The Sun.
London, England, 1832-01-12 00:00:00

DISTRIBUTION OF TRACTS.

Mr. DETROSIER. then stated, that the members of the
Union,. who had come forward at the list meeting to assist
the Council in the distribution of tracts, had been enabled,
by the liberality of Mr. Place, to commence their opera-
tions immediately, as that gentleman presented the Union
with three or four hundred pamphlets.

Seine discussion then arose as to whether the distribu-
tion stamp of the Union should be placed on all the pub-
lications given away by the Business Committee, and it
was finally agreed that the distribution stamp should be
placed on all publications that might be given to the Union,
as t object was to give information, and not to present
only one side of the question to the working people.
The SECRETARY then read the names proposed for the
Council for the ensuing year.
TAXES ON 3:NOI4'I3:DOE.

AV'. PLACE read the petition on the taxes on knowledge,
and concluded by moving that the petition be adopted.
Mr. HustE—These manacles on the Press bad been ini-
Roseriby the Six Acts, and he thought that an allusion to
them ought to form part of every petition against the taxes
on knowledge. Mr. Hume then noticed the mischievous
operation of these laws. In a return he had lately moved
for is the House of Commons, it appeared that no fewer
than thirty-six individuals bad been convicted for trying
to gain an honest livelihood by selling cheap publications.
--(Shame, shame.) With regard to the suggestion in the
petition, that in lieu of the revenue raised by stamps the
Government might impose a postage, lie (Mr. Hume) con-
ceived that it was not desirable to point out a new tax to
Government. lie for one never would be a party to such
advice, when he could show such enormous sums that might
be cut off from the already existing taxation—(Cheers)—
without any injury to the carrying on of the affairs of
Government. As the petition alluded to there being no
taxes on the Press in America, Mr. Hume mentioned that
a far more comprehensive statement might have been
made, as iu that country, within a few months from this
time, not a single tax would be imposed, except on a few
articles of importation, which were not levied for the pur-
pose of revenue. This American system it was that he
hoped to see introduced into England ; for the contrast
perpetually presenting itself between the modes adopted in
governing the two nations showed that in the one the
Government was for the interests of the many, in the
other for the interests of the few. He met the other day
with a young American Lieutenant (Monroe), the nephew
of President Monroe. The American happening to men-
tion the rank he held in the army, stated the misfortune
be laboured under in having a relation high in office ; for
although his uncle had been President for eight years,
he had refused during all this time to promote his
nephew to the rank of Captain, as he objected to intro-
ducing the English system of nepotism into Ame-
rica. Wnen he (Mr. Hume) looked to the men who
filled office in this country--the son of the Minister
here, the nephew of the Minister there, and the
children and grandchildren of the Minister fattening on
the taxes of the land, he wished that a little American
delicacy had been observed. What could he conclude from
this contrast, except in . one country the people took care
to t:Laerve the conduct of Government, and in the other,
that they apathically allowed themselves to be misgoverned?
In America, at the present moment, there were three
Conventions sitting for the purpose of securing the election
of an individual as President in whom the country confided.
By these means America was well and cheaply governed ;
and it was only by imitating these proceedings—by the
general formation of Political Unions—that a good and
cheap Government could be obtained in England.—(Loud
cheers.) Mr. Hume, in conclusion, suggested, that pro-
bably it might be more advantageous to time interests of the
Reform Bill, that this petition should not be presented im-
mediately, as, although such a petition ought not to em-
barrass Ministers, the carrying of the Reform Bill quickly
was of such vital importance, that for himself he would
wish to introduce nothing until the success of that measure
was secured. Mr. Hume then sat down amidst loud cheers.
Mr. PLACE stated in explanation, that each of the
American States raises a revenue for its own purposes—in
its own way. The framers of the petition bad well con-
sidered the charge of postage, which he called a tax.
Sheets could not he sent by postage. He had a printed
folio sheet, of a very respectable cast, sold for one penny
—it was a specimen of what would be done if the taxes,
&c. were repealed.
Mr. ERSKINE PERRY seconded Mr. Place's motion, and
stated that he understood from very good authority, that
the support which several Members of the House of Coin-
MOOS would afford to Ministers depended entirely on the
conduct pursued by them with regard to the taxes on
knowledge.
Mr ROGERS moved, as an amendment, that the pe-
tition be referred to a Committee, in order to embody the
facts which were contained in the return Mr. Hume had
alluded to, which, after some discussion, was agreed to.
The Rev. Mr. Fox then moved that an extended in-
quiry should be made into the mode of taxation adopted
in this country. It had done infinite mischief. No en-
lightened community ought to suffer such taxation.
Scarcely any necessity could justify taxing knowledge.
We are consulting the interests of all classes by begging for
a repeal of these laws—of aristocracy, democracy, and all.
One was prevented from reading, and the other was
obliged to read falsehoods and trash. It was an engine of
religious pet secution. For example—Dr. Blonifield and
Dr. Whateley each published a pamphlet respecting the
Sabbath ; the Commissioners of Stamps made Dr.
Whateley, who was a liberal, pay a duty, and allowed the
present Bishop of London to publish without one. He
need not say that one pamphlet was in unison with time
political opinions of the Commissioners, the other at vari-
ance with them. He moved " That a Committee be ap-
pointed to inquire into the nature, extent, and productive-
ness of the taxation by which the communication of know-
ledge is impeded in this country ; the mode in which that
taxation operates, and the most prompt mode of obtaining
a repeal of it."

