The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-20 00:00:00

Martri Ailn.

LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1845.

The House of Lords did not sit last evening.
The House of Commons met at Four o'clock.
The Chairman of the Sub-Committees on Standing
Orders brought up reports on several Railway Bills.
Various petitions were presented and notices of motion
given. Among these latter was one by Lord DUNCAN,
for Monday evening, for the repeal of the window.tax.
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET was understood to say
that he intended to propose that the House should
hold morning sittings, to commence en Friday, for the
purpose of disposing of the Railway Laws Consolidation
Bills; but the Noble Lord, as usual, spoke in so indistinct
a tone, that it was impossible clearly to understand what
he said. Indeed, Mr. AGLIONBY complained of the very
indistinct manner in which the Noble Lord had spoken,
and said, that although he had listened attentively, he
had not been able to catch one simgle word which the.
Noble Lord bad uttered.

After a short explanation from Sir J. GRAHAM on the
subject of one railway share which he had once possessed,

Sir R. PEEL, in answer to Mr. M. MILNES, stated that
the Foreign Secretary had never communicated either to
the Austrian or Neapolitan authorities, or to the autho-
rities at Rome, respecting any particular designs medi-
tated at Corfu ; and that, so little apprehension had he
entertained that any attempt would be made from Corfu,
that no ccmmunication whatever had been made cn the
subject to the Governor of the lonian Islands. The fact
was, the expedition of the brothers BANDEIRA had taken
every one by surprise. No communication whatever had
been made to the parties themselves, inasmuch as it had
never been suspected that such an attempt was contem-
plated, and any impression that the Government had
allured these individuals to destruction, was erroneous
and without foundation.

Mr. GEO. Smut asked if the duty on sperm oil was
to be given up ?
Sir R. PEEL replied that, after January 5, 1849. the
duty would cease. The duty on whale oil would be
taken off at an earlier period.
After some conversation on the subject of the sugar
duties, the House resolved itself into a Committee of
Ways and Means, and
Mr. ROEBUCK moved the amendment of which he bad
previously given notice, for extending the income-tax
to Ireland. The exigency that required the imposition
of the tax was common to the whole kingdom, and their
united wants should be met by their united means.
He therefore asked the Government to tax, not the
professions, not the trades, not even the offices in Ire-
land, but to tax the realised capital in that country
The Hon. Gentleman then taunted the agriculturalists
with their support of Sir PEEL, the manufacturers
with having been bribed into supporting the Budget,
and the Irish Members with having run away from
their posts. He thought it would be just to remove
the stamp duty, which fell on the retail. tradesman,
and substitute for it a property-tax, which
would fall upon the rich landholder. •
Mr. SHEIL opposed the motion, as unjust to Ireland.
He defended his absent friends from the attacks which
had been made upon them, and concluded by urging'
upon Parliament the necessity of giving good govern-
ment to Ireland, even in an economical point of view.- If
they were to adapt their institutions to Ireland, instead
of attempting to adapt Ireland to their institutions, they
si ould make money by it, for they would secure peace+
lrich would throw open a vast field of enterprise in
Ireland, and in the prosperity of Ireland they would fur
all their munificence be usuriously repaid.
S:r JOHN TYRRELL supported the motion.

Mr. WILLIAMS had heard nothing from the ion.
Member for Dungarvon to show that this tax ought not
to be imposed on the landlords of Ireland.

Mr. Ross, Lord BERNARD, and Mr. BELLEW, defended
the Irish landlords from the attacks which had been
made upon them by the Honourable Member for Bath-
A smart and somewhat angry discussion ensued, in the
course of which the words " foul calumnies" were used
by Mr. NEWDIGATE, who, on being called to order, apo-
logi3ed to the House. At length
Sir R. PEEL rose, and admitted that, although strict
justice might require the extension of the tax to Ireland,
yet, as there was no machinery for its collection in that
country, the creation of the machinery would be so ex-
pensive, that the Government would not be justified, in
an economical point of view, in proposing its creation ;
therefore, he considered that it would be better to
accept from Ireland an equivalent for the property-tax,
and, comparing the benefit which would accrue to Eng-
land from the removal of the import duties with that
which would accrue to Ireland, the latter country would
not. be justly dealt with if the property-tax were im-
posed on her.

