The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-09 00:00:00

,§uu.

LONDON

SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL 9, 1142.

The House of Commons was engaged last night from
a quarter before six to half-past one, with another dis-
Mission on the income tax. On the motion for bringing
up the Report, Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved a series of
resolutions consistent with last year's budget, and sup-
ported them by an able bpeeeh.
The discussion was not remarkably animated till
Mr. SHIEL made an effective 'speech at eleven o'clock,
which hit Sir F. BURDETT, Sir ROBERT PEEL, and the
Ministry extremely hard. The Right Honourable
Gentleman contrasted the demand fof an income
tax with the pacific assurances of her MAJESTY'S
speech at the opening of Parliament, and made the
House feel that the demand was not warranted by the
circumstances of the country. Nor was the Right Hon.
Gentleman less efficacious in contrasting the situation of
a professional man, with a man of landed property ; and
in making the injustice of the income tax painfully
apparent.

Mr..SHIEL evidently stung Sir R. PEEL, who, rose to
reply after a motion for an adjournment had been put,
and persisted, in spite of some opposition, which must
convince him that he will not find all smooth water and
fair gales hereafter, in speaking to the main question.
The Right lion. Baronet, as usual, found his strongest
arguments in the language of his opponents. lie began
with a quotation from a speech of Lord Joiis RUSSELL,
and ended- with one from Lord MELBOURNE. He
mado out his case more by their statements than by his
own arguments. He was, however, eloquent in praise
of cheapness and giving employment to the people, as if
he had not just passed a law to starve a portion
of them by the high prices of corn every year. He de-
feuded the proposed timber duties, and his proposed du-
ties on cattle, and 'asserted very vehemently that he
does not mean to raise the latter. He appealed, how-
ever, beseechingly to his agricultural friends for sup-
port, and they by their cheers promised to throw the
farmers overboard, and stick to their party.
At Half. past One the debate was adjourned till Monday.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, last night, made another spirited
attempt to procure a hearing for the people on the sub-
ject of the income tax. He presented a petition against
it from inhabitants of the metropolis, and after the
SPEAKER had called order, and stated the rule of the
House, Mr. T. DUNCOMBE respectfully declined to sub-
mit. to his dictum, and proceeded to take the sense of
the House on the question, whether or not the petition
should be received. The SPEAKER admitted Mr.
DuNcomuE's right to do so, and declared that it was not
for him, but the House, to decide what petitions it would
receive. Mr. DuNcomuE, therefore, persisted, and stated
that, on being entrusted with any other similar petitions,
he should take the same course. The Honourable
Member had obtained a strong muster of his friends, and
though the Whigs, more sensible, as usual, to the forms
of the House than to the welfare of the people, did not
support him, he would have succeeded had the ques-
tion come to a division. Mr. KEMBLE, aware of that,
moved the adjournment of the debate till Monday—
making some invidious remarks about a " side wind,"
&c.—which was carried. The question therefore is still
open for discussion and for decision', and we trust the
Liberals will assemble on Monday, sons to ensure at least
a numerous minority.
As we know that Mr. DUNCOMBE will be attackeAn
the Press, as he has been already attacked in the
House, it behoves us to vindicate his course. We
should not be disposed to say much in its
favour, did the House of Commons deserve the public
respect. But that House being now a mere party instru-
ment, engaged in perpetrating mischief, the public wel-
fare—the paramountconsideration—warrants the employ-
ment of all reasonable mean', whether technically cor-
rect or not, to check its career. The Tories are making
it hateful to the community, and it is for the public ad-
vantage that it bo at the same time made contemptible.
It can best be rendered innocuous by being made itnpo-
tent. The Tories are not to have exclusively the advan-
tages of its vicious formation.
We do not condemn that smuggling which renders
vain an unjust system of protective duties ; neither can
we do aught but praise a cunning contrivance which
thwarts or upsets a tyranny. By dint of the basest
pandering to the most ignorant prejudices; by dint of the
most scandalous frauds, the Tory party has placed its
chief at the head of affairs, and. he has plainly avowed
that he means to govern by the help of his majority for
party purposes, and in a tyrannical manner. In
pursuance of his object, which we can only cha-
Li-terise as a combination of trick and audacity,
lie Las taken advantage of an almost forgotten practice
of the Mouse of Commons, to stifle the voice of the
people. For the public welfare he ought to be de-
feated, and Mr. DUNCOMBE has added to the claims he