Mr. PLACE seconded this motion, which was carried
unanimously.

Some discu.sion then took- place as to the distribution
of tracts, when the Council adjourned till Wednesday next.

ISLE OF WIGHT.—A few individuals in the
island have resolved to pay no more money for tithes ;
but as their reverences mean willingly to relinquish
nothing, they are informed that they are to come and fetch
them in kind. Several farmers have also resolved to pay
no more assessed taxes if the Reform Bill does not pass
into a law ; they will allow a distraint to take plce for the
amount, if the Government should persist in demanding
them.—Brighton Guardian.

PRODUCE OF FOUR YEARS FROM A
SING LE POTATOE..-4011N SA KJ EANT, jun. of Codringtou,
planted one potatoe of the red kidney sort, the produce of
which was 60 potatoes. This seed next year produced three
bushels, which being again planted, produced eleven sacks.
The produce of the last year, from that seed, was no less
than 168 sacks!

The mother of MATTHEW WORRY, the
man convicted of being concerned in firing the Bridewell,
died on Thursday evening of a broken heart, at her
dwelling in Lewin's-mead, after being in a most dreadful
state of mental affliction for the last few weeks, owing to
her apprehensions as to the fate of ber unfortunate 50n....
Bristol Liberal.

The body of ELIZA Ross, who was executed
on Monday, was conveyed the same evening to the London
Hospital for dissection. A number of persons assembled
ill, the expectation that the body would be publicly ex_
ted,
but
n: y
by a fewt persons were admitted. The son
only
of the culprit has been placed in the Boys' Charity School
n
parish authorities of St. Botolph,
h near
ba ir thei
.fl
Aldgate,

KOSCIUZKO.