The discussion was continued for some time after the
Right lion. Gentleman had sat down, Mr. Sergeant
M ORM! Y, Mr. WALLACE, Colonel SIBTHORP, Lord
PALMERSTON, and several other Hon. Members taking
part in it, after which the Committee divided, when
their appeared for the amendment 33, against it 275.
'the Committee then divided on the original resolu-
tion, when there appeared for it 228, against it 30.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at One o'clock.

ti'd'e really blush for the humiliating aspect under
which the Government of this country must be al-
ready regarded by foreign nations, on account of its
admitted shameless tampering with the sacred trust
of the Post-office department—and the Old-Bailey-
like, contemptible, special pleading on which, at this
time of day, a British Administration comes forward
to justify such delinquencies on its own part and on
that of its predecessors. In reference to the tone of
Tuesday night's debate on Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE'S
motion for the appointment of a Select Committee of
Inquiry into these transactions, we almost fear, too,
that we shall have reason to blush for the weakness
of a British Legislature, that seems far more disposed
to become a " particeps criminis," by throwing the
shield of its protection over Sir JAMES GRAHAM, than
to act with a dignity and an honesty worthy of its
better days and recollections. With what unmingled
suspicion and contempt will our Continental neigh-
bours, and our American detractors be justified in
regarding our habitual pretensions to fair deal-
ing and integrity, when, in the highest
councils of the empire, the breaking of private—
aye, and of public or foreign diplomatic seals—the
felonious acquisition by third parties of a knowledge
of the contents which those seals were meant expressly
to protect from their sight;—the transmission to cer-
tain official and other quarters which the writers of
the intelligence thus basely purloined expressly in-
tended that it should never reach—the clandestine
refolding, and false or fabricated re-sealing of such
violated papers—and the base, scandalous conspiracy
of all the parties, high or low, connected with the
most contemptible juggle of the whole felony
(namely, the forwarding the letters thus abused,
without notice or avowal of what has been done, to
the party addressed, for the very purpose of falsely
suggesting to him their undisturbed condition, in
order to entrap him into acting upon the assumption,
that his own eyes first peruse, since the original dis-
patch of the communication, what his correspondent
has written to him ;) when these are the vile arts which
Sir JAMES GRAHAM and Sir ROBERT PEEL are not
ashamed to stand up in their places to justify. For
our own parts, deploring the melancholy fact that
Mr. MAzztsu has been able to establish .so signal a
case of unpardonable turpitude against more than
one of our principal official departments, we are set
grateful to that intelligent and able foreigner for
having, with admirable perseverance, brought home
to the really responsible parties political enormities
of which, but for him, the British public would have
still remained profoundly ignorant absolutely
unsuspicious. Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE, too,
deserves the respect of every true Englishman, of
every party, for the zeal with which he has exerted
himself to procure from earliament a signal disclaimer
of powers that cannot be used but to taint the national
honour. At the risk of incurring the same censure
which was visited on Mr. DUNCOMBE fur the strong
expression of his indignation, we must declare that the
defence in chief, set up by
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, and
the argument in extenuation attempted by Sir ROBERT
PEEL, were among the most puerile, the most pitiful,
and abject exhibitions of forensic logic ever witnessed
ijnA
l%itheE Housen
AOLCOdibtrittninoentilly.
1. ThaUtNrmnS.tfrteJlalsstSEStr,
had been guilty of the meanness and baseness
JAMopuesnliang
his, Mr. DoNcostnes, letters. 2. That Sir
not the courage to avow it. And is reference to this

