The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-09 00:00:00

probability, would be acceptable as a boon. The
territory, too, is immense, and if we did not, as
we ought, open it upon the condition that it must
continue a penal settlement, many years must
elapse before the demand for convict labour would
cease. The climate, though cold, offers, we
think, no insurmountable objection, since appro-
priate labour might be found during the more in-
clement seasons. Western Australia, at all
events, is open to us, and is certainly deserving of
consideration. Let our convicts but undergo a
disciplinary training before they are sent out, and
have a prospect of well doing set before them on
landing, contingent on their good behaviour, and
either of these colonies may be the means of
freeing our island from an ineubus under which
it groans.

Who among our conspicuous statesmen will
take in hand the Anti-Income-Tax Agitation ?
Whoever does—will have a chance of coming into
power, over the heads of the people, almost in-
stanter. That of all others would be the cry to
go to the country upon, at thelnext dissolution of
Parliament. Here, consequently, is what Mr.
PECKSNIPP blandly held out over the bannisters
as—an available opportunity ! Will no one, we
ask, among our more prominent Chiefs of
Party, take it in hand I this Lever of
Office ! As Sir JOIN PAKINGTON has
snatched up the Elucational Questiotl—dropped
almost in despair by my Lord JOHN RUSSELL !
As Mr. HENRY BERKELEY has held on, with un-
failing pertinacity, to the Question of the Ballot !
As Lord STANLEY promises to monopolise the con-
duot of the grand scheme involved in the project
of our Juvenile Reformatories I As Mr. ROEBIICK
has latterly consented to preside over the
long-dubious destinies of the Administrative
Reform Association ! Will nobody of note
among our Administrators will no man
of mark in the British House of Com-
mons, take the Bull --d--JOHN Bunn, by the
horns the horns of the present Dilemma I
And at once by undertaking to mitigate, or, better
still, altogether to abolish, the most oppressive of
all the taxes under which the community at large
is now groaning, at once secure to himself an
over-mastering and irresistible popularity. It is
a temptation this obvious and even glaring
opportunity ! Mr. GLADSTONE has committed
himself rather too flagrantly, we fear, to the more
than doubling of this most obnoxious impost dur-
ing his unfortunate domination over the
financial departmnet of the Government, in
his official capacity as her MAJESTY'S Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer. Mr. DISRAELI, not
thus pledged to the maintenance of the doubled,
or even of the undoubled (!), Income Tax, might
seize this favourable opportunity if he would—in
which event, we warrant him, ho would find it a
more reliable orutch to lean upon, than any old
broken reed of Anti-Popery Agitation. Setting
aside, however, all conjectures as to the precise
individual--Who, we may ask again, is the Com-
ing Man I Who shall energetically and reso-
lutely take in hand the conduct of this rising,
growing, strengthening Anti-Income-Tax Move-
ment I The opportunity is tempting. Who will
bid for it 1 As the Auctioneer says--Going 1
Going !