The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-10 00:00:00

Tfl E SIN,

THURSOAY, NOVEMBER 10; 1859.

The banquet at the Mansion-house last even•
ing passed off with becoming eclat, although
the two great rivals of modern power hap.
pened to be absent the first being at Wind-
sor celebrating the heir-apparent's minor-majo-
rity, and the other nursing a foreign cold at
Richmond. All things considered, the tone
of the Speeches was quite up to the mark, and ex-
pectation had little left to hope for. The Home
Secretary, Sir G. C. LEWIS, spoke for the Cabinet
in a spirit which did him far more honour than
when he presided with a bad grace at the Exche-
quer. He -said that we are determined to bring
the Chinese to book, aided by the gallantry of our
Allies over the Channel ; and if they enter
into the matter heartily, the Chinese
will rue the day when they broke
faith so treacherously with the " outside bar-
barians." But whether the French join us or
not, we are strong and too willing to give a good
account of those perfidious Russians in disguise.
All that is wanting is a clear view of our nccessi-
Ves for such a campaign—men of character for
daring resolve and promptitude of action in going
ahead with the fortitude of soul resolved to" do or
die."

After the many sad experiences we have had in
the Crimean and other wars, we sincerely trust
that men will be chosen to command merely for
their known aptitude and enterprise—men who can
and will do the work—not royal favourites, whose
chief qualifications seem to be their imbecility in
the field, and tbe''r servility in the Court. England
has paid too dearly in brave blood, and lost trea-
sure by confiding her precious honour to the keep-
ing of such unworthy favourites of irresponsible
councillors.

In rzferring to oar domestic affairs, the Home
Secretary made the following pertinent re-
marks respecting the late (we hope) disturb-
ance in the metropolis caused by the strike :
" We have seen one unfortunate event in which the
inhabitants of this metropolis have been especially
interested—l mean the disturbance which has
occurred in the building trade, but which I
trust is now approaching its termination. That
has been an event of which her MAJESTY'S Govern-
ment have been no unconcerned spectators,
although in regard to it We have felt it our duty to
maintain a policy of consistent non-intervention.
It. has been our desire not to interfere in
any question between employers and their work-
men, but to leave both parties to adjust their dif-
ferences according to the.natural law of supply and
demand. And I trust the time will never 'arrive
when any scheme of intimidation will be attempted,
or any endeavour made to introduce a system of
protection for labour, which must prove not less
unsound in principle than the exploded doctrine of
protection to agriculture, which was recently ex-
punged from the legislation of this country with so
much advantage to all classes of the community."
As to the affairs of Italy, we are glad to see that
Ministers are resolved to endeavour to let the
Italians have fair
play in the conduct of their own
Government. How far that resolve may be re-
spected by other Governments remains to be seen.
If ever there was a complexity of selfish interests in
the settlement of any question, the case of
Italy presents as fine a specimen as the
veriest diplomatist could desire! It is well for
the cause of freedom that England has hitherto
kept out of the quarrel, for her apparent reluctance
has acted positively in favour of the weak" and
paralysed the arm of the strong. Louls MAPOLEON
has most marvelously outwitted himself, and puz-
zled both his friends and enemies at the same
tiaae. May he always do so for the benefit of
humanity He has clearly realized that the

race is not to the swift nor the battle to the
strong. Italy may teach him a lesson that hypoc-
risy is not the road to glory, but mmy lead to
ruin as it ought. The cards may be shuffled once
too often—and then—where is destiny ?