latter part of the charge, he . reminded the Housem-
thai on a former occasion he had addressed to then
Home Secretary a question with the view of eliciting
the fact, to which the Right Hon. Functionary re-
plied by evading it as " one that it was known he was
not in a condition to answer." On Tuesday night Sir
JAMES blustered about "his perfect indifference.to
the imputation cast upon him by Mr. DUNCOMML"
Indifference ! Delightful public morality, this, in a
minister! Let us have patience, and we shall hear
the next postman who may be tried at the Central
Criminal Court for breaking the seal of a letter, and
possessing himself of its contents, avow himself " per-
fectly indifferent to the imputation." For, observe,
Sir Jamas did not deny the charge, but went into a
rigmarole review of MAZZINI'S case, and was so kind
as to inform the House that the question was—
whether or not they would repeal the Act of
Queen ANNE, which had given to Ministers this
bad power ? Now that was not the question. Sir It.
PEEL, on the contrary, at the conclusion of the lamest
and most inconclusive of speeches, declared that
" the .question was not as to the existence of the
power, but whether or not it had been honourably
exercised ; and as they had been acquitted by a
chosen Committee of honourable men, let them not
again be put on their trial by a second inquiry before
a new tribunal." Not quite so fast Sir ROBERT. By
your own showing, you and your colleague are not
yet agreed on what the question is, so that that point
is not to be disposed of in this off-hand way. But
there is another party, a greater party—the English
public—who are yet to be satisfied before you can talk
of your " acquittal." They can only be satisfied
through the medium of such a Committee as Mr.
DutscosinE moves for, not a packed Secret Committee,
whose first act was to exclude Mr. DUNCOMBE him-
self. Now what was the stringent question which
Sir J. GRAHAM dared not, and Sir R. PEEL would
not, meet ? Just this—well, directly, fear-
lessly put by Mr. SuEm. We give his
own words—" You who answer about MAZZINI, you
who answer about the Poles, will you answer this—
Did you open the letters of Mr. DUNCOMBE?"
Sir JAMES • was silent. Mr. SHELL reproved the
officious " interlocutory" of Lord SANDON, by telling
him that he had called not on the Noble Lord but
the Right Hon. Baronet. He reiterated his interro-
gatory. Sir JAMES was dumb. Dumb ? DIVA tacet,
clamat. His silence is the eloquence of confession.
" Well, then, does Sir JAMES justify his conduct in
this particular of. Mr. DUNCOMBE'S letters ?" No
answer. Sir J. HANDIER is so good as to think too
well of Sir JAMES to believe such a charge as applied
to him. Eminently satisfactory that, to Mr. Dux-
comma! Lord SsasnoN makes a long and rather angry
speech as Chairman of the Secret Committee of last
session, in which he tells the House " that the infor-
mation conveyed to it was full and satisfactory, and
though the prurient curiosity of individuals had not
been gratified, 'the report contained sufficient mate-
rials for deciding whether or not the extraordinary
power given to the Home Secretary had been fairly
exercised." How strangely constituted must be the
inquisitiveness of a Member of Parliament, which re-
flects upon the indignant and determined demand of
outraged individuals for full and searching inquiry
into the grievous wrong of which they complain as a
" prurient curiosity" forsooth. It is time to come to
some understanding as to the statutable lines of demar-
cation (we think), between moral right and moral
wrong. At last Sir J. GRAHAM speaks ; but for what
purpose ? To tell Mr. SHELL that he cannot answer
his question ; and that, upon his honour, he has " out
with all he knew" before the Committee up stairs,
which, by its very constitution was not to let what it
heard be known! If this be not mere mockery, it is
very like it. Now the plain truth is—whether there
be Act-of-Parliament warranty for these epistolary
burglaries or not, they ought not to be, and can no
longer be, by the English people, permitted. Better,
a thousand times better, that as to this Post-office
establishment we should be content, as we are
with so many other human institutions, to take the
great good and benefit we derive from it with their
qualifications of evil. If the case really be, that con-
spirators and agitators in differentlands do avail them-
selves of its facilities to communicate and interchange
their schemes of action, their projects of revolt, if
you pleaso, against foreign powers in alliance with
ass, '-'we cannot help it. It is an. abuse incident
to the, constitution of the department. But to
maintain-, beyond the whisper. of suspicion,
its inviolable integrity, its national security,
its undisturbed, uninterrupted sacredness ;—this
is .an object, not only of the highest importance
and interest to the confidence of our vast commercial
community and connexions, but Lientified. with the
purity and welfare of our social system—with all the
respect demanded for private confidence and public
honour. Let us hope that the Legislature will re-
spond faithfully to the solemn responsibility now
devolved upon it, of at once vindicating and protecting
the integrity of the 'Rost delicate, as well as the most
important, of all the trustswhich a nation can commit
to its Executive.

