The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-10 00:00:00

House of Parliament. We would sec the logic

common sense, as opposed to the casuistry of the
superstitious, explained by some such tribunes
of the multitude as Joax ARTHUR ROEBUCK
Or RALPH BERNAL OSBORNE—men who are
bold enough to enunciate truths, even though in
opposition to the cupidity of the clergy, or in direct
antagonism to the wishes of the Government. Such
facts as these are deserving of remembrance
by the people, and of enforcement by their
representatives; they and similar arguments may be
found in a pamphlet* of considerable ability recently
published :
" The New Testament does not contain a single pas-
sage clearly directing the observance of a Sabbath. If
the Sabbath is in truth of such vital importance as is
alleged, the omission is certainly wholly unaccount-
able. Christ nowhere expresses his disapprobation
of doing even unnecessary works on the Sabbath;
in fact, he appears, on several occasions, to have
gone out of his way to condemn superstitious observances
of the day; e. g., when the Pharisees rebuked him for
plucking the ears of corn, and for bidding the lame man
(whom he had cured) to carry his bed on the Sabbath.—
Luke vi., John v. 10-12. See also Matthew xii. 1-8,
Mark ii. 23-28, Luke vi. 1-5. As to Christ preach-
ing on the Sabbath, he only did then what he did every
day; besides, this was Saturday, the Sabbath of the
Jews, and it must be remembered that he observed all
the rites of the old law."
With equal accuracy, moreover, it is further on
remarked by the same intelligent pamphleteer :
The Apostles require the Gentiles to observe
four things, which they call necessary (Acts xv.
28, 29), and expressly absolve them from the
remainder ; and the Sabbath is not one of the four
excepted. St. Paul, indeed, actually declares him-
self against the compulsory use of days One man
esteemeth one day above another ; another man esteem-
eth every day alike.' (Romans xiv. 5.) Again, • Let
no man, therefore, judge you in meat or drink, or in
respect of a holiday, or of the new moon, or of
the Sabbath days, which are a shadow cf things
to come.' (Col. ii. 16.) Ye observe ,days and months,
and times and years. lam afraid of you, lest I have
bestowed upon you labour in vain.' (Galatians iv. 10.)
See also same chapter, and 4th and sth chapters ge-
nerally."
Could these considerations be borne sufficiently in
mind
~.by the enemies of fanaticism, even the
most timorous opponents of the Sabbatarians
might feel themselves authorised to exert all their
influence and all their energies against the machina-
tions of hypocrisy without fearing lest in so doing
they might be acting against the ordinances of re-
ligion, or in violation of the spirit of Christianity.
• " The Post-office and the Sabbath Question." By
Anti-Agnew. Svo. pp. 20. London: Chapman, 1850.

