The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-07 00:00:00

OlTtning

i.ONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 7. 1850.

THE YEAR AND QUARTER'S
REVENUE.
The Revenue Returns for the financial year and
quarter, ending the sth January instant, will be
found in another part of this day's impression ; and
we are happy to say that they are as favourable as
could reasonably have been expected. It is true that
there is a decrease on the net income for the year of
80,131/. This, however, is more than counterbalanced
by the increase on the quarter, which amounts to no
less than 371,1251., which fact alone would indicate
a revival of commercial activity, and a vast improve-
ment in the general prosperity of the country.
A slight consideration of the items of the ac-
count will, however, show that the deficiency
on the year is altogether ascribable to an extraordi-
nary element, which can never again enter into the
calculation. In the former year the sum of 593,3051.
was received under the head of " China Money," and
on the quarter 84,284/. Although these sums con-
tributed to swell the national balance-sheet, and were
so far acceptable:) 1 e Chancellor of the Exchequer,
by whom " the smallest contribution is ever thank-
fully received," they were merely casual benefits,
and similar windfalls could no more be
looked for than a private individual could
place reliance on receiving a legacy or
prize in the lottery every year because he had
once happened to be so fortunate. On the ordinary
revenue, then, there is a considerable increase, both
on the year and quarter—on the former of 249,755/,
and on the latter of no less than 470,0034—and that
notwithstanding the important reductions of duties
which have come into operation within the last year.
In the Customs, the entire sum collected within
the year amounts to 18,695,7081., and in the quarter
to 4,720,630/. As compared with the preceding year
and quarter, there will be found on the former a
decrease of 233,5621., but on the latter the balance is
the other way, there being an improvement to the
amount of 38,2351. The reductions of duty, however,
to which we have alluded, and those on articles of
primary necessity, will far more than acount for the
falling off, while the increase on the quarter shows
that the revenue has already recovered the effects of
the diminution of taxation, thus affording another
illustration of the proverb that, in fiscal matters'
two and two do not always make four.
On the Ist of February, 1849, the ," corn-
laws" finally expired—a small and almost
nominal duty being substituted for the infamous
sliding scale that so injuriously affected the price of
" the staff of life," while the much required modi-
fication of duties on sugar, the " corn of the tropics,"
came into operation on the sth of July, and yet we
find that the revenue bas already recovered from the
losses thereby occasioned, an additional evidence of
the soundness of judgment of the fiscal reformers and
a great encouragement to Parliament to try the
experiment of a considerable reduction of the duty on
tea—a reduction which would, at the same time, be
received as an important boon by the great body of
the people, and materially improve our commercial
relations with the Celestial Empire, and occasion an
additional demand for British manufactures in China.
In the Excise there is a decrease of 78,325/. on the
year, but an Increase on the quarter of no less than
371,399/. If this important branch of the national
income may justly be regarded as indicating
the degree of comport and prosperity enjoyed by the
industrious classes, we may well congratulate the
public on this auspicious result. And the reality is
even more propitious, than the figures appear to testify
for it should not be forgotten that the collection of the
hop duties, which would otherwise have materially
increased the credit side of the account, have been
postponed in consideration of the partial failure of'
the crop last year, and the distressed condition of tha
growers.
In the Stamps there will be found an increase of
254,6271. on the year, and of 37,262/. on the quarter.
These results are, we believe, chiefly attributable to
a greater degree of mortality among wealthy capi-
talists, and a consequent increase on the probate and
legacy duties. Something also may be ascribed to
a greater degree of commercial activity than was
exhibited in 1848, when the nation was still suffer-
ing under the effects of the monetary crisis of
October, 1847.
The Assessed Taxes exhibit the most unfavourable
aspects of any item in the return. There is a defici-
ency both in the year and quarter—on the former of
10,8551., and on the latter of 23,052/. This is gene-
rally the branch of revenue in which there is the
least variation, and which is but little dependent on
the national prosperity or the reverse. The diminu-
tion of the proceeds may, perhaps, partly be accounted
for by the psyment being insisted on with less
asperity bv the collectors, owing to the generally
favourable state of the revenue,
The Property-tax, however, fully makes up for any
misgivings that may be entertained on the falling off
of the assessed, taxes. There is an improvement both
on the sear and quarter—on the former of 60,794/.,
and on the latter of 24,960/. This tax, as we have
repeatedly stated, may be regarded as the index of the
condition of the middle classes, of the prospects of
professional men, and of those who exercise a
superior order of skilful industry. The aristocracy
are but little affected by the financial state of the nation
—their rents must be liquidated out of capital, if
the profits are not sufficient for that purpose. The
operatives and artizans are excluded, for few indeed
can realise 150/. per annum by their exertions. As,
therefore, the base and apex of the pyramid undergo
but little variation, the changes, if any, must occur in
the centre. The increase on the year then would
show an improvement of about 2,100,000/. in the
profits of those persons, while that on the quarter
would be equivalent to nearly 3,500,000/. per annum
additional income.
The items above alluded to may be regarded as
infinitely the most important in the account. The
others, are however, likewise favourable ; there is, in
all, an increase on the year and also on the quarter,
with the single exception of the Post orrice. In that
branch there is a decrease on the quarter of 46,000/.
If this falling off be ascribable to the granting addi-
tional facilities to the public correspondence, and the
increased efficiency of the department, we should
regard it with the greatest satisfaction. We
have always held that the public convenience should
be consulted even more than the public revenue in
this great establishment ; and we are convinced that
although there might be a temporary reduction in
the net revenue from such additional facilities, it
would speedily recover itself, and prove as remune-
rative as ever to the Exchequer. This opinion is
strengthened and corroborated by the fact that not-
withstanding the vast improvements already effected
Mr. ROWLAND HARWICH, JAN. 5.—A steamer is reported to be on
under the judicious management of
shore on the Gunfleet Sand.