Madrid journals, of the 10th and 11th inst., have
been received. In the Senate the general discussion
on the Clergy Dotation Bill was closed, and the first
article adopted on the I 1 th. It was understood that
the whole measure of Government would be adopted
in both Chambers. The Envoy, CASTILLO Y ATENZA,
was not to set out for Rome till after the presentation
of the Bill to Congress. It appears that the amount
of Three per Cents. issued by the Government from
,the 15th to the 31st of January, in consequence of the
conversion of the claims of the contractors of Trea-
sury-bills and the Floating Debt, reached the sum of
183,676,279 reels.

On the 11th the Three per Cents. closed at 32:1
for cash, and 33i at 60 days ; the Five per Cents. at
24 for cash, and 24i at 60 days; and the Debt with-
out Interest, at 7i at 60 days.

Most of the Paris papers give an outlifie of Sir R.
PEEL'S financial statement, but their remarks are very
concise, and without interest. Such a large surplus,
and that surplus disposed of in a way that may inter-
fere with French manufactures, especially in glass,
cannot be very pleasing to those parties who lose no
opportunity of showing their hostility to England.
The Journal des Debuts treats the subject in rather
an amusing manner, and pays a compliment to the
Premier for the admirable way in which he keeps a
secret. "Fourteen days ago," says the writer, "the
Government announced that they would pro.-
pose a continuation of the income-tax, and a re-
duction of duty on certain articles of consumption,.
But the question was on what tax blessed by heaven
would the choice of the Minister fall ? No one could
answer, and Sir ROBERT PEEL, according to his
custom, carefully kept the secret, while he was be-
sieged by persons representing almost every branch
of industry—tea, coffee, sugar, cotton, paper, soap,
and things without number. These made the air re-
sound with their lamentations, like the halt and lame
who expose their wounds, real or factitious, to the
charity of the public. But the financial dictator was
impenetrable. He had neither eyes to see nor ears to
hear. He walked amidst them like a physician of
the first rank among his patients crying for relief,
but he would give no answer till the appointed time.'
After other remarks in a similar strain, that journal
thus proceeds :

"The strength of Sir Robert Peel's Ministry consists in
the success of his financial measures • and, right or wrong,
„
the Prime Minister of Greatßritain is considered as the only
man capable of maintaining an equilibrium between the in-
come and the expenditure of the country. He feels his
power, and he makes use of it. He alone could have induced
the British nation to submit to the detested income-tax in
time of peace. When we recollect the energetic resistance the
income-tax experienced in. Mr. Pitt's time, and the universal
execration excited against it throughout the country, and
the astounding philippics which greeted it in the Parliament
and at the hustings, we are astonished at theresiguation with'
which it is received at present. It is true that three years
since it might have been foreseen that the income-tax, pre-
sented as temporary, would by degrees assume a permanent
chlracter' and, perhaps, it would not have been tolerated so
eaily, had not Sir Robert Peel, like a skilful physician, ad-
ministered it in small doses. The present state of the re-
venue, moreover, sufficiently justifies the continuation of
the tax. Its productiveness has exceeded every calculation.
The Government will, therefore, find it difficult to abandon
so fruitful and so certain a source of revenue. We believe
that the English people will do well to resign themselves to
it. The income-tax pow forms part of their social economy,
and they must accustom themselves to live with the trouble-
some guest."
- .

//writer f willing a wager that England will-not de-
-Clare war against the United States," either- on ac
,count of Texas or the Oregon territory. The French
Funds on Monday were rather more firm than on Sa-
turday.
Accounts from Algiers of the 7th state that the
country was covered with snow, even to the gates of
the city, a circumstance without precedent since the
'French have been in possession of the colony. The
Arab chiefs who visited Paris had landed at Algiers,
and were preparing to return to their posts full of
admiration of the wonders of the French capital.
The German journat of Frankfort has an article,
saying :
" We learn that twelve German writers have been ordered
by the French Govemment to leave Paris Among them are
Messrs. Ruge, Mart', Heine, Bcernstein, Bernays, and Hess
Herwegh. M. Heine, however, had got himself naturalised,
and was thus protected against the Ministerial decree. Rage
has obtained a suspension of it, through the mediation of the
Saxon Minister, as he pretends that he does not belong to the
German State which has demanded his expulsion. The rest
are obliged to quit Paris immediately."
THE BOURSE--MONDAY, FEB. 17.

