The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-08 00:00:00

barley to the maltster and receive in exchange a
bushel of malt, he could have beer at Id. per
quart better than any they could buy at the
pot-house. Allowing the pot-house 100 per
cent. for profits, it would make 2id. a quart,
while 2d. a glass was now paid, which made it Bd.
a quart. Even reckoning it at 11d. a glass, as it is
in the lowest places, the difference between the sell-
ing price and the cost was 3d. a quart, making the
tax to consume 140 per cent. on the real value of

his beverage.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER listened with
great courtesay and attention to the arguments of
the deputation, though he did not appear to be much
mollified by them. He denied having any objec-
tion to the removal of the tax, excepting so far as it
concerned the Exchequer. But surely so experienced
a financier as Mr. GLADSTONE does not need to be
reminded that any such reduction more than repays
the Exchequer. What an outcry has been made
about the removal of several taxes, while the event
has proved alike the elasticity of the revenue and
the soundness of the principles of free trade. The
Post-office is a standing example, while the lighten-
ing of the duties has contributed greatly to the
increase of consumption, and there is no doubt that
in a very short time the Exchequer will be more
than repaid by that increase ; especially so since
most tea drinkers will sharp Mr. GLADSTONE'S
opinion, and think an ounce of tea to the gallon
would make very poor stuff. We hope that Mr.
GLADSTONE'S promise of considering the repeal of
the Malt Tax is something more than an official
platitude, and that he will really exert his ingenuity
to see what can be done.

The arrival of the City of New York, with news
to the 27th ult., informs us that advices received
from Brownsville state that the party which cap-
tured Bagdad was composed of a miscellaneous
crowd of sutlers, adventurers, clerks, and idlers.
Some Federal soldiers were believed to be among
them, but if so they were all back on the other side
of the Rio Grande before morning, as they an-
swered to roll-call, and the capture was planned
and executed without the knowledge of any of the
Liberal chiefs. Under these circumstances there is
very little doubt that the American Government
will disavow these proceedings, and not allow them-
selves to be dragged into a war with France before
they are prepared for it. We hear, indeed, a report
from Paris that the American Minister has already
waited on M. DEOUYN DE LIIUYS to assure him that
the Washington Cabinet would certainly disavow
the affair on the Rio Grande. Mr. SEWARD has
arrived at Havannah, though what he intends to
do when there we are not told.

In domestic affairs the Senate has passed a bill
enlarging the powers of the Freedmen's Bureau,
which, considering the dislike already existing to-
wards it, is not likely to be a very popular mea-
We are told, however, that the bill was
carried by " a strict party vote," so that we may
suppose it is the result of some more pressing on
the part of the Radicals. Meanwhile complaints of
the refusal of the freedmen to work come conti-
nually from the interior of Louisiana, so that the
negro question is at present in a somewhat unsatis-
factory state.

sure.

" FOR LIFE,"