-
tion has been allowed there have been evasions.
For all practical purposes, so far as the tax on
cheques were concerned, Liverpool or Man-
chester would be considered within 15 miles
of Lombard-street. Tho extent of evasion may
be estimated from the fact that during
the last financial year 660,000 penny bill,
or rather cheque stamps, were issued, while there
were 73, 400,000 penny receipt stamp. Under these
circumstances, Mr. DISRAELI is fully warranted
in calculating on at least 300,0001. for the
revenue, without placing any serious burden on
any person who is not fully able to sustain it.

we trust Lord DERBY will listen to the very
temperate and anything but hostile counsels or
Lord GREY respecting the Oaths Bill, and recon-
sider his declared int•mtion of voting for the
omission of the fifth clause. His lordship fx_
prcs3ed some regret at the thought of taking such
a course, and well he might do so, since no pos-
sible practical good could result from it, and tlie
theory of legislative purism is surely not worth
fighting for—for nearly twenty-five years now
with the House of Commons and the country.
The House of Lords is, iu truth, now like a be-
sieged town, an English Kars ; it has done
enough for its honour, and as it will
notut
te
honourableo r
erisking
g men,
the lack it
haver nt to
foritto capitulate
before
istimepolitical horrors.
Lord DERBY must feel the force of Lord GREY'S
appeal, grounded, as it was, on considerations of