Kosciusko was not one of those with whom
patriotism was but a stepping-ladder for self-
aggrandisement; to speak of him, indeed, is to
speak of one who commanded the esteem even
of Princes against whom his sword was raised ;
his name belongs to the whole civilized world,
and his virtues are a bequest to all mankind.—
Towards the close of life, unable to endure the
spectacle of degradation which his conquered
country exhibited, and baffled in the generous ex-
pectations which its artful conqueror had at one
time bade him cherish, Kosciusko, after eman-
cipating the serfs on his estate in Poland, retired
to Soleure, where the amiable society of long
cherished friends cheered and softened the last
hours of a life devoted to great and virtuous
deeds. Though absent from the land of his
birth, the enthusiastic attachment of his fellow-
countrymen defied the chilling influence of sepa-
ration ; and there was not a college or a corpo-
ration among them which did not continue to
celebrate his natal day with banquets or
other festivities. The tidings of his decease*.
spread sorrow and desolation over the whole
face of Poland, and the senate of the re•
public of Cracow immediately issued circulars to
the public authorities, fixing the fourteenth of
the November following as the day of national
mourning, on which the last honours were to be
rendered to his memory. Warsaw and Cracow
took the lead in displaying their grateful feeling
on this solemn occasion ; but Poland felt she
had yet another sacred duty to perform ; her
hero's remains were mouldering under a stranger
sky ; she called upon the Emperor Alexander to
obtain their removal from Soleure ; with his
sanction the young Prince Jablonowski was de-
puted on this noble mission, and the body, at-
tended by the father and son, in whose society
Kosciuzko had calmly spent the remnant of his
virtuous days, was borne to the church of St.
Florian, without the walls of Cracow, whither it
had been accompanied for the last three miles by
the great officers of state. The solemn proces-
sion, which conveyed it thence on the ensuing
morning, was finally characteristic of the occa-
sion. Warriors of distinguished rank, who were
grey in their country's service, bore the sacred
relics on their shoulders; next followed Kos-
ciuzko's sable charger, caparisoned in black ; two
maidens, with wreaths of oak leaves and branches
of cypress in their hands, walked by his side ;
then came the general staff, the senate, burgesses,
clergy, and populace. When this array reached
the Wave!, a hill once honoured by the residence of
the magnificent Jagellon and other Polish mo-
narchs, a funeral oration was delivered by Count
Wodziki ; be had scarcely closed his lips, when a
Masovian peasant came forward, and addressing
Gen. Grabowski, one of Kosciuzko's companions
in arms, related the following occurrence in a tone
of deep emotion. "At the battle of Raclawice,
when fighting by the side of three of my bro-
thers, there were two guns which committed in
describable havoc on a column of Poles, and re-
peatedly drove them back. On a sudden I saw
two Cracovian countrymen, fired by the example
of their leader, rush upon the cannon and cover
the mouths with their bodies. No war-cry
could have kindled such a glow amongst us as
their heroic devotion ; we flew to the rescue of
our gallant comrades, and the enemy's artillery
was instantly in our possession ; we turned it
upon him, and he took to flight." The pro-
cession now moved towards the cathedral, in the
centre of which a splendid catafalque had been
erected, and beneath this shrine the coffin was
deposited. Its only adornments were Sobieski's
sword and a branch of laurel. Paintings, exe-
cuted by Stakowice, were disposed around the
sarcophagus; one represented Washington in-
vesting the hero with the order of Cincmnatus ;
another depicted the citizens of Cracow swearing
fidelity to him ; in a third, he was pourtraved as
calmly contemplating a tempestuous ocean ; and
a fourth recalled the fatal conduct of Macicio-
wice, where, covered with wounds, and falling
from his horse, he was heard to exclaim,
" Finis Polonice !" t Woronicz, the Bishop,
discharged the last offices over the body, and
Lancouski, a prelate in high estimation for his
political talents, addressed the assembly with a
brief but heart-rending eloquence, which brought
tears into every eye. During the ceremony, the
young Countesses, Angelica and Caroline Wod-
, sica, made a collection at the door for behoof of
the house of refuge at Cracow ; thus calling in
charity herself to render homage to the departed
great. The ceremony was terminated by depo-
siting his remains in the same vault which in-
closes our ancient Kings. Its majestic arches
extend under the whole floor of the Cathedral ;
but to the right, opposite to the principal en-
trance gate, is a subterraneous chapel, built by
Stanislaus Augustus, ill the year 1788, where
he had fondly hoped to find his last resting place.
It is divided into several compartments by pillars
of the lonic order ; and at present contains three
sarcophagi ; those of John Sobieski, Joseph
Poniatowski, and Thaddasus Kosciuzko. In
life, these three patriots sought their country's
weal by devious paths ; in death, they still are
severed, and slumber in three distinct mausolea.
That of Kosciuzko bears no other symbol than
his immortal name. But his country has paid a
yet more imperishable tribute to her favourite
son. The senate of Cracow decreed, that
a lofty mound should be raised on the
heights of Bronislawa (i. e. " the Champion
of Fame," an appellation which it has borne
from the remotest times), and this monu-
ment owes its existence to the willing zeal of
every class and age ; the magistrate and citizen,
nobleman and peasant, young and old, rich and
poor, have been its artificers. For three whole
years (from the 16th October, 1820, to the 16th
of the same month 1823) did they toil with un-
abating ardour, until the hill of Kosciuzko (the
Mogila Kosciuzki) was reared three hundred
feet above its base, and outshone the two ad-
joining monuments of St. Cracus and Queen

' This took place on the 15th of October, 1817. And
he passed so gently out of this scene of pain and trial,
that it has been justly said of such a death by an eminent
writer, " The grave is the light-shedding footstep of an
angel, which descends to seek and bear us away to a bet-
ter world."

The narrator should have added, that the two berms
escaped with their lives, and that Kosciuzko presented
them with officers' commissions on the field of battle.
t This fact is historically correct. The battle tv, s
gained by the Russians on the 10th of October, 1794, and
Kosciuzko'a captivity sealed the downfall of Polish inde-
pendence. He never again trod his native soil,