Mr. BRIGHT has, by his last manifesto upon
Reform and Taxation, done far more than simply
hit the right nail on the head. He has driven a
whole swarm of nails right home as with the ham-
mer of THOR—he has driven them home with a will
—and clinchedthem afterwards. There is no getting
over the hard and stubborn truths piled up in a
formidable accumulation of facts and figures, in
the remarkable letter given us two or three days
ago in The Sun, and since commented upon with
so much idle and innocuous acrimony by so many
of our contemporaries. The communication we
mean which was addressed exactly on this day
month to the Secretary of the Birmingham Land-
lords' Association by the hon. gentleman the dis-
tinguished member for that great manufacturing
borough. A pamphlet strongly condemnatory of
the ever-odious Income Tax—the Income Tax, at
least, ever-odious under its present cruel and most
unjust because most unequal mode of assessment—
had been forwarded to Mr. BRIGHT by the Secre-
tary of the Association, and Mr. BRIGHT'S letter in
reply forms its appropriate acknowledgment.
Having intimated at the very outset of this epistle
what was almost superfluous to have written,
namely, that he entirely coincided with the view
taken of that tax throughout the whole argument
of the pamphleteer—having even emphasised this
1 coincidence by saying " the more I examine it [the
Income Tax], the more I think it hateful and in-
tolerable—Mr. BRIGHT goes on to explain quite
plainly and simply, and as we cannot but think quite
unanswerably, and by a logical chain of reasoning
absolutely irrefragable—Why it is that thinking
thus of this hateful and intolerable burden, he can
do no more as an Economic Reformer than protest
against it " until," as he expresses it at the close of
his very masterly argument, " until the public
purse is taken from the custody of a
class and placed under the safe keeping
of the people." Mr. BRIGHT only puts the real
truth, in those plain and very comprehensible words,
into the clearest and the simplest language. The
fact that requires reform is there so stated that
" whose runs may read." As we observed, however,
it is stated only too plainly. Mr. BRIGHT is simply
impolite —he comes to the point direct—he don't
understand the least bit in the world any mere
courtly circumlocution. His keen glance recognises
the exact spot to be aimed at—he "has at it" point-
blank, and proves himself, by the accuracy of his ob-
servations and the steadiness of his hand in pulling
the trigger, such a crack shot as we should find a
difficulty in matching out of all the rifle corps as
yet organised. Those who were once loudest about
the advisability of retrenchment, and whose highest
flights of assault upon the powers that be can go
no further, even in moments of the greatest exacer-
bation, than to lament the blighting darkness shed
around by—" the cold shade of the aristocracy !"
Mere courtly and rhetorical reformers like these
are quite shocked, it seems, now—and, under the
circumstances, we can hardly wonder at it—by the
plain-speaking of the hon. member for Birming-
ham. It really signifies hardly a fee what
may be the estimate formed either of Mr. BRIGHT
himself or Mr. BRIGHT'S arguments upon Re-
form and Taxation by mere kid-gloved
politicians like those who are perpetually in want
of the stench of a burnt feather, and of the pun-
gency cf a vinaigrette, to get without fainting
through the throng and crush of Reformers. It is
only so far worthy of attention that it helps any
one to understand upon the instant how well Mr.
BRIGHT has taken his aim, and how cleverly and
excruciatingly he has directed that deadly missile
—his last paper pellet. He has hit the bull's eye—and
the bull roars ! He has argued his facts so unan-
swerably, that those who don't think with him are
infuriated. In another sense, in a more literal
sense than that in which the old classic phrase was
originally employed, we may say of his letter sim-
ply— oleo facia est. But we may add in regard to
the effects produced by it, in no other sense than
that generally attached to the other old classic
phrase—lliac dire lochryince.
The hon. member far Birmingham says early in
his argument—" There is no department in which
the expenditure has not largely increased during
the last ten years, and every year exhibits greater
contempt of economy on the part of. the .Adminis-
tration and the Parliament." Whosoever feels dis-
posed to deny this has but to glance at the records
of the Exchequer and to remain dumb thereafter.
Again, Mr. BRIGHT goes on to remark—" The
Russian war threw wide open the door of the
national exchequer, and since 1%51 the great fund
gathered from the industry of the people has been
an ce,,y prey to those who, on hollow pretences of
every ki i.d, manage to live at the expense of the
payers of taxes." As to the Russian war—it is a
truth only too notorious, too painfully notorious,
that our expenditure upon that incident alone
reached a frightful aggregate of from £90,000,000
to .E 100,000,000. As to the rest—circumspice !
Can any one with Minserd within reach upon the
bookshelves venture to deny the next pithy sen-
tence of Mr. BRIGHT'S letter, namely, as follows :
" The House of Commons does nothing to check
extravagance, it encourages it." Or the next one
—"lts members are not so much of the tax-paying
as of the tax-consuming class. They come," Mr.
BRIGHT adds, "from, and they chiefly represent,
those whose families have for generations considered
the taxation of the people as their lawful patri-
mony." The hon. member goes on to illustrate the
manner of their doing this, as we all know they do
it, as follows: Tie writes, " The eldest of the
family takes the estate in land, and the rest of the
family occupy their lives mainly in a scramble
for their undivided interest in that other
estate contributed yearly by the payers of
taxes." New all this may be, and probably
is very unpleasant for some people to hear said or
to read written and printed. But, however un-
pleasant it may be to them, it is at the same time
in itself nevertheless perfectly true. Because Mr.
BRIGHT says it and writes it, and does both the
saying and the writing of it in such a way that no
one can possibly remain in any degree in a state of
misapprehension as to his meaning—he is abused
and -villified. "Yet the truth is all the while that
whether Mr. BRIGHT or any other honest plain•
spoken, plain-written Reformer says it or writes it
or does neither one nor the other—the monstrous
expenditure is perfectly well known, is absolutely
notorious, is inevitably fated in the fullness of time
to be inexorably retrenched. It is thought by some
that Mr. BRIGHT is about half a century in ad-
vance of his time. We doubt it. We heartily
hope the future will prove he is not—but that he
will yet take rank among the great practical Re-
formers of his generation.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left Cam-
bridge House yesterday on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor
Castle.

The Hon. George and Lady Alice Byng are
staying at Wrotham-park, Barnet, on a visit to Viscount
and Viscountess Enfield.

