The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-20 00:00:00

TRANSLATION.

To the Aft-mberi of the League, to the Officers of the
Board of Trade, and the Ministers of the British

Government.

The League demands the principles of commercial
reform, the Board of Trade elaborates them, and the
Minister converts them into laws. It is to these three
degrees of jurisdiction that I address the following
reflections :

As England does not produce wines, the duties which
affect them cannot be regarded as protective. On this
account they come not within the scope of the condem-
nation-of the League. Further, it is seen that wines
stand in the list of the eight articles, on which it ap-
pears that the action of the English tariff is to be
relaxed.

Nevertheless, a duty, though fiscal, is opposed to free-
dom of commerce, if by its excess it prevent internationl
exchanges ; if it preclude the people from enjoying those
gratifications which in themselve involve nothing that
is immoral ; if it in any way restrict them in the choice
of their habits, although the pretext of the public re-
venue (in reality, however, it is a sacrifice of revenue)
may serve as an act of reprisal against hostile tariffs, or
be held in reserve to operate.
It is because the English Government have decided to
prefer justice before the vain considerations of a false
and narrow policy that she proposes, as I am informed,
to substitute for the present fixed duty of ss. GI the
gallon a tax of Is. the gallon, with an additional duty of
20 per cent.

however, in permitting even a fixed duty of ls. to re-
main, are you really doing justice to the British people
on the one hand? And on the other,..are you actin g
upon a large and wholesome policy with regard to the
French people? To these two points I beg to be per-
mitted to call your attention.
But what right has a stranger to meddle in such a
question? The right which I derive from your own
principle:—freedom of trade—does it not imply a com-
munity of interests amongst nations? In employing
myself about your country, I work for my own; or, if
you prefer the expression, whilst I occupy myself about
my own, I labour for yours.
That a uniform duty applied to different values is un-
just, is a proposition which requires no demonstration. I
shall confine myself on this point simply to showing in
figures the results of the three systems, calculating that
the maximum and minimum prices of the wines capable
of furnishing a trade of any importance would be 288.
and 3s. the gallon:—

t
1.V..h.1c..02ft5h.e Rich.
CotsiteiDef the ar-
ticle ystem as at preset:

Wine of the Poor.
it fixed duty, ss. 6d.
Cost of the ar-
ticle • • 3s.
Duty— ss. Id. or 183 p. ci

Duty.. •• • ss. 6d. or 20 p. ct

335. Gil.
System propos,
Cost of the ar-
ticle ... • .. 28s.
Fixed duty.. Is.
Gradual duty Or 23 pc.
at 20 pr. ct. ss. 6d.

Bs. 6d.

7ed mixed duty.
Cost of the ar-
ticle 3s.
Fixed duty.. Is.
Gradual duty 50 per cen
at 20 pr. et, Os. 6(1.

345. 6d.
System as it °ugh.

6d.
t to be, ad valorem.
Cost of the ar-
ticle ...... 3s.
Duty at 20 pr.
cent....... Os. 6d. or 20 pr. c

Cost of the ar-
ticle .. .. • . 28s
Duty, at 20 p.
cent....... ss. Gd. or 20 p. ct

335. 6d.

3s. 6d.

These figures require no comments.
At present, in an equal expenditure, the poor pay
eight times more of tax than the rich.
In the proposed system they would pay double. The
ad valorem system is alone equitable. I have had the
honour of verbally submitting this, to some of our most
celebrated economists, to Members of Parliament, and
to statesmen ; they by no means question its justness ;
but say they, an ad valorem duty is custly and difficult in
its application.
But is the difficulty of application sufficient to justify
the perpetration of an injustice ? In France the admi-
nistration would have found it very convenient to charge
each hectuiye of land with a uniform impost without re-
ference to its relative capabilities, but it was never dreamt
of ; the Government, however, has not found the com-
plicati ns of the rate-book (cadastre) insuperable. The
reason is very simple : when a nation in mass meets with
some obstacle, the nation in mass should face and over-
come it. To cast the burden on one class cannot be done
without iniquity, more especially if that class be the one
the least able to bear it.
Besides, the defenders of the mixed system cannot
urge this objection. For the mixed system itself implies
the possibility of levying the graduated duty. They
urge, it is true, that without the fixed duty it would be
necessary, lest the revenue should suffer, to increase the
ad valorem duty, which in that case would present too
great a temptation to fraud.
But those to whom I address myself, are they the Re-
formers, who would plead the cause of excessive fiscal
duties ? When you wish to increase your revenue,
what is the secret you have now for some time dis-
covered ? It is simply to moderate your taxes. This
policy has never failed you, and at this very moment
the results of lowering the duties on sugar furnish
a brilliant illustration. I believe it may be considered
as certain, that with a moderate duty of 20 per
cent., England would effect an immense and continually
prgressire commerce in wines. France consumes forty
millions of hectolitres, notwithstanding the taxes and
trammels (as though the object were to destroy it) with
which this branch of industry is burdened ; is there any
exaggeration in supposing that Great Britain with its
immense powers of consumption would purchase a tenth
of the quantity purchased in France, say four millions
hectolitres, 7-Bths of which we may calculate would be
ordinary wines (virus ordinaire) at 35., and
.1-Bth of fine
wines at 28s. as a medium ? Now in this hypothesis,
the Exchequer would secure between three and four
millions sterling. At present two millions only are re-
ceived.

