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

sentative of Berwick-upon-Tweed. From what
fell, however, from the lips of the First
Lord of the Treasury upon that occasion, we regret
to observe that we can recognise no hope whatever of
any energetic measures being adopted by the Cabi-
net for the reversal of the absurd decision to
which the Commons House of Parliament was
precipitately committed on the motion of Lord
Amami; sided by a deplorable squad of Liberal and
Conservative fanatics. Indeed, the intimation made
to Mr. Foiestsa by the Premier is explicitly to the
effect, that- neither he himself nor h
ive ministerial
colleagues can consent to assist in the rl of that
melancholy resolution. This, be it remembered,
although the whole country is familiar with the fact
long since rendered notorious, pa
in t motion
was abruptly brought forward in the great
racing week of the May season, between the day of
the Darby and the day of the Oaks, when the
majority of the Members were otherwise engaged than
upon their labours as legislators ; and when a House
of 150 was induced to decide suddenly (and it
would seem, from the remarks of Lord Jour( Rue-
SELL, irrevocably) in favour of the preposterous no-
tions of the Sabbatarians. is earnestly to be
hoped that some of the more independent Represen-
tatives will take courage this eyening to remind
the Parliament, notwithstanding the rejection of such
a notion by her AIAJZSTIC'S Government, of the ne-
cessity for some speedy and resolute revision of the late
proceedings of the Noble Lord the Member for the
city of Bath, and to eni3rge, moreover, upon the de-
plorable and. destructive consequences which may
ensue from any such indifference upon this subject as
has been recently evinced by the Commons in regard
to the Bill relating to Metropotitan Intermnts.
Before the matter is again broVght under the con-
sideration of the Legislature, we are solicitous that
the naked facts of the question should be adequately
pondered over and duly estimated by the real
representatives of the people in the Commons
House of Parliament. We would see the logic of
common sense, as opposed to the casuistry
of the
superstitious, explained by some such tribunes
of the multitude as Joss -.ARTHUR ROEBUCK
or RALPH BEENAL 05BORNE--men who are
bold enough to enunciate truths, even though in
opposition to the cupidity of the clergy, or indirect
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;
fact, be appears, on several occasions, to have
go.le out of his way to condemn superstitions observances
of th e day; e. g., when the Pharisees rebuked him-for
pluckhliF the ears of corn, and for bidding the lame man
(whom ce had cured) to carry his bed on the Sabbath.—
Luke vi., ,Tohn v. 10-12. See also Matthew xii. 1-8,
Mark ii. 23- -28. Luke vi. 1-5. As to Christ preach-
ing on the sa:Nbath, he only did then what he did every
day; besides, t,Nie was Saturday, the Sabbath of the
Jews, and it must be remembvred that he observed all
the rites of the old
With equal accu.nicy, 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
,%bsolve 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 ; ,Nuother man esteem-
eth every day alike.' (Romans xis. 5.) Again, Let
no man, therefore, judge you in mess or drink, or in
respect of a holiday, or of the new moon, or of
the Sabbath days, which are a shadoi.:' of things
to come.' (Col. ii. 16.) 'Ye observe ,days ak.xl months,
and times and years. lam afraid of you, lest. I have
bestowed upon you labour in vain.' (Galatians 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 Qeestion." By
Anti-Agnew. Bvo. pp. 20. London: Chapman, 1850.

The present unequal and oppressive assessment of
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'Ein 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 pointi has
been most unwisely and injudicionsly 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 show came why 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 lisalacoe, in the. county of Lin-
coln.m 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 QUARLES 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
I.iegislature will be essential to restore a perfect
equality throughout tlie.entire kingdom. The griev--
%ace would be as 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
per every third year, or one twentys
as it is fourth of a pennyanniim'
Marylebone
fort. Andrew'a to
contribute a shilling while
half a farthing. It is) .however, • . only gives
wever,. 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
andand Mfisfrtyy: chap. 1, an Act passed
years ago, when
one4th William
hundred
Liverpool was but an insignificant fishing village,
and Rye and Winchilsea ports of some commercial
importance—Liverpoovl. consequently paying 991. some
odd shillings, while =Uses, with its forty or fifty
inhabited houses, is liable for 405/. per annum. The
equitable fiscal rule, which declares that every man
should contribute to the support of the national bur-
dens secundum datum et footnotes, 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
according to the true intent
fairly and equitably levied,
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 esta-
blishments. It was, in fact, an income-tax of the
most equitable character; it not oply.affected real