The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-17 00:00:00

(No. 20,200.)

ci ENE RAL ELECTION.—PRINTING wit '1
Vir Economy and Despatch for Pamphlets,
Addresses, Circulars. and Posting Bills, either Letterpress or
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London, E C.

TO THE
LIVERY WORTHY AND INDEPENDENT
AND ELEOTORi OF THE
CITY OF LONDON.
GENTLEMEN,
In presenting myself for re-election as one of your represen-
tives, I entertain a confident hope that a consistent course of
public conduct for 20 years in Parliament, and constant at-
tention to all the local and commercial interests of this great
city, willsecure for me your continued approbation and sup-
port. My votes on all great questions are before you.
Every friend of humanity must deeply deplore the lament-
able Occurrences at Canton. I could not, however, concur in
a vote which implied censure upon the Government, encourag-
ing tbe arrogant Chinese to resist treaty obligations, weaken-
ing the power and influence of this country to protect the
lives and property ofour fellow-subjects abroad, and seriously
erippling our commercial intercourse with China. But in
supporting Lord Palmerston on this occasion, and in acknow-
ledging the gratitude which the country owes to him for so
soon terminating, with honour, a disastrous war, in which wo
were involved principally by the vacillating conduct of a sec-
tion of the party now opposerl to him, I do not intend to aban-
don my advocacy of those measures of administrative reform
and social and political progress which the welfare of the
people so urgently demands.
I look back with sitisfaction to the successful result of the
first Meeting (over which I presided) for the Repeal of the
War IncOme Tor. By economy and retrenchment the re-
mainder of this iniquitous impost may be soon extinguished,
but, at all events, it should be placed upon a more equitable
foundation, as between property and income..
I felt myself bound to vote against the continuance of the
increased rate of duty on tea, because it seemed to me unjust
to the trader, who had reason to rely upon its diminution, ac-
cording to the Act, confirm,xl •by the declaration of official
authorities that the scale of reduction would take effect in
April next. Nothing can be more embarrassing to all com-
mercial transactions than frequent meddling with Cisterns_
duties,
Early in the coming session the care of the Legislature must
be directed to legal reforms. The treatment of our criminals
and a revision of our system of secondary punishments must
also come under consideration. These all-important questions
shall command my best attention.
I will only add that I have spared no trouble to render my
humble services useful to all classes of my fellow-citizens, and
should you be pleased to confer upon me again the distin-
guished honour of being one of your representatives, you may
rely upon a continuance of an independent course of conduct
in Parliament, the same industry and attention to all your
local rights and commercial interests, an anxious desire to
support every measure calculated to advance. the prosperity
of the country, improvOthe condition of the industrial classes,
by lessening taxation, and to promote the cause of ci'il and
religious liberty throughout the world.
I remain, Gentlemen, your faithful, humble servant,
JAMES DUKE.
43, Portland-place, March 16, 1857.