The present unequal and oppressive assessment o
the land-tax has excited a strong feeling of discontent
and dissatisfaction throughout the entire country. A
vigorous opposition is being organized in various dis-
tricts, and every practical mode will be adopted of
testing the legality of the present system, of ascer-
taining whether the spirit of the law is observed
when one portion of a division is charged no less
than 2s. 6d., as in the liberty of the Rolls, another ls.,
in the parishes of St. Andrew and St. George the
Martyr, Holborn, while other parts of the same divi-
sion are merely called upon for nominal contributions
of 1-Bth of a penny, as'ain the case of the wealthy and
prosperous parish of Marylebone, 1-7th of a
penny, as in the case of Paddington, and
one farthing, as in the case of St. Pancras.
Thus we find that although the sum should
be assessed equally and indifferently within the whole
district by an equal poundage rate, the owner of
property within the liberty of the Rolls must pay no
less than two hundred and forty times the sum
demanded from his fortunate neighbour in St. Mary-
lebone in proportion to the value of his holding.
After many energetic appeals, the Commissioners of
the Holborn division have peremptorily refused to
render the aggrieved parties any manner of justice in
the premises. The opinions of the most eminent
members of the legal profession have been disregarded
and set at naught, and it has been clearly and dis-
tinctly shown that no relief can be expected at the
hands of those whose decision on certain points has
been most unwisely and injudiciously rendered final
and conclusive. Another effort has, however, been
made to obtain justice. Last week a rule from the
Court of Exchequer was obtained against the Commis-
sioners, to showcause wby they should not be ordered to
meet and make an equal pound rate in respect of the
several parishes and places within their jurisdiction;
and a similar order was since obtained with respect to
the Commissioners of Haslacoe, in the county of Lin-
coln. The important question will thus be fully
argued before competent judges; and if the matter be
not got rid of on some legal technicality, apart from
the real justice of the case, it will speedily be disco-
vered whether the monstrous anomalies that have
been brought to light by the published returns,
are sanctioned by law. An unprejudiced and im-
partial judgment may at least be looked for
The real state of the law will be made known, and
Sir CHARLES WOOD will no . longer be enabled to
evade the consideration of the matter by stating that
' all the remedies which the law allows have not as
yet been exhausted."
It must, however, be obvious that whatever may
be the decision of the Court of Exchequer, and
whatever effect it may have as between the inhabi-
tants
of the same division, the interference of the
Legislature will be essential to restore a perfect
equality throughout the entire kingdom. The griev-
ance would beas great if the inhabitants of the
city of London were bound to pay ls. old. in the
pound per annum, while those •
of Liverpool escaped
for a single farthing every third year, or one twenty-
fourth of a penny per annum, as it is for
St. Andrew's to
contribute a shilling while Marylebone only gives
half a farthing. It is, however, certain that the
judgment of the Court cannot affect the gross sums
chargeable upon the several hundreds and divisions,
which must be the very same that was assessed by the
4th William and Mary, chap. 1, an Act passed
one hundred and fifty-eight years ago, when
Liverpool was but an insignificant fishing village,
and Rye and Winchilsea ports of some commercial
importance—Liverpool consequently paying 991. some
odd shillings, while Winchilsea, with its forty or fifty
inhabited houses, is liable for 4051. per annum. The
equitable fiscal rule, which declares that every man
should contribute to the support of the national bur-
dens secundum statum et facultates, is thus reversed,
and the heaviest and most oppressive burden is cast
upon those least able to sustain it.
We have repeatedly shown that if the land-tax were
fairly and equitably levied, according to the true intent
and meaning of the original Act, it would produce
sufficient to liquidate the interest of the national debt,
and to support our naval, military, and civil 4 esta-
blishments. It was, in fact, an income-tax of the
most equitable character; it not only affected real,

but also personal property, and even goods and chat- 1
eels., which through the caprice or vanity of the

owner were permitted to remain idle and unpro-
ductive, were n:.t,' according to the Act,
to escape without notice. The former were
to pay four shillings in the pound, cr twenty
per cent. on the annual value, while the latter were to
contribute 20s. for every 1001. towards the sum to be
raised under the Act. Even official salaries and
pensions were charged at the same rate of 4s. in the
pound, and it was not until seventeen years since, in
the year 1833, that the duty on personal estate was
abolished.

Here, then, is a subject for all who de-
sire that a just and equitable system of taxa-
tion should be substituted for our present
iniquitous fiscal code. No new or unprece-
dented imposts are required, but merely that
the ancient law should be carried out in all its
integrity. By so doing, not only would the assessed
taxes be got rid of totally and unconditionally, and
the light and air of heaven rendered free to the
people, but the odious Excise and the restrictive Cus-
toms would share the same fate. Every man might
make his own malt, and brew his own beer or ale,
without let or hindrance. The national industry
would he really free, and no insurmountable impedi-
ments would be interposed to improvements in the
process of manufacture. Our trade and commerce
would be really free, and we might interchange
the productions of British industry fur the
staple commodities of other climes, without any
difficulty arising from Custom-house regulations or
Custom duties—England would become the empo-
rium of the world, and all its inhabitants would pros-
per under the beneficial change ; and all this may
be accomplished by a just and equitable adjustment
of t'he land-tax according to the original scale. Let
every fiscal reformer then join in endeavouring to
obtain a result so equitable and so expedient. No
better system of taxation was ever devised—none
where the amount taken from the people was brought
into the national Exchequer with so small a deduc-
tion for the cost of collection, or which fell on every
citizen more equally in proportion to his ability.

AMERICAN NEWS.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

FAILURE OF THE CUBAN EXPEDITION.
The Hibernia was signalled off Holyhead at half-
past eight this morning. She has telegraphed the
failure of the piratical expedition to Cuba.