The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-18 00:00:00

THE SUN,

tish citizens. The debt was contracted for the pro-
tection and improvement of property ; it should not
be cancelled or repudiated, but the interest should be
provided fur solely by the possessors of that property.
We hear much of being " just to the public creditor,"
and of his " inalienable rights," but we hear nothing
of the " rights of the people," or of the necessity of
rendering them full and impartial justice.
Next comes the war expenditure—the support of
our armies, fleets, and ordnance, 18,500,000/.
These are surely chargeable on the same par-
ties. It is for the protection and improve-
ment of their property that these forces are
maintained ; any revolution or invasion would proba-
bly lead to confiscations and forfeitures. The labourer
would continue to toil under any form of government;
his position could scarcely be deteriorated, or his re-
muneration made more scanty than at present. But
those who have a " stake in the country," who have
something to fight for and defend, should, in com-
mon justice, exclusively bear the costs of supporting
those establishments that are kept up for their exclu-
sive benefit.

The expenses of civil government, including the
miscellaneous estimates, 7,000,0001., or less than one-
eighth of the entire charge, are all to which the
working population could reasonably be expected to
contribute ; and even but a small proportion thereof
would fall upon them, if each man were required to
pay secundum statum et facultates, according to his
means and station in society.

But how far is this ju;t view practically carried
out ? The Customs and Excise produce no less than
37,600,000/, which fall chiefly on the masses. The
Stamps produce 7,000,000/., the Income and Pro-
perty-tax, 5,500,0001., the Land and Assessed Taxes,
4,500,0001., and the Crown Lands 360,000/., of which,
however, not more than one-fourth reaches its desti-
nation, the remainder being absorbed in the cost of
management. Thus we find that those who should
fairly not be called on for more than one-sixteenth
or one-twentieth of the entire expenditure are com-
pelled to pay more than three•fourths thereof.

We regret that we cannot devote greater space this
day to show how it is that the labourer must contri-
bute about forty per cent. of his entire income in
the shape of taxation to the national Exchequer,
while the wealthy fundholder or landowner need
not, if he pleases, pay more than four or five per cent.,
or, under any circumstances, will not give more than
ten or twelve per cent. upon the income from his
property.

