The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-05 00:00:00

claimed that she meant to overthrow first the
Giant Monopoly, and then turn their guns against
the other monopolists, and she beat them all
though banded together, and used the vanquished
to overthrow those who yet held their ground.
Cotton was a mighty power then—politically it
was gun-cotton ; now it has shrunk back to its
natural commercial quality. Manchester will
never have again so noble an object, so noble a
foe, and so glorious a triumph. It thoroughly
understood its ground and its object, and that
object was entirely national. It forgot that its
object was all important to itself, as its
eyes opened to its importance to the whole
community. But MancheA,,r ever since has been,
like so many conqueror, objectless. Its league
wanted to throw out its vast powers into some
new conflict, but could find nothing wortly of its
former organisation and efforts--the great leaders
seemed to think they could lead on every other
question as they had done in that which was pecu-
liarly their own ; but they found themselves
sunk to the leadership of coterie;. They have
commonly had useful reforms in their pro-
gramme, but they all had one great defect for
Manchester : they were not essential to the
prosperity of the cotton manufacture. The
public met in their Free-trade Hall, met to hear
and to clap, but did not leave to work, to sub-
scribe money, and to petition by the thousand.
Manchester has nothing in hand which she can
take up as specially her own, and yet substan-
tially the nation's. She is, it is true, a useful
and a great ally, but no longer a Premier City.
Hence the vast difference between the speeches
of last Thursday evening, and those of
,former
years. In the place of the terrible home thrusts
and the impassioned declamation, at which thousands
used to rise and wave hats and handkerchiefs, with
unappeasable and vociferous cheering, we had lec-
tures and behaviour cool as in the House of Com-
mons—behaviour, indeed, much more quiet than
frequently distinguishes that honourable place.
Good sense, useful statements, pleasant political
banter, and a ssund resolution or two—nothing
to peiition for—nothing to subscribe for, were
the character and the results of the meeting. The
most enthusiastic part of the proceedings
was perhaps the unanimous re-election of
Mr. BRIGHT by the universal suffrage of
the vast assembly, a proceeding in which,
though having often had occasion lately to differ
with the Hon. Member, we yet cordially concur
with the electors of Manchester. We believe that
in the House all classes value Mr. BRIGHT as one
of their ornaments too much to wish to lose him,
and that, with the exception of his well-known
crotchets, he is unquestionably a first-rate mem-
ber. We should like to have all the best ability
of the country in Parliament, even if not on our
own side.

Of course Mr. GasoN, the chief orator of the

evening, was great on peace, penny newspapers,
and the paper duty. He intends to carry the
repeal of the last, and, singularly enough, two
Chancellors of the Exchequer have seemed to
wish to gratify him. It is much desired by the
Manchester folk, not, we must own from literary
motives, but that it may cost them less to pack
their goods. This intellectual argument, it will
be remembered, was used with great emphasis by
Mr. GLADSTONE. Add to this, that the duty
almost crushes the penny papers of Messrs. GLAD-
STONE, LEWIS, and GIBsoN, and it is not unlikely
that the duty will go. The mismanagement of
the war, the pitiful results to what they ought to
have been, the shameful treatment of the two
Crimean Commissioners, are an topics on which
we c3u1,1 endorse nearly all that was said ; but
whether Russia ought to be stopped in her
course of European burglaries, these gentlemen
thought it not worth while, or not prudent, to
discuss.

The Income Tax could not be mentioned with-
out, of course, an unsparing denunciation of
inquisitorial examination of tradesmen's and
cotton lords' ledgers, and of unfair assessment
and balance-sheets ; no popular assembly could
be safely exhorted to put up with an
Income Tax without that. We were not in-
formed, however, of the proposed substitute for
the d-nounced inquisition; and without resorting
to a Property Tax rather than an Income Tax, it
does not seem easy to say how the inquisitors
are to be got rid of. Mr. GIBSON wished to cut
down the expenditure to the fifty millions, or so,
which was sufficient before the peace ; if so the
Customs, Excise, St Imps, and Assessed Taxes, &c.,
will, as things now stand, supply his fiscal wants,
arid we imagine that if he put it to any meeting
he could call, whether t'ie Income Tax, or any
Customs or Excise Tax should be first repealed,
he would find little if any diviAion of opinion.
Fur the aiteictly political part of the pro-
gramme, the extension of the Suffrage and the
Ballot were the chief points mooted. The litter
was made indeed a prominent objec?., the Sz•cre-
tary of the Ballot Society was there from London,
and moved a resolution. It was seconded by Mr.
Nrcsrocsos, from Australia, who took an active
past in introducing it into that country, and who
described its eminent success Viere. The Chair-
man, Mr. WILSON, in putting the resolution, gave
it his cordial support, and it was carried unani-
mously and enthusiastically. Tho shameless
assertion that nobody wants, and nobody cares
for the Ballot., is being every day openly refuted.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL may be sure his little pocket
Reform Bill, without the Ballot, will incur univer-
sal contempt, and will die unwept, unless he shed
again the tears himself.

A magnificent and alluring project has just
been set on foot atnongst ourselves, with an espe-
cial view to the pacific advance of tha great cause
of Italian Regeneration. The scheme we allude
to is that of the EAPORIO ITILIANO—an enter-
prise having already a recognised organ of its own
so called, and involving as its main object the
establishment in London of a comprehensive
Institution for the Patronage of Italian Science,
Art, Commerce, Industry, and Literature. The
Institution of the Einporio it should be
observed at once, has been projected, and the
Journal of the Ernporio Italian°, we may presume,
Ist° be edited, hyLonENzo MONTEMERLI DEI CONTI
SaNnoNNuit,—the whole undertaking being
, carried out under the immediate and personal
superintendence of the Marquis of DOWNSHIRE.
According to a Prospectus recently issued, the sum
of 200,0001. will be required for the foundation
of the Institution, out of which it is intended
that 160,000/, shall be devoted to the expenses of
erecting the necessary buildings, as well as to the
'formation of a capital to be distributed among
the shareholders-28,0001. being sat aside for
prizes ranging, gradually, from a minimum of 201.
to a maximum of upwards of 3,000/.-8001, being
awarded as a premium for the Italian who may
submit the best plan for the proposed edifice--
6,0001. being reserved as a Charitable Fund for
the benefit, of course, of Italians exclusively—.
2,0001. for covering any expenses that may be
incurred on behalf of the Projector and the
Initiatory Committee-3,2001. remaining over
and above all for distribution as rewards for
Italian Inventions and Italian Discoveries. Alto-
gether, we conceive, a very moderate and judicious