The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We have heard of many men enjoying a fair charac-
ter in the world, until adversity came upon them to
ateci their hearts, and to lead them from despair into

dis' honesty. The usage of this Government and coun-
try has been to act with something, of moderation, if
not indulgence, towards the subject, in the time and
mode of exacting payment or the taxes. But it is on
all accounts a matter of great importance, that where
the proceedings of the tax-gatherer have obtained any
thing of the force and authority of habit, they should,
:to far as they
,are productive of convenience to the sub-
ject, be adhered to with perfect regularity and steadi-
ness, or if deviated from at all, that the deviation
should be in favour of the people, not against them.
Whether it arise from the decay of the revenue, as is
most probable, or from other causes not yet explain-
ed, there is one chtsnof our fellow-subjects who mur-
mur deeply at time treatment which they have recently
suffered from persons in office. The licensed victual-
lers are those of whom we speak. On Wednesday
last they attended to renew their licences, and took
iu their yockets" the sum necessary to pay the same
period in advance as has been hitherto required from
them—namely, half a year, to the month of April,
1827. To their surprise, and the embarrassment and
distress of some, no doubt, among them, they were
told that they must pay the whole year in advance—
namely, to October, 1827. Upon what ground this
increase of rapacity has been exhibited against them,
the publicans are anxious to learn ; and it is, we beg
leave to say, their right to have the thing explained to
them. If the scheme be to bolster up the next quar-
terly returns of the Excise revenue, by anticipations
extraordinary, let Ministers confess that Such is their
project, and people may be prepared for an extension
of so provident a system to other branches of our na-
tional taxation. While, moreover, the class of
functionaries who have the unhappy publicans under
their jurisdiction, are ready enough to take all that they
can lay hold of; they do not seem, by what we can
understand, to have evinced 'a corresponding alacrity
in the article of restoring the quid 2)ro quo. It is
Aided to us, that the certificates of the publicans can-
not be procured by them, although they have been
paid for till next April. The Excise Board ought to
be put on an allowance of small beer, to teach it better
manner.—Times.
We have authority to give the following explanation
as to the facts width have so recently excited the public
attention in regard to the Colombian Dividends. M.
Enda& received, by the lastpackets from Carthagena,
communications regarding tins business from persons
holding time highest official situations in time Colombian
Admoostration. Under date of the 19th of Mayit
was announced to M. Hurtado that the Government
of Colombia expected to be able to send from Car-
thagena, during the months of June or July, the sum
of 400,000 dollars, and in the month of December
1,00000 dollars, or sontething more. Under date
of the 19th of June, M. Hurtado was told that the
Colombian Government was indefatigable in its endea-
vours to support its credit with England. Under
date of the Itim of July, M. Hurtado was informed,
in an official dispatch from his Government, that it
was expected that considerable funds would be placed
in the hands of persons in London in the month of
October, for the payment of the dividend. The general
tenor of these communications was however not. such,
it, 0,0 opinion of M. liurtado, as could authorize or
justify Ipini in announcing positively the payment of
the arviden,'l.o. M. Hurtado also received rannigence,
iu the way ot' :zettersl con/mimic:44ms, whi4ll full)
confirmed the eire-iiimstaqces detailed in the letter o
the 19th of May, and which led him to believe that
it was probable the period for the arrival of the first
remittance was at hand : and jti .e.onsequence of that
opinion he decided upon giving thrections for an
insurance to be effected. M. Maw:4) had not re-
ceived any orders from his Government to open a
policy of insurance, but be conceived that such a
measure was dictated by the probability of the remit-
tances being mastic, and of the necessity there was of
guarding against every possible danger that could be
apprehended in their passage to this country. The
above statement puts the public in possession of every
fact known, to M. Hurtado, as connected with the
Colombian dividend.—British Press.

On Friday Light, while Miss Chester was making
her obeisance to the audience at the close of her per-
form:wee of Lady Townley,: the green curtain, falling
somewhat too rapidly, struck her on the nape of the
neck with considerable violence.
It is currently reported, in the high military circles,
that'an arrangement is about to take place, very ac-
ceptable to the army, chewing the Commander-in-
Chief's gracious divosition to its interests, whilst he
recommends a reward for past services to the needy but
meritorious officers who cannot get on by purchase.
—The outlines of the plan appear to be, • that in time
of peace, for the sake of regimental 'duty, the Brevet
is not tor any further down, than the ',lent-Colonels ;
but that in the other ranks there is to he a promotion
(as recently) on the half-pay, via. subalterns having
Serifti 1 years or upwards (and nine as Lieutenants)
to be Captains—Captains 21 years and upwards (and
seven as Captains) to be Majors—and Majors serving,
l 5 years and upwards (five as Majors) to he Lieute-
nant-Colonels on the half-pay, from which they are to
be replaced in the service by those young and active
officers, lately promoted, amongst whom the Field
'kers art' generally those who have been Captains or
errs in the late war—thus old officers rusting in
11 be pronnited on the half-pay, from
"I receive the young but experienced
";ug about our streets and

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