Under such circumstances it is by no means sur-
prising that a general feeling should exist for the
adoption of adequate remedies for those manifold evils
and grievances. But that feeling in a great degree
remained latent in the public mind. Many energetic
and devoted men, from time to time, brought these
important topics forward ; but their exertions were
isolated. There was no great combination or con-
federacy to lead the people, and to induce that mutual
co-operation which was so essential to success and to
the exhibition of the popular strength. The spark
was there, but it required to be elicited and brought
forth.

Such was the state of things when the Reformers
of Liverpool took the initiative and assumed the
prominent position which they have since so ably
' maintained. The fiscal and financial errors were
those to which they chiefly directed their attention.
Tracts were published, in which, by the narration of
simple facts, the impolicy and injustice of the existing
system of taxation and the enormous and extravagant
expenditure on our national establishments were
unsparingly exposed. The nation was aroused ; the
statements appeared almost incredible, but they were
sustained by the clearest and most unquestionable
proof, and could not be controverted or denied. A
spirit of thrift took possession of the people. Economy
and retrenchment, and the substitution of direct for
indirect taxation, were advocated on every side. Nu-
nieroue associations sprung up to share with the
people of Liverpool the honour of the struggle, and
to co-operate in the urging forward that " pressure
from without" that has so often proved effectual in
procuring the extension of popular rights, and the
removal of pressing grievances. The metropolis of
this mighty empire could not remain quiescent while
such laudable and energetic efforts were making
in the provinces. The National Financial and
Parliamentary Reform Association was formed,
which was naturally expected to take the lead to
which the numbers, respectability, and influence of
its members so justly entitled it. And public opinion
has not been disappointed : the utmost activity has
been exhibited, and the greatest progress made; depu•
ta:tions have been sent throughout the entire country,
and meetings held in various districts, where the good
seed has been planted that will bring forth fruit in
due season. The appeals that have been made have
been enthusiastically responded to ; the apathy that
so long prevailed has been shaken off, and no
doubt can exist that a zealous and determined effort
will be made during the forthcoming session of Par-
liament to procure a full measure of justice.
The Metropolitan, we should rather say the "National
Association," did not restrict their efforts to fiscal or
financial reform ; they regarded these evils as being
merely the fruits of the corrupt system of legislation
that prevailed, and conceived that their first efforts
should b e directed to the purification of Parliament,
and the enactment of searching and radical alterations
therein—

" ALlius est petere fontes quam sectari rivulos."

They considered it better to trace out the fountain
and origin of the various corruptions than to follow
the separate evils that spring from a corrupted
foundation. They have not abandoned the demand
for fiscal and financial reforms, although they have
given a priority to the required Parliamentary reforms.
Although we believe that the agitation on all these
subjects might be carried on simultaneously,
and that each would give strength and vitality to the
others, we shall not quarrel with those who conceive
that more valuable results may be attained by the
concentration of all their energies on a single topic.
And fully and cordially concurring in the principles
put foward by the Association, we shall render our
bast assistance to those who advocate the extension of
the franchise, the adoption of the system of voting by
ballot, the limitation of the duration of Parliament,
the equalisation of the electoral districts, and the
total abolition of the property qualification for Mem-
bers of Parliament.