First Highest Lowest Last
Price. Price. Price. Pries.
French Five per Cents ••• • • • 122 60 122 65 .. 122 60 122 65
Four-and-a-Half- •• 113 50 .. 113 50 .. 113 50 .. 113 50
Three per Cents••• .. 85 5 .. 84 95 .. 85
New Loan •• •• •• •• 85 95 .. 85 95 .. 85 95 .. 85 95
Bank of France••..- 3265 -3265 .. 3265 ..2265
Gouin Bank, I,ooof. Shares. • 1090 • • 1090 .. 1085 -1085
Belgian Bank .. • • • • • •
Belgian Fives, 1840 •• 104% .. 104 34 .. 10434 104%
1842 •• •••• •• 106% .. 106% .. 106% .. 106%
Four-and-a-Half . -• 103 .. 103 .. 103 .. 103
Spanish Threes ••••••• • •• •• 41 .. 41% .. 41 .. 41
...........6%•• •• 6% 6.x .. 6% ..
Portuguese Five per CentS•• 5934 .. 59% .. 59% .. 59%
P• 08111111 •• • •• •• •• •••;• •• •• 105 105 105 .. 105

• RAILWAY SHARES.
St. Germain
Versailles, R.B. • • 555 .. 555 .. • 555 .. 555
L. 8.•• •• •••• •••• 380 •• 380 .. 375 .. 377 50
Rouen . ...... ....... .. 1092 50 ..1092 50 ..1090 ..1092 50
Rouen to Havre.• ••••• "••• 885 •• 885 .. 882 50 .. 892 50
Orleans •• ••1157 50 ..1160 ..1157 50 ..1163
Strasburg to •••• ,• 317'50 .. 317 50 .. 316 25 .. 316 27
Avignon to Marseilles.. •• •• 962 50 .. 970 .. 962 50 .. 97)
Bordeaut to Teste •••••• •• 210 • 210 .. 205 .. 205

RAILWAY SHARES FOE SETTLING, FEB. 17.
St. Germain ..... •• •• .• ••ICBO - ..1080 ..1080 ..1080
Versailles, L. 8.......••••• 377 50 • 377 50 .. 373 75 .. 373 75
Konen •• •• •• ..

Rouen to liavre•••• BB2 50 885 881 75 .. 882 50
Orleans .....•..•••••••1157 50 ..1158 75 ..1157 50 .•1158 75

Strasburg to Bale...••••••• 31G 25 .. 316 25 .. 316 25 .. 316 25
Avignon to Marseilles ••• • •• 970 . • • 972 50 .. 970 .. 972 50

RAILWAYS TOR TIM ACCOUNT, 111Alaca 3.

St. Germain . . —Kai 50 ..1082 50 —lOB2 50 ..1082 50
Versailles, 5.55 .. 560 .. 555 .. 555
L.B.••••..•••••• 380 .. 380 .. 375 .. 375
Rouen 50 . 1096 25 —lOB7 50 ..1095
Rouen to Havre .•..•..•..'BB5 .. 885 885 .. 885
Orleans .• •
Strasburg to Bale•••••••••• 317 50 317 50 .. 317 50 • 317 50
Avignon to Marseilles...—. 957.50 .. 975 .. 967 50 . 972 50
Bordeaux to Teste

g, THE SUN" EXTRAORDINARY
EXPRESSES.

THE BUDGET.

FROM TITS PRIVATE SECRETARY OF THE LORD LIEU-
TENANT OF IRELAND TO MR. JOHNSTON, EDEN-QUAY,
DUBLIN.

.4 Castle, Feb. 17.

