The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-17 00:00:00

eloquence, corroborated by the practical experience
of the manufacturing Representative of Edinburgh,
demonstrated the evil effects of the existing taxes
on the " raw material of knowledge" in a manner
that could not fail to convince every intellect not
blinded by self-interest or warped by party spirit ;
while every shadow of an argument that the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer could adduce was resolved
into its native insignificance by the brilliant and in-
dignant orations of Mr. ROEBUCK and Mr. DISRAELI
—for once agreeing to direct their cruelly effective
sarcasm against the same unfortunate object ! The
speech of the Right Hon. Member for Manchester,
elaborate, explicit, and unanswerable, presented a start-
ling array of facts by the side of which the reasoning
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer dwindles into
insignificant excuses and pitiful evasions.

Not one word did Lord Joule RUSSELL or Sir
CHARLES WOOD presume to offer in advocacy or even
in extenuation of taxes on knowledge. The only
alleged excuse for their retention was the poverty
of the national exchequer. The futility
of such an argument on such a subject
(under existing circumstances) was admirably ex-
posed in the indignant denunciations of Mr. ROE-
BUCK. " Talk to a Chancellor of the Exchequer (said
the Hon. Member) about the powers of production
being augmented, or about the certainty of intro-
ducing something new, which should make the coun-
try what it never had been before in point of hap-
piness and prosperity, he would reply, My good
Sir, it is out of the question. It would.occasion a
loss to the Exchequer of 50,0001."' But such a ques-
tion as this is above the jurisdiction of a Chancellor
of the Exchequer, rightly argued Mr. ROEBUCK.
" What higher duty could possibly engage the
attention of the Government than the education
of the people. The people of this country are
rapidly acquiring political power, and it is not only
expedient, but it is the paramount duty of every
Government that the (people should be so instructed
as to be duly qualified for the enjoyment of that
power, that understanding their own interests they
may minister to the interests of mankind." Yet
another passage of Mr. ROEBUCK'S admirable dis-
course we must here allude to (besides commending
the discourse in extenso to the attention of our readers)
—a passage in which he sets forth the position of the
Government as it is and as it might be. The Govern.
ment, he admitted, had little opposition to fear within
the House, but " there_ was a tide setting in out of
doors which, if the Noble Lord could but understand
and profit by, would make him omnipotent with the
people. The Noble Lord was placed in a position
which no other man had been fortunate enough to
occupy, and if he would but take the tide at its
flow, he might make much of it; but if
be did not, the tide would swallow him,
and he would be as nothing in the vast multitude of
waters which surrounded him." Such, indeed, to
every impartial spectator is the present position of the
present Government. Liberal principles are daily
gaining ground with the community ; peacefully but
irresistibly the people are learning their rights, feel-
ing their strength, and acquiring incalculable
power. The motto which the Liberal Ministry
have inscribed on their political banner is
nominally in perfect accordance with the spirit of
the age and the ambition of the people: If, as Mr.
ROEBUCK intimated, the Noble Lord at the head of
the Government would evince a courage worthy of
his post, and place himself in the van of the great
movement, he would lead instead of being driven, and
reap glory and gratitude in place of derisiOn and dis-
content. It is idle, however, to dwell upon impossi-
bilities. Lord Joust RUSSELL'S choice is made. Mr.
ROEBUCK had hardly concluded his speech—those
eloquent sentences were yet resounding in the House,
showing forth what the. Ministry might achieve—
when the Noble Premier rose to declare what it
was his personal ambition to accomplish—
nothing I However plausible the disguise—however
skilfully constructed the excuses—the naked
truth is painfully apparent, the Liberal Government
is either too blind to understand or too timid to take
advantage of its position. In an age of progress
they still cling to past predilections ; in
an age of intelligence they place fetters
upon knowledge; in an age of daily increas-
leg popular power they connive at the mental
blindness and moral depravity of the people
We fearlessly appeal for corroboration to every
unprejudiced reader of last night's debate.
Let any such con over the facts adduced
by Mr. Ginsoy, and then listen to the
Ministerial declarations, and he will find
himself compelled to bear testimony to the
lamentable infatuation of the Liberal Ministry. For
their sakes we regret last night's division ; es far as
the question itself is concerned, that division
will be comparatively innocuous.. If the reign of
popular ignorance be still tolerated in 1850,
no one who appreciates the spirit of the
times can doubt that its hours are numbered.
The success of questions concerning the vital
interests of the people can only be retarded, never
defeated ; nevertheless, it is not good for those by
whom-such success is retarded !

The recent sales in Ireland under the Encum-
bered Estates Commission would afford abundant
evidenee, if any were necessary, of the vast im-
portance of providing additional facilities to the
owners of land in that country of procuring the ad-
vances they might require for the preservation or
improvement of their property. Great sacrifices have
already been made that must prove absolutely ruinous
as well to the unfortunate inheritors as to the unfor-
tunate puisne creditors. It was distinctly and posi-
tively stated by two honourable Gentlemen, in
the House of Commons on Tuesday last, during
the discussion on Sir Jonsi RomiLla
ijy;so,
that an 'estate in the county of
the
property of a Mr. 111`LouGuLErc, the annual rental of
which was 4001., had been sold for 6001., or one-
and.a-half year's purchase. This statement, incre-
dible as it might appear, was not contradicted ; the
Solicitor-General certainly declared that "he re-
ceived with suspicion the statement that an estate had
been sold for a year-and-a-half 's value, if it were in-
tended to be said that that rent were such as the land
would fairly set for at the present time." This
douht, however, can scarcely be weighed
against the distinct and positive assertion of
another gentleman of unimpeachcd honour and
veracity, who spoke as if well acquainted
with all the facts and circumstances of the case. 'We
have a clear recollection of having been struck
with astonishment at seeing that certain lands con-
taining more than 7,800 acres had been sold for
600/., the fortunate purchaser being a Mr. PETER
INPLOIIGHLEN, the quondam owner also having the
same patronymic. Full inquiry should, however, be
made, that the public may be made fully acquainted
with the real state of facts.

At a more recent sale, however, a further illustra-
tion was afforded of the fearful depreciation of
property on the other side of S'. George's
Channel: on the very day that the discus-
sion was taking place another sale came off in
Henrietta.street. A perpetual annuity or yearly
rent-charge of 2001. per annum was offered by the
Commissioners to public competition. It had been the
property of
a Mr. VERO, and was amply secured on
the lands of Ballyeden, in the county of Wexford,
one of the most prosperous and favourite districts in
Ireland. Whatever might be the embarassments or
difficulties of the present proprietor of these lands,
there can be no doubt that there was abundant se-
curity for the above annuity, which might be con-
sidered in the nature of a ground, or, as it is
termed in Ireland, a bead rent. In ordinary
times such a charge would have brought,
even in Ireland, from 25 to 27 years'
and probably 30 years' purchase in this country. It
was knocked down after a.brisk and active competi-
tion, which several biduees contended for the pr.ee
or 4!: years' purchase! or little more
than one-half its actual value. It is probable that a
property in eve ry respect so eligible would bye
bburotufgohrtthate
Billleast.somethingapproaching to a fair price
now
before the House.
advantages th at will be conferred on a purchaser
should the measure pass into a
law by being enabled
The great
,
to borrow any srmas he may require, not exceeding in
the aggregate half the value of his property, on a simple
debenture transferrable from hand to hand by simple
endorsement, without any stamp duty, and circulating
freely in the moue, y market, must be fully appre-
ciated by all capitalis ts, None, indeed , will come for- I