The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-26 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We call the attention of our readers to a
report in another column of the proceedings of a:
Meeting of the 7nishioners of St. Paul's,
Covent-garden, held last night. They are of a
most important character. It is well known to
all who bestow any attention on such matters,
that houses have fallen greatly in value in the
metropolis, and most other towns, of late years.
-ops, which could not have been obtained a
f_. -v years ago for 3001. a year, will not now let
for half that amount. It seems strange that a
ps-iod of such depreciation of property should
be chosen for raising the valuation on which
householders are rated to the assessed taxes.
Complaints having been made by the inhabit-
ants of St. Paul's, Covent-garden, of the ine-
quality of the rating, steps were taken for reme-
dying this evil, and a more just scale of rates
was adopted. But this did not satisfy the Crown
Surveyor, who immediately set about surcharging
the inhabitants. The Resolutions agreed to by
the Meeting state, " that the numerous sur-
charges made upon the inhabitants of the parish
by the Surveyor of the Assessed Taxes, after a
fair and equitable assessment had been made by
the local assessors, was vexatious and unjust—
that it was notorious that house property had,
within the last few years, greatly deteriorated in
value, and, as a proof, a reduction was taking
place in the rental of from 20 to 30 per cent. ;
that it was the opinion of the Meeting that it
was to be lamented, that, after a lapse of seven-
teen years since the termination of the war,
taxes, avowedly imposed for the purpose of car-
rying on that war, should not only be still con-
tinued, but that servants of the Crown should
be allowed to increase the hurthens of the house-
holders, by surcharges like those lately made on
the parish." It was stated by Mr. Charlwood
that the surcharges contemplated by the Crown
Surveyor would produce a surplus tax of at
least a thousand a year to the Government. But
what demands particular notice in these Resolu-
tions is, that the inhabitants are recommended not
to pay the house duty until the result of an appli-
cation by Memorial to the Lords of the Treasury,
praying relief from the imposition, be known. Mr.
Yockney contended that the surcharge should be
resisted instanter. The former Vestry Clerk, Mr.
Roche, observed, that " the object of the meet-.
ing was nothing mo e nor less than an attempt
to repeal an Act of Parliament." These strong
resolutions, recommending the refusal to pay
taxes, were adopted unanimously at this large
and numerous meeting of a metropolitan parish.
The bow may be at length too much bent. The
patience of the inhabitants of the metropolitan
parishes is at length fairly exhausted by the op-
pressive exactions to which they are in particular
subject. If the Assessed Taxes were fairly
raised throughout the country, the inhabitants
of the metropolis might be less impatient. But
they know that the Aristocracy throughout the
country contrive to evade the House Tax, in
the most shameless manner. A poor, pale-
faced mechanic, who, by the utmost assiduity,
is hardly able to keep the wolf from the
door, is doomed to hear that Noblemen of
20,0001. a year, having houses raised at an
expense of 2 or 300,000/., do not pay more
assessed taxes than himself. The Marquis of
Westminster is not, we believe, rated at more
than 200/. for his sumptuous palace of Eaton,
the building of which cost some 4 or 500,000/.
This evil has been pointed out again and
again ; but still the gentry of the country
refuse to pay their share of the burden.
Would it be believed, that there are very
few of the mansions of the nobility and gentry
throughout England rated at more than SO/.
a year? What has provoked the parish-
ioners of Covent-garden is, the attempt, under
these circumstances, to raise their taxation. We

observe that great complaints are made by the
parishioners as to the indifference of their Re-
presentatives to their complaints ; and they seem
disposed in future to dispense with their assist-
ance. 'Where combustibles exist in such abund-
anae, there needs but a spark to produce a con-
flagration. The people should not be harassed
at this time by surcharges.—Morning Chron.

The note of General Goblet, the present Minister
of Foreign Affairs for Belgium. (received through
the French Papers of Tuesday,) calling upon the
French Court to fulfil its engagements towards the
rlgic Government, and the article in the demi-
Oficial paper, the Journal des Debate, annonncing
the determination of the French Cabinet to perform
the stipulations of the treaty to which General
Goblet refers, show the expectation which the for-
mer party entertained, and the resolution which the
Wier had formed before the signature of the London
Convention of Monday last. A similar, if not an
identical note, must have been addressed to the
English Government, and a similar reply only could
be returned.
" The time (says General Goblet on the sth instant) has ar-
rived to carry into execution a treaty invested, five months
ago, with the common sanction of the five Courts, the non.
fulfilment of which exposes the peace of Europe to increasing
and continual danger. Since the last refusal of the Dutch Go.
vernment, there is no other means to accomplish this result
hut the employment of material force; for it cannot be sup-
posed that the Powers will allow an indefinite postponement,
which would be highly injurious to the public order of Europe,
and that, after laborious negotiation for two years, a treaty,
Selemnly ratified, should remain without being executed."
The French Ministerial Journal does riot antici-
pate opposition in the three absolute Powers of the
Conference to the enforcement of their own award
Hy arms, should Holland still continue deaf to peace-
lfi remsentations; but should "one" of them do
e it 3,01 not prevent an attempt on the part of
France anti p9gland to settle a question which em-
barrasses the present relations, and endangers the
itsistre security, of Europe. Is it conceivable that
any party should desire a longer delay to intervene
between the signature of an impor ant treaty—
which cap alone afford a guarantee of general peace
--:and the employment of necessary means of exe-
cution ? Was it not to be dreaded, at the com-
mencement, that the revolution in Belgium would
lead to a general war, and were not the mo,t stre-
nuous exertions made to bring about such a speedy
settlement as would prevent that issue ? Fur what
other purpose was a conference of the five Powers es-
tablished in London in the beginning of November,
1830? Ir wag as well known than as now thut the
absolute Sov reigns of Europe detested the Belgic
revolt—that they desired to adhere to that com-
bination with'respect to the Netherlands, which
they had sanctioned almost on the field of battle
in 1815,—and that, had they been able without a
revolutionary conflict to reunite the two sets of prc-
vinces, which 15 years' connection had not amalga•

mated, they would again have proclaimed the

omened bans.

The umpires were friendly to H,

land fiom the beginning, as they are now. His
Dutch Majesty was called by the Duke of Welling-
ton in the King of England's Speech, November 3,
1830, "an enlightened Sovereign," and the Bel-
gians were styled his " revolted subjects,' but no
insane deign was ever nytnifested to restore Bel

gium to the House of Nassau by force of arms.

The object of the subsequent -c inferenct-s was not a
plan of reunion, but a project of a separation; and
so friendly were the Five Powers to Holland, that
the pelii,Ans,rejected their award with indignation,
and-`threatened rather to become a province of
/France ;thap to, accept of independence on such
Ldneroos conditions. The spring and the summer
(..
, of .1831 were consumed in anxious and painful
'negotiations to tiring about an . arrangement sa-
Ciiilitery-;.to: both parties, and from the desire
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