The Council of the Association has just issued a
report to the members, which we earnestly commend
to the attentive consideration of reformers of every
class throughout the kingdom. It contains a
brief summary of past proceedings and a state-
ment of future plans. As it has been issued
to every member, it has already acquired a wide cir-
culation. But it will not even be so restricted.
Every man who has already come forward and en-
rolled his name will invite those as yet undecided
to read and judge for themselves. He will seek to enlist
recruits, and to bring others to the standard under
which he has engaged himself. The battle of freedom
is to be fought ; a triumph is to be achieved by the
friends of liberty—a triumph peaceful and constitu-
tional, are to be acquired by moral force alone. Truth
and justice, reason and argument, are the only
weapons that will be required or sanctioned. Dis-
cussion and publicity are invited, for it is by means
thereof that the victory is to be gained, and every
honest and independent man throughout the empire
should participate in the glory of that victory, and
hasten to enrol his name, and the names of all whom
be can influence, as members of the National Finan-
cial and Parliamentary Association.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have rneived the Paris journals of Saturday
and yesterday.

reactionary party is crumbling to pieces rapidly,
end M. Durtri, with the natural instinct of self-
preservation, quits the falling house. lie is alarmed
at the etate of disorder of the great party of o:der, and
accordingly he refuses to accept any longer the
responsibility of the duties of President of the Assem-
bly. On Saturday, M. BArtoeuE, one of the Vice-
Presidents, took the chair at the sitting of the Assem-
bly, and read the following letter which he had re-
ceived from M. DuriN

"Jan. 5, 1850.
" Gentlemen and very honourable Colleagues,—l have
to return you thanks for the votes, which, for the fourth
time have assigned me the honour of presiding over the
Nati( nal Assembly. No person more than I esteem
highly this dignity ; but experience has shown me how
difficult it is at present to fulfil these important
functions; and in presence of a ballot, the result
of which Oyes me a majority inferior to that
which I had obtainrd in the three preceding elec-
tions, I ftir, I confess to you, that I may not find in the
National Assembly that strength of support which has
hi!herto upheld me, and without which the energy of a
gle man would soon be exhausted, and remain
powerless.
I have, therefore, with great respect, to request my
lion( urable colleugus to regard my election as null and
void, and to give their votea to some other candidate.

" DUPIN."

This announcement was received with every mark of
satisfaction on tho Left, whilst the Right appeared in
i.;rcat consternation. A crowd of members belonging
to the majority assembled in the centre of the house, M.
Moat, in the roidst of them, gesticulating and speaking
with great animation. It was some time before calm
was restored. _

The new ballot for the election of President was
then fixed to take place on Monday.
The Assembly then proceeded to ballot for the
fourth Vice-President. The result of the ballot
again showed how completely the majority is dis-
organized.
The following is the result of the ballot for the
fourth Vice-President of the Assembly :
Number of voters ...
Absolute majority .... 2.27
General Bedeau 226
M. Leon Faucher.... 121
N. Grevy.

In conscquence, as no Member has obtained the
required majority, another ballot will be proceeded to
on Monday.
The debate on the La Plata question was then re-
sumed, in the course of which

