The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-26 00:00:00

ktrontiM;tfition

SUN OFFICE, Three o'clock.

Letters on the subject of the Income Tax continue
to pour in on us from all quarters, and scarce one of
our numerous correspondents—but denounces it in
indignant terms as a galling burden which—when it
is once clapped on our shoulders—we shall have the
greatest possible difficulty in shaking off again.
There is but too much ground for this opinion. Sir
R. PEEL well knows how available an Income Tax
may be made for party purposes, and having once
familiarised us to it—having once got the wedge in,
he will take special care to drive it home. Reasons
for protracting the impost beyond the three years,
will be " plentiful as blackberries" with him. He
will discover that France looks menacing—that Russia
is not so frank and conciliatory as she should be—
that America requires watching ;—that, in fact, from
one cause or other, it is absolutely necessary that the
Income Tax should still be persevered in. "We very
much doubt," says a Morning Contemporary, " that
speedy withdrawal of the tax which the people and
the Premier hope for." For 'our own part, we have
not a doubt upon the subject. Our belief amounts to
a strong, positive convictionjhat the impost is intended
as a perpetuity by the Tories, and that they will never
remit it until some such' storm whistles about
their ears, as scared them out of their senses, in the
memorable year 1832. Entertaining this conviction,
we urgently entreat our countrymen to weigh well
their position ; to look the danger that threatens them
boldly in the face ; to grapple with it ; and to deter-
mine not to desist fron-A,..agntion until it be wholly
overcome. Now or never is the time to bestir them-
selves. A fortnight hence, and the golden opportunity
may have passed, not to return. Already the House
of Commons begins to exhibit symptoms of vacillation
and uneasiness. The Tory majority is by no means
firm or resolute ; and a word spoken in time by the
Constituencies will have an immediate, salutary in-
fluence on its, votes and speeches: In the same
urgent spirit would we appeal to all the Liberal
Members of Parliament. More especially would we
entreat them not to be diverted from their duty from
any idle apprehension of being called " factious;" but
to avail themselves, without scruple, of every means
of opposition, no matter how extreme, or unusual,
they may be. The present is no season for squeam-
ishness, or nice attention to the rules of Parlia-
mentary etiquette. Sir ROBERT PEEL has himself
announced his intention of giving no quarter to the
country, but of insisting on the Income-tax in all its
rigor ; and he must be met in the same spirit of stern,
unscrupulous, uncompromising hostility. As he has
sown, so let him reap.
As respects the Tory Members, we have little doubt
that we shall shortly find many of them taking the
same 'view of the Income Tax as ourselves, and falling,
on this particular question; into the ranks of the
Liberals. And no wonder. Sir ROBERT PEEL has
grossly deceived them—lulled them into a false se-
curity—and taught them to believe that he would
propose n 1 measure but such as should be likely to
meet with a ready acceptance from all the rational
classes of the community. In his famous speech at
Tamworth he conjured all good Tories to rely on his
discretion—his good sense--his experience, and so
forth ; and more than hinted that, as moderation was
his great political characteristic, they would he sure
to be safe under his guidance. And how has he fol-
lowed up his sayings ? By the proposal of an Income
Tax—the most tyrannical, inquisitorial, teazing im-
post with which a nation Was ever yet cursed ; which
has caused extreme uneasiness amongst his supporters;
disturbed their unanimity ; destroyed their previous
confidence ; and filled them with all sorts of ugly ap-
prehensions. We confidently predict that we shall
have many of them voting with us ere long.

In a great commercial country like this, where the
various relations of debtor and creditor are liable to
constant abuse, no branch of the law ought to be
better defined, or framed with greater care, than what
relates to the question of bankruptcy. There has
been no want of legislation upon this subject, but as
many of the law-makers had individual reason to dread
the operation of their own enactments we are inclined to
think that they were not over solicitous to close every
door against collusion and fraud. At all events till a
very recent period, no portion of the statute-book
presented a more disgraceful appearance, than what
related to the questions of insolvency and bankruptcy.
But, within a few years, many valuable improvements
in this branch of Legislation have taken place, and
there is at present a Bill before the House of Lords,
which if passed without undergoing any material
change in its progress through Parliament, will re-
move nearly every objection which we have heard
It
made to the present state of the banruptcy laws.
has been prepared and brought in by the LouD CHAN'