The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-06 00:00:00

stances, in demanding the forbearance of the
heterogeneous majority. It cannot be forgotten
that the Ministerial policy has been sanctioned
and approved of by a very large majority in the
Upper House, and that majority cannot be in-
terfered with in any way by the coming election.
The same members will still remain. And,
although we do not for a moment suppose that, in
case of a decided collision between the Lords and
Commons, the former could ultimately prevail,
or that the Government could possibly be carried
on in the face of an adverse majority of the
chosen representatives of the people, yet
when there is an unequivocal difference
of opinion the nation should be called on to
decide between the two co-ordinate branches of
the Legislature, and that decision should be final
and conclusive. All parties must bow to the
verdict thus pronounced. The people will have
their choice between two different Administra-
tions, and two distinct courses of policy—so far
as China is concerned. They will declare
whether Commissioner YEH is to be encouraged
in his contumelious refusal to perform solemn
obligations deliberately entered into—whether he
shall continue to treat the representative and
subjects of her most gracious MAJESTY as mere
barbarians, unworthy of ordinary courtesy, or
whether humble apologies are to be tendered to
the treacherous and bloodthirsty "poisoners' for
the audacity which induced the British authorities
to insist on British rights and privileges. That is
the broad, substantial question now at issue, and
we are greatly mistaken if the answer do not
prove very distasteful to many of those who re-
corded their votes with the majority.
Lord PALMERSTON, in reference to the business
which he considers to be " provisional and tem-
porary," also announced that certain taxes, that
is to say, the Income Tax and the Tea and Sugar
Duties, which they had intended to arrange
for three years, will only be asked for
one year ; and that, on the same prin-
ciple, they will only ask the House to vote sums
on account of the estimates for only a portion of
the year, and to pass a Mutiny Act for a similar
period, thus leaving the new Parliament, which
will assemble about the latter end of May, free to
deal with all these great matters according t) its
discretion. Now, as to the renewal even for one
year of the Income Tax at 7d. in the pound, we
must say that it is wholy unnecessary and un-
called for. Not a single shilling of the new rate
can be demanded before the sth of July, by
Which time the new Parliament will be enabled to
say- whether the tax shall be more fairly and equit-
ably apportioned, or whether it is to be maintained
in its existing inquisitorial and oppressive form
Without, change or modification. Of course the
9d. in the pound must come off, and probably 2d.
in addition may go along with it ; but considering
the circumstances, we say that everything respect-
ing the Income Tax should be left to the decision
of those who will replace the present moribund
house, the death-warrant whereof has been already
:signed. Sir G. C. LEwrs has certainly improved
Ilia proposition respecting the tea duties. He now
only asks for is 5d., in place of ls. 7d., per lb.
This is approximating towards the compro-
mise which Lord JOHN RUSSELL has given
notice of proposing, but we confess that
We cannot see any adequate ground for asking the
House to sanction a retrograde policy so far as the
tea duties are concerned. As Mr. GLADSTONE
truly declared, the tea duties are the corner-stone
on which the entire matter rests. The amount
in dispute is comparatively trifling. According
to the calculation of Sir G. C. LEWIS himself it
Will be but 369,0001., which he can easily spare
• from the estimated surplus—to say nothing of the
2,000,0001. required for Exchequer Bonds, and
Which in case of necessity may easily be renewed
With the Savings Banks CommisSioners, and the
Trustees of the Patriotic Fund. Surely for
such a sum it is not worth while to call on the
Souse to sanction a policy in direct opposition to
that on which it has been acting for the last six•

teen years.
But Sir G. C. LEWIS cannot pay PAUL without
dipping his fingers into PETER'S purse. He only
• relieves the tea-pot at the expense of the tea-cup
and of the pie-dish. If he gives up 2d. per lb.
• en tea he wishes to continue the duties on sugar
at the present rate, and thus to obtain more than
an equivalent for what he is surrendering. This
is scarcely fair—nay, more, it is not judicious.
11 Ministers be wise they will not permit
their Financial Minister to excite a prejudice that
I:Pa, prove very injurious at the hustings, when
the real battle is to be fought. Sir G. C. LEWIS
Must let the tea-pot and sugar-basin alone. He
will have quite sufficient to meet the current ex-
penses of the year without trespassing on for-
bidden grounds—or if not, be can demand a re-
issue of Exchequer Bonds, and the application will
riot be rejected. Nothing could be more unseemly
than- a contest on an important fiscal question,lat
Such a time and under such circumstances ; and
as Mr. GLADSTONE will unquestionably oppose the
Proposition) Ministers may sustain a very da-
.lnigieg defeat, which may go far to neutralise the
advantages they must derive from that on the
Chinese question. We would, then, once more
earnestly and - emphatically urge Lord PAL-
MERSTON to interpose and prevent his Chancellor of
the Exchequer from playing such fantastic tricks,
:and irremediably damaging his colleagues in the
opinion of those who will have to decide on the
important question which party shall hold the
reins of power—Viscount PALBLERSTON or the
Earl of DERBY.

REINFORCEMIINTS FOR C.HINA.

PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY.

Orders have been received here to-day to prepare
With the utmost despatch the Sanspareil, Hima-
laya, and another vessel, for the conveyance of re-
inforcements, ammunition, arc., to the China sta-
tion.

The Duke of Devonshire has arrived at his villa at
Ch she from Kemp-town, where he has been sojourn.
ing for some months past.
The Earl of Radnor has arrived at the family mansion
1,4 Grosvenor-street.
Viscount Palmerston returned to town yesterday
morning from Windsor Castle. Mr. and the lion. 148. Newt _
their house in Grafton.st on Lane have arrived at
r
Bromley Manor, Staffordshieet,re for the season, from King's
General de Maltzoff and Lave arrived at the Clarendon
Mademoiselle de Maltzoff
from St. Petersburg.
' Mrs. Cornewall was prevail
attending the marriage fete at ed
by
indisposition from
Gunnersbury, on Wed-
nesday,
THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. The
present, which is
izia and the sixth
the fourth Parliament of Queen -?'
ted in July,
of the " Reformed" Parliaments
1852, under the auspices of the Earl of the head of the Tory Administration.li3rby, then at
recur
ttural death
the
It would not,
according to the Septennial Act, die a
until the 20th of August, 1859 (the dayn writs for the new Parliament were made whichreturn
but
since the year 1826 no Parliament, accordina lte)'
Dod, has appro.tched its extreme limit. Th:pre Mnri
Parliament, if dissolved without any material delay,esei
have failed to attain the age of five years by some fou7ol 1
five months. The Russell Parliament, elected in Jul;
and August, 1847, lasted four years seven months and
12 days, and, the Parliament which placed the late Sir
R. Peel in office in the year 1841 lasted as long as five
years and 11 months, or very nearly six years. s
was the longest of the Reformed Parliaments, th Thee
shortest having been the first, elected at the end of
the year 1832, the age of which was one year and 11
months only. It will be found that the average duration
of the six Reformed Parliaments elected from 1832 to
1852 has been, as nearly as possible, four years, suppos-
ing the present Parliament to be dissolved this spring.