Emmanuel Arago insisted on the necessity of
actirg with energy. England had, he said, agreed to
its treaty because it had a private convention with
Rosas to forward the commerce of England at Monte
Vic deo. He insisted that negotiations would lead to
nothing unless supported by a sufficient force. He
had, before concluding, to ask the Government this
question—What modifications it intended to effect in
the Le Predour treaty, for unless the modifications
were sufficient, all negotiations would be of no ad-
vantage whatever. He called on the Government to
give a categorical answer to this question.
M. Rouher, Minister of Justice, said that he would
reply to the questions put to the Cabinet by M.
Arago. He asserted, and it was previously alleged,
that England had signed with Rosas a convention
more favourable than that concluded by France.
Now, the Government had thcught proper to inquire
into the truth of the assertion, and applied to the
English Government.—(Laughter on the Left.)
" You may laugh, Gentlemen," replied M. Rouher,
" at the word of a neighbouring and friendly Govern-
ment ; but we respect it."— (" England does not con-
sult you on her interests," observed M. Peon.) M.
Rouher—"lt was our duty to consult her when she
was accused of having deserted u 3 in an affair in
which we acted in common." Lord Palmerston
(continued M. Rouher) hastened to reply, and his
dispatch was communicated to us by the British
Ambassador. His Lordship declared, that if
the French Government had been told that such a
treaty existed, it had been grossly deceived by a
coterie, which was labouring to prevent an arrange-
ment between France and the Argentine Republic.
England had concluded but one treaty that had been
communicated to the French Government and made
public, and which was nearly the same as that con-
cluded by France with the Argentine Republic. That
treaty was now probably signed; but, he repeated, no
other treaty existed.—(Silence on the Left.) The
Minister then added, that the Government had every
confidence in the success of the negotiations. France
was placed in presence of a treaty and an
armistice. The Government had a fixed plan,
and was fully aware of its responsibility, but
it could not let the Assembly and the world into
the secret without committing a culpable imprudence.
He could not conceive that the question of war should
be left at the discretion of an armed negotiator at a
moment when nothing was stable in France, and
when difficulties might be daily expected to arise in
Europe. The moderation displayed by France would
have more weight than an armed negotiator. France
would negotiate with moderation and loyalty, and if
her expectations were deceived, then she would declare
war, and attack Monte Video and Buenos Ayres, but
it did not behove her to remain in the doubtful posi-
tion recommended by the committee. That resolution
would be productive of an equivoque in France, and
on the banks of the Plate ; and would endanger the
existence of the French residents in Buenos Ayres.
In the name of the Government he declared that the
negotiations would be serious, and that the French
residents would be efficaciously protected.— (" Bravos"
on the Right.)
M. Thiers said that, belonging as he did to the
majority, he felt a veritable repugnance to have the
appearance of taking part with the Opposition against
the Government on this important question. But
there were convictions which could not be laid aside,
and he had for ten years supported the views which
he was now about briefly to explain. It was said
that the interference of France in La Plata might
lead to European complications ; it was also said that
French interests had been displaced in that country,
and that there were only at present 2,000 French
subjects at Monte Video, the rest having emigrated
to Buenos Ayres. It was not, therefore, it was al-
leged, worth while to make war, or act in such a way
as to lead to the chance of war for so small a matter.
In the first place, he could take on himself to affirm
that any European complication was impossible, and
than in Monte Video; but that was
he defied any statesman to give sound reasons for a dif •
no doubt, was more interested
fi enr ent
Buenosopi n i
Ayresopinion.
England,
no reason why England should interfere in case
France should make war on Rosas or defend Monte
Video. England was a great nation, and had respect
both for herself and for the rights of nations, and
would be always averse to preventing France from
acting as her just interests called for. There had
been an example,of that forbearance on the part of
England, when Irance found it necessary to punish
Morocco for acting unfaithfully, and causing the
death of French subjects. England never objected,
seeing that the quarrel of France was just. Again,
when the United States made war—a war of con-
quest, too—on Mexico, England never thought of
q
interfering in any way. The right of France to make
war on La Plata was incontestable, and England
would, he , never think of de-
nying it.
a European one— it was altogether American—
South
American. The two points to be chiefly con-
sidered in the matter were, that of the commerce
of France,land next that of her honour. The ho-
nourable representative then referred to the first point,
that of commerce, and declared that it was indubitable
that French commerce with foreign countries was
falling off for some years back. At present, owing
to the changes made of late years in England, the
only coasting trade (capotage), which was really
prosperous, was the English one ; and the only navi-
gation to distant countries which succeeded was that
of the United States, France being beaten respec-
tively by each. England carried coals, the United
States cotton, these being the principal matters
carried by the coasting trade and the grand naviga.
H
tion. Ile then referred to the trade in South Ame-
rica, and declared that French commerce had fallen
off greatly in that country. He then adduced figures
to show that with proper care the commerce of France
to the countries of South America could be made to
increase to an extent of 200,000,000 f. He showed that
at present even the commerce with the French
colonies of Martinique, Guadaloup.e, Zec., was not
greater than that to South America. The French
colonies could not give any great augmentation to
French commerce, since they . were themselves un-
settled and not likely soon to increase much in pros-
perity. Hence the only resource that existed for the
resuscitation of French commerce was in the unlimited
field which lay open in the markets of South America.
—(hear.) But for that result the commerce of
France to South America demanded the greatest care
and protection, owing to the jealous character of the
Spanish. hence, putting aside any other considera-
tion than that of material interest, France was bound
to act with energy in that country. But there was
snore than that—there was the treatment of French
subjects at La Plata. Who could deny that some of
them had been deprived of their property—that
others had been murdered ?—(Cries from the Right
of "No. no;" great interruption, which lasted some
time).
M. Levasseur, from his place, said that on one
occasion, when a number of French subjects had
been taken awev by Oribe, thirty-five or forty who
were unable to keep up with the rest had been put to
death.—(Agitation )
M. Thiers then went on to consider the arguments
brought forward against
a vig
• orous line of action, and
referred to that of the great distance at which La
Plata was situated from France. He ridiculed this
idea, asking, was it of a nature to arrest a nation like
France in pursuing the course which its interests or