Although public attention could not fail to be
arrested by the intelligence received yesterday from
the West ; although, for instance, we regretted to
observe the account of the death of Mr. CALHOUN,
one of the most brilliant statesmen of America, and
were horrified by the particulars disclosed on the trial
of Professor WEBSTER for the murder of Dr. PARK-
MAN, one of the bloodiest crimes ever recorded among
the acts of human 'atrocity—it was impossible not to
be engrossed by the particulars which came to us
simultaneously from the East in the overland dis-
patches received from our possessions in Hindostan.
From the latter documents, already published by
ourselves in our itnpression of yesterday, it will have
been perceived that the particulars therein furnished
of the mutiny of the 66th Regiment, and the expedi-
tion undertaken at Peshawur by Sir COLIN CAMP-
BELL, impart an unusual interest and importance to
the news obtained from our oriental dominions.
Fortunately for the peace of the public mind in
England, the very recounting of these unhappy oc-
currences calls to the recollection of the community that
the conduct of the Anglo-Indian armies Is subject to
the vigilant supervision of no less redoubtable a war-
rior than Sir CHARLES NAPIER, who as the Con-
queror of Sinde has long been the terror of the
Asiatic population. Guided by a captain such as the
victor of Meanee, our brave soldiers, we are satisfied,
must by this time have been enabled to avenge the
slaughter of 107 of their comrades, killed or mortally
wounded during the recent expedition among the
mountains ; while with reference to the deplorable
insubordination displayed by the 66th Regiment of
Bengal Native Infantry, it is satisfactory to remera•
her that the combined armies of the QUEEN and of
the Company are presided over by one not more
terrible as a warrior than as a severe and resolute
disciplinarian. Such, in truth, has been the indigna-
tion with which Sir CHARLES has witnessed the dis-
graceful scenes adverted to, that by a general order,
issued with the authentication of his signature, he
has suddenly and peremptorily disbanded the muti-
nous regiment, delivering over its colours to the
Nussaree battalion, which is hereafter to be desig-
nated the 66th or Goorka Regiment. An example so
prompt and crushing will, it is to be hoped, act most
beneficially—especially as it must be borne in consi-
deration that it will be repeated on any similar occa-
sion without any sentiment whatever of compunction.
Here as elsewhere true mercy is alone visible in the
evidence of a timely severity. Had the reparation
required from the culprits by their disbandment been
delayed through a sentiment of morbid commisera-
tion, the result might have proved disastrous in the
contagions spread of insubordination. As it is, the
Sepoys, always brave on the field, and generally obe-
dient in times of tranquillity, will recognise that
punishment must inevitably, immediately, and over-
whelmingly, fall as well upon themielves as on their
European comrades, whenever they encounter the
displeasure of the illustrious Commander. Thus it
comes to pass that good is frequently often drawn
from evil when an opportunity is only seized with
promptitude. And for the grasping at the right mo-
ment of any opportunity, no matter how abrupt or
unexpected its arrival, we know of no one comparable
in any degree to the ex-Governor of Sinde. Se im-
plicit, again, is the public confidence in the ability,
the skill, the valour, the rapidity of movement, and
the decision of judgment of Sir CHARLES NAPIER,
that the disappointment experienced on the perusal of
the ill result of the late expedition under Sir COLIN
CAMPBELL to Pesbawur, will be at once replaced by
a conviction that those ill results have been, or will
immediately be, redeemed by effects of a contrary
character and still more decisive. What constitutes
the evil consequences of the late expedition, is not
merely the fact of so many of our soldiers having
been killed and so many wounded, but that lament-
able fact, coupled with the consideration that the na-
tives are frightfully exasperated by this ineffectual
attempt, and that the passes through the mountains
are still closed against us impassably. The experi-
ence, bitter in itself, it is true, acquired through these
occurrences will aid Sir COLIN CAMPBELL, or who-
ever may be selected to conduct the next expedition,
in avoiding unnecessary bloodshed, and in yet forcing
our petty antagonists to succumb to the requirements
of the British-Indian Government. Until
this shall have been accomplished no perma-
nent tranquillity in those districts can be an-
sibafflenor theer ticipated, and the organization of our system in
thet ill
northern
adroitness
of
ourf p
iitt. and
defy
n
m eufsyt
even the strong arm of the military authority. Every
consideration, therefore, of prudence forces upon Sir
CHARLES NAPIER the responsibility of pushing for-
ward a better contrived expedition from Peshawur,
The enemy requires some wholesome chastisement
from the thong of the great soldier, designated by
their fellow-Asiatios the Brother of the Devil. That
Sir CHARLES NAPIER will at once act in accords
ance with the inspirations of his own good lodgment,
no one can doubt who has 'watched a career already
sufficiently illtseteintla.

URAND ENTERTAINMENT TO LIEUT.. GENERAL
GOUGIL—Last evening the members of the Junior United
Service Club gave a splendid banquet to Lieutenant-General
East
tornndti
eGs,oautgthh, latee, in
e
Club-house, Captain Henry G. Boldero, M.P., presided on the occasion,
supported on either aide' by Lieutenant-General Viscount
sCeohniamrleasn-dsetrreeint, Commander-in-Chief
iejam in
James's.
h'se.
Gough, G.C.8., and Field-Marshal the Marquis of Anglesey,
K.G. The usual loyal toasts having been duly disposed of,
those more peculiarly appropriate to the occasion were pro-
posed in eloquent terms by the Gallant Chairman, and cor-
dially responded to by Lord Gough and Lord Hardinge.
Other toasts followed, and the evening passed off with much
good feeling and conviviality.
Hospitality is commanded to be exercised even to-
wards an enemy when he cometh to thine house. The tree
doth not withdraw its shade even from the woodcutter.
Eliza Cook's Journal.
THE BRAZILS.—The follow ing is an extract from
a private letter dated Rio de Janeiro, March 2 :—" There
appears some probability of hostilities between Rio Grande
and the Argentine Republic, unless Pimenta Beieno, the new-
President of Rio Grande, is speedily recalled, as it is under-
stood he is personally hostile to the Dictator Rosas. Francis
Pedro insists on war with Rosa; and it is feared in Rio that
the next steamer' from the south may bring news of fresh
aggressions by the above, in which it was not unlikely the
old rebels, Canabairo and Netto, would join Francis Pedro.
Stock of coffee ilk Vac+ 4111Iket, 6000 bags. LAcbettige, 29d."