The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-11 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 18351

tween them are additional reasons for the sleepless vi-
gilance of the EMPEROR.
The French papers furnish no additional intelli-
gence respecting the flight of Don MIGUEL from
Rome. Letters from Cadiz, dated the 19th'ult., state
that a report was current in that city of a Miguelite
expedition, which was preparing to sail from Leghorn
to join the Carlists on the coast of Andalusia. From
this it has been inferred that the object of MIGUEL'S

,sight is to effect a junction with Don CARLOS, and
so prepare the way for another war in Portugal. This
however, is mere conjecture. It is impossible to as-
sign the real motive of MiGuEL's flight, while the
very place to which he has gone remains a secret.
With respect to the question of American indemni-
fication, about which so mly2ll has been written, it is
now thought that it must stand over during the pre-
..ent session of the Chambers. There is not sufficient
time to go through the necessary investigations other-
wise ; and the committees, though favourable to Ministers,
are not disposed to dismiss the details, after cursorily
glancing at them. What brother Jonathan will think
of such extreme pi udence, after first obtaining from
him a good bargain in the way of tariff exemption, on
the simple understanding that he should be paid his
money without delay, or grumbling, or quibbling of
any sort, is something which we have yet to learn.
Certainly such wonderful precaution has little appear-
ance of honesty or manly frankness about it. - Jonathan
claimed a sum of money due to him by France, in
consideration of losses sustained by him ; and to
render the payment as easy as possible, offers to secure
to France certain important advantages in a commer-
cial point of view. These conditions are thankfully
accepted by France ; Jonathan, in the mean time.
allows himself to suffer considerable loss in the fulfil-
ment of his part of the treaty, and after three years
spent in idle prociastinations, insists on having his
money by fair means or foul. The threat alarms
France ; but, in the mean time, some of Jonathan's
Mends agree to take a good natured view of the case,
and to leave the question of the payment solely to the
honour of a great nation. Other friends on the
contrary agree to hold their tongues for the present ;
and thus all cause of alarm is removed—France during
the whole of this time contiquing to enjoy the full
benefit derived from the treaty already alluded to. The
conduct of Brother Jonathan has been unquestionably
generous, and highly creditable to his understanding ;
but will he longer bear patiently with this system of
procrastination? We •think not, nor ought such for.
bearance to be expected. The plea of examining
claims, on the part of the French Deputies, is all
humbug. The question has been settled by a treaty ;
the amount of eompensation fixed even to a single
franc ; and the very days appointed for the regular pay-
ment of the several instalments.

In resuming our notice of Mr. PETRE'S interesting
pamphlet on Ceylon, we beg the attention of our readers
to the following observations, which are well worthy of

serious consideration—not merely because they are ap

plicable to the case in hand, but as they bear upo

the principles of taxation :
" It is not then alone the first cost of the monopoly, how-
ever, exorbitant or unjust; it is not merely the 27 or 28,0001.
paid by the people, or the 22 or 23,0001. a year, received by
the State, which we have to consider, but the consequences

of that monopoly—its ulterior effects on the character and con-
dition of the inhabitants—on the fisheries, agriculture, com-
merce, and revenues of the Colony. If it be shown, as I con-
fidently submit it has been, that the salt monopoly is directly
opposed to all these interests ; if it be shown that the amount
of duty charged so far exceeds the intrinsic value of the article
as to hold out the strongest temptations to fraud ; that it inter-
feres with the free enjoyments of the people, (with the em-
ployment of many, and with the subsistence, or comforts, of
all); that, frustrating the kind boons and intent of Providence,
and rendering vain every advantage of natural produce and
local situation,—it has checked the fisheries, burdened the
agriculture, and dried up the richest sources of commercial
enterprise and public revenue; if these, or one half of these
evils shall have been shown to result from the monopoly, 1
ask whether that monopoly is to be longer tolerated ? Whether
we can doubt, whether we ought to hesitate, another hour, in
relieving our Colonial brethren from so cruel, so tyrannical an
exaction V'

The next grievance to which the author adverts is
the land rents ; and here we find the blessed effects of
the tithe system admirably exemplified.
"LAND RENTS.—This is another impost, which stands in
need of revision and amendment. It is, in fact, a tithe or
tenth of the gross produce, assessed on all lands in grain, and
annually farmed out to the higest bidder, by whom it is col-
lected in kind. The tax has been objected to as both invi-
dious and oppressive :—invidious from its partial nature,
being confined to one species of produce—and oppressive,
from the mode in which it is farmed out, and oftentimes col-
lected."

The first of these objections the author thinks can-
not be obviated ; for the second he suggests a remedy
recommended by the best of all arguments—the ex..