The Right Hon., B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli
have left Grosvenor-gate for Torqua,y,

LATEST NEWS.

The following telegrams have been received a
Mr. Reuter's office :
MODENA, Nov. 9, EVENING.

The following is a summary of a proclamation
issued to-day by Signor Farini, Dictator of Modena
and Parma, who has been provisionally appointed
Governor of the Romagna by the Assembly of

Bologna.
The Dictator commences by stating that he ac-
cepts with confidence the powers conferred upon
him by the representatives of the people, and that
he will do his utmost to overcome all difficulties

and dangers.
The Dictator continues thus :—" Europe knows
you are Catholics, and that you belong to the
Church as. well as the Catholics of all other nations;
but, as Italians, you belong to Italy, and it is your
duty to lane and defend your country, and to seek
its prospmity. You only ask for that which all
civilised nations have sought for, namely, liberty
of speech and conscience, and political freedom
and equaldty. You also demand the application of
those principles which form the basis of the public
right of nations, the glorious chief of that people,
which shed its blood for our cause, having invited
us to become soldiers, to fight for the independence
of Italy, under the standard of Victor Emmanuel,
and to be come free citizens of our country. Europe
knows that it can secure the peace of Italy by ren-
dering Italy to the Italians. It is aware that we
are ready to give the necessary guarantee for order
throughout the country, and it also knows that the
people of the Romagna, if forbearance and mode-
ration should be of no avail, sooner than submit to
the yoke, would be advised only by their duty to
their country, and the pursuit of the path of
honour.

FLORENCE, Nov. 9.

The National Assembly has, with the exception
of one vote, unanimously appointed Prince Carig-
nan as Regent, to govern the country in the name
of Victor Emmanuel, the elected King.

PARIS, Nov. 10.

The Con stitutionnel, of to-day, in a second article
on the Congress, signed by its principal editor, M.
Grandguillot, states that the late Prince Metter-
nich himself was convinced that the conditions
agreed upon at the Congress of 1815 could not be
lasting, and exhorts the Italians to be practical and
not to endeavour to advance too rapidly and render
the unity of Italy a weak counterfeit of the unity
of France. It further states that if they are deter-
mined to carry out this union, the reforms granted
will enable them to do so if they advance with
prudence.

The article terminates by expressing a hope that
the Italians will receive with deference the coun-
sels of the Powers of Europe, who will go to the
Congress full of feelings of sympathy for the
Italian cause.

PARIS, Nov. 10.

The Emperor has given orders to the French
Plenipotentiaries at Zurich not to allow the diffi-
culty in the settlement of the financial question
raised by Austria to interfere with the signature of
the treaty of peace, but to attach their signatures
immediately to this document.
1t is reported that instructions have been sent
to M. Thouvenal, the Ambassador at Constantino-
ple, to represent to the Sultan the advantages to
be derived from the construction of the Suez Canal
and also to confer with the Russian Ambassador on
this subject, in order that the two ambassadors may
act in concert in this matter.

ZURICH, Nov. 9.
Yesterday all the Secretaries of the Conference
assembled to draw up the treaties.
It is said that the treaties will be signed to-day
at the Hotel of the Municipality of Zurich.
Count Turgot, the French ambassador in Swit-
zerland, has arrived at Zurich.

A telegram received in Paris yesterday, from
Zurich, states that the order to sign the treaties of
peace arrived there in the afternoon ; the news that
the same have been signed is expected in Paris
every moment.

Advices have been received from China to the
26th September.

A letter from a good source states that a consi-
derable force of Cochin Chinese had attacked the
French troops, but had been repulsed with severe
loss.

BOLOGNA, Nov. 9.

The National Assembly of the Romagna has
approved, by a large majority, the following pro-
position :

"To accept the resignation of• the Governor-
General of the Romagna, and to transfer to the
Dictator of Parma and Modena full powers to
govern the Romagna until Prince Carignan has
assumed the regency,'

The Sardinian Constitution has been proclaimed
by the Assembly, which resolved that the time for
its application shall be fixed by the Government.
It was also resolved that the power to dissolve
the present Assembly shall rest with Prince
Carign an.
The Assembly was then prorogued.

BERLIN, WEDNESDAY.

On reliable information it is stated that the
question of the Isthmus of Suez will be discussed
at the approaching Congress.

INDIA AND CHINA.

TRIESTE, Nov. 9.

The Austrian Lloyd's steamer, just arrived with
the India and China mails, brings the following
adviees :

BOMBAY, OCT. 13.
It is said that Jung Bahadpor had resolved to
expel the fugitive rebels from Terrai.
Nana Sahib is, with several hundred men, on the
banks of the Rapty.
Lord Elphinstone will resign the Government of
Bombay in March next.

The expedition against the Waghurs has taken
lie fort and island of Beyt.
' HONG KONG, SEPT. 28.

It is stated that the treaty between China and
the United States will not come into operation
until matters are settled with England and France.