" Mr. A'Court is much obliged to Mr. Johnston for
his attention in sending for his Excellency's information
the Extraordinary Edition -of The Sun, on Saturday
evening."

FROM THE PAYMASTER-GENERAL OF IRELAND, THE
RIGHT HON. T. F. KENNEDY,. TO AIR. JOHNSTON,
EDEN-QUAY.

" Treasury Chambers, Feb. 17.
"Mr . Kennedy presents his compliments to Messrs.
Johnston and Co., and begs leave to offer his best
thanks for sending him an Express copy of The Sun on
Saturday evening."
(From the Dublin Morning Freeman's Journal of Mon-
day, the 17th instant.)
'UNPARALLELED TRIP TO LONDON. AND
BACK.

Mr. Johnston, of Eden-quay, left his office on Thurs-
day, at five minutes to six o'clock, for London, for an
EZpress of The Sun newspaper, with Sir Robert Peel's
financial statement, where he arrived at six o'clock on
Friday evening ; left London with the Express at nine
o'clock, contain* eight columns and a half of the state-
ment printed in The Sun up to the close. The Premier
having sat down at ten minutes past eight o'clock, after
occupying the House of Commons exactly three hours
and a half, and Mr. J. arrived back with the Express
at Eden-quay at five minutes past six ciel?ck on Satur-
day evening, being abAent .t.orty-eight,hbars ten minutes,
travelling,in Mat' time upwards of 700 miles, including
three hourk'deliy,in LiverpooVaud, three .hours and-a-
half in London. • - -; • - •
" We received, the Express Edition' of The -Sun from
Mr. Johnston on Saturday evening at a quarter put six
o'clock." •

Acknowledgments of receiving the Extraordinary
Edition of last Friday's Evening Sun, appear. in the
Dublin Times, Saunde-s News Letter, and Monitor of
Monday, in an: equppy rapid manner through Mr.
Johnston.

The Presse, in adverting to the increase of the
English navy, contrasts the policy of England and
France :
" England, in that respect, has given us examples of
which we have not taken advantage. The development of
her navy has been the business of all her Ministers. It was
rbiytlliahticch s course that she acquired that incontestable superio-
tyv at present her most certain protection; and,
whilst other nations are endeavouring to equal her, she con-
tinues with fresh ardour to discover further improvements.
In France, and it is unpleasant to be obliged to declare the
fact, our navy is neither in good condition nor of an imposing
force. We have to repair many faults, and to recover much time
lost, before we can assume that position on the seas to which
we are entitled. But are we taking advantage of peace ?
Or are we adopting prompt measures to put an end to our
deplorable inferiority, proclaimed by all our official publica-
tions ? By no means.. Our navy budget for this year appears
to blush for itself. It presents itself to the Chamber with
downcast eyes, like a child which fears to be censured. We
desire that the Chambers should occupy themselves seriously
with our position. The Committee on the budget, it is said,
is determined to propose a considerable reduction on the
effective of our land army. So much the better. We can the
more easily imitate our neighbours and increase the budget of
the navy. It is not possible that while England is increasing
her navy we should reduce ours."
The same journal alludes, with evident satisfaction,
to the proceedings in the American Congress, and
anticipates embarrassment for England, though the

TUE BUDGET.—The spirited proprietor of The Sun
newspaper, by an Extraordinary Express, conveyed to
Mr. Horn, of this town a FOU7 th Edition of that paper
of Friday evening last, containing upwards of eight
columns of Sir Robert Peel's speech on the Budget, and
which we received bn Saturday morning, an hour before
the Post-office delivery.—Newtmtle Advertiser.

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING-1 FEBRUARY 20 1845.