I have said, in the second place, that a uniform duty
appears to me impolitic.
England being fully convinced that the prosperity of
a nation is measured better by its imports than its ex•
ports, has undertaken to open its ports to the produc-
tions of other nations without waiting for reciprocity-,
or without even demanding it. Her principal object is
to make commercial legislation harmonise with sound
political economy ; but secondarily she expects to influ-
ence other nations by her example ; for, until commerce
be universally free, she can only reap one half of its
fruits.

Now, as respects the influence which this initiative of
a mighty commercial reform may exercise on other
nations, how immense the distance between the fixed
and the ad valorem duties!
With the uniform duty, you will continue to receive
some of the wines of Xeres and of the fine vintage of
Champagne and Bordelais. The topmost boughs, the
aristocratic branches of Englan l and France may re-
main in friendly contact, your rich lords will give the
hard across the tariffs to our great proprietors; but do
you wish that your population and ours should be placed
at all points In mutual contact ?—that an active and
regular trade between the two people should penetrate
into every district, into every commune, and into every
family? Do you expect to see the agitation cross the
straits and strike its roots firmly into our soil?
Then reneuace this fixed duty, and let the infinite
variety of our productions he admitted so as to
satisfy the infinite variety of your tastes and fortunes.
Then the free traders in France will have a large
basis for their operations; for knowledge, amity, the
desire for free exchange will descend into our very cot.
tages, and every fireside will have some defender of the
principles of eternal justice. And have I need to state
to you the consequences? The power of consumption
will extend itself in France as in England; there will
be openin,4s for your manufactures as for our produc-
tions, fur (our fields as for yours; and the time will come,
I trust, whets you will be able to transform your ships of
war into roe rchant vessels, and when we shall be able to
turn our young soldiers to occupations of peaceful in-
dustry.

Peice without, justice within, prosperity everywhere
can a rae.•e difficulty of application weigh in your es
timation with results like these? a difficulty which you
have overcome in the article of tea, and which you can-
not evade in the mixed system which is proposed.
I'. BASTIAT.

CirorAtßA. Monnus.—This fatal disease has made its
appearance in Senhouse-street, where a large dunghill, which,
in spite 4:if every kind of remonstrance, is allowed to remain,
pollutes: the atmosphere, and endangers the lives of her Ma-
jesty's subjects. No less than six persons, all of one family,
have this week been attacked, and we regret to add that
shortly afterwards two of them were numbered with the dead,
and one is now in such an alarming state as to be past re-
covery. Whitehaven Herald.
A SHARK AT GREENOCK.—On Saturday afternoon,
while a number of boys were bathing near the Red Lump, at
the fix of Margaret-street, a fish joined the company. Se-
veral of the more timid ran ashore, but others more courage-
ous at tacked the fish, and with some difficulty got it landed
on tin !shore. It was found to be a shark of tha shorel-nosed
specie 3. It measured four feet nine inches in length, and was
ninet( en inches in girth.—Scotsman.
BI :Lis LIFE IN LONDON, PRICE SIXPENCE—
S:1111'71)AT, SEPT. 21.—Doncaster Meeting—Portrait of the
'ginner of the St. Leger—Tile late Disgraceful Contest for
the Championship of England. Bell's Life, Sept. 14, price
Sixpence, containing the battle between Bendigo and Caunt,
to the extent of five folio columns, has been reprinted,
and will be kept on sale all this month of September. A
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Bt Life will take place Oct. 12.. No extra charge. Only II
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