COURT ,CIRCULAR.
Heeßoyal 'Highness the Duchess of Cambridge took an
airing in a carriage in the Parks yesterday.
Lord Sandon, M.P., Sir Howard Douglas, M.P., Mr. Mas-
terman, and a deputation of wholesale grocers, consisting of
Mr. George Crosfield, Mr. Absalom, Mr. Hayward, Mr. Gra-
ham, Mr. Heap, Mr. Wainwright, and Mr. Henry Crosfield,
had an interview with Sir Robert Peel :and the Chancellor
of the Exchequer yesterday, at the official residence of the
Right Hon. Baronet in Downing-street.
Archdeacon Marriott had an interview with Lord Stanley
yesterday, at the Colonial-office.
Mr. Dean, Chairman of the Customs, had an interview with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday.
A deputation from the Lincoln, York, and Leeds Railway,
consisting of Mr. Singleton, director, Mr. Leather, engineer,
Mr. Lang, Parliamentary agent,'and Mr. Blackburn and Mr.
W. B. James, solicitors, transacted business yesterday at the
Railway Department of the Board of Trade.
A deputation of Sugar Refiners, consisting of Messrs.
Davis, Martineau, Fah rie, Hodgson, Lucas' 'Macfil, Robert
:Maefil, and Kirkland, had an interview with Sir Robert Peel,
and the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday.
The Rev. Dr. Stewart had an interview with Lord Stan-
ley yesterday.
Mr John Wood, Chairman of the Excise, had an inter-
view yesterday with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Barclay, M.P., attended the Board of Trade yester•
day, and presented a memorial from Sunderland in favour
of the Direct Northern line of railroad from London to York.

Sir Moses Montefiore, and a deputation of gentlemen of
the Jewish persuasion, had an interview with Sir R. Peel
y est erday.
Mr. Wodehouse, M.P., had an interview with Lord
Stanley at the Colonial-office yesterday.
Mr. Wickham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes, had an
interview yesterday with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Charles Pressly, had also an interview with the Right
Hon. Gentleman.

Dispatches for the Governor of New Zealand were sent
off yesterday from the Colonial-office. Dispatches were also
sent off last evening from the Colonial-office for the Go-
vernor of Malta, and also for the Lord High Commissioner
of the lonian Islands.
Viscount and Viscountess Berehaven have arrived at Far-
rance's Hotel, from Brighton.

THE WORKING OF THE INCOME-

TAX.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Sometimes the relation of a simple fact comes with
greater force of conviction than a hundred arguments. I
beg to give a simple relation of an instance of the most
iniquitous and oppressive mode of levying the income tax.
The parties to whom I allude had about four years ago
erected very large premises, to carry on business connected
with manufactures, in doing which they expended upwards
of sixteen thousand pounds; of necessity they had to borrow
several thousand pounds on mortgage: Having to pay in-
terest, and buy their goods on credit, besides this having to
call earlier for payments, they had great difficulty in making
any profit at all. And in 1843 prices were so run down by
competition, that they were worse in the end than at the
beginning ; and as honest men, they made a return to the
surveyor of taxes of "no income." This being the case they
were summoned before the Commissioners of Taxes (their
neighbours). In answer to the questions put to them, they
averred they had made no profits. The Commissioners re-
plied, we do not believe your statements ; you must bring
your books, and show us by them that what you state is cor-
rect. The parties being then insolvent, or at least they were
owing several thousand pounds more than they had owing to
them (although taking into account the money expended in
building and machinery, they had several thousand pounds
inure than would pay their debts in full—yet they well knew
if their circumstances were made known it would be fatal to
their credit), and for this reason they refused to produce
their books. The result of this was the Commissioners
mulcted them in the duty on one thousand pounds. Since
then, in consequence of the failure of other parties with
whom they were connected, they have been made bankrupts
themselves; and the assignees have since their failure had
to pay 29/. 13s. 4d. out of the assets of the estate, and the
creditors will not get more than 6s. to 7s. in the pound.
Since their failure the premises, with machinery, which
cost within the last five years the sum of 16,700/., has been
sold for 8,125/., which had they brought cost price, they
would have been able to pay their creditors in full.
Your insertion of these particulars in your widely circu-
lated journal, will much oblige, Sir, your most obedient ser-
vant, ONE OF THE ASSIGNEES.
Yorkshire, Feb. 18.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF CHANCERY, Feb. 19.

The Lord Chancellor sat in Lincoln's Inn-hall to-day, and
after disposing of several lunatic petitions on his paper,
proceeded to hear the further arguments in the part-heard
case of the Ludlow Charities, which occupied his Lordship
the remainder of the day.