The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-15 00:00:00

€,

...aous principles
_2s and protta. ton. It is a mass of dis-
criminating duties, not levied for revenue, but to
divert labour and capital into particular chan-
nels, and put property into the pockets of certain
individuals and classes, Contrary to all political science.
Sir ROBERT PEEL seeks, by regulations, to raise profit
in one place, and lower it in another ; and so he gives a
bias and direction to the employment of capital. His
discriminating duties on wheat, on beef, on potatoes, &c.
will lead foreigners to cultivate and prepare certain pro • •
visions which they will be able to introduce into our
markets with a profit, their industry being directed,
not by natural circumstances and advantages, but by our
discriminating duties. In all that we see nothing re-
commendable, though Sir R. PEEL'S tariff may be less
injurious than the one which it is to supersedo ; for it
gives a false, a political, and a comparatively unprofitable
direction to industry and capital.
Let us also for one moment dwell on the injustice, to
one class, of indirectly lowering prices by these various
reductions in the tariff. The Corn-law is maintained
to keep up the nominal price of wages which it will do
because wages, in subordination to the supply and demand,
are in some measure dependent on the price of bread.
But the permitted importation of meat, potatoes, rice,
lentils, &c., &c., will to some extent beat down the price
of a portion of-the farmer's produce, who will have still
to pay high rents and high wages, while he will get
a reduced price for his commodities. A total
repeal of all the Corn and Provision-laws which
would adjust wages, and rent, and preespy one and the
same rule, would be, in comparison, ani inestimable
benefit to the farmers.
Now that we have pointed nut some of the inequalities
and injustices of Sir R. PEEL'S proposed income tax, now
that we have shown that his plan of fastening it on to
alterations of the tariff; which have been recommended
by Reformers, is no better than a cunning trick, =-
worthy of a statesman, let us put it to our readers and
to the middle classes generally, will they, in time of
peace, tolerate such an imposition ? The Hants Chronicle
declares that all the tradespeople in that neighbourhood
are against it. A communication which we publish from
a Northern Correspondent informs us that, on the banks
of the Tyne and the Wear, Sir R. PEEL'S proposal has
been received with astonishment and indignation. Such
feelings may be set off against the satisfaction felt on the
Stock Exchange, the gentlemen who frequent which are,
in general, so much interested in taxation, that they see
those measures with placidity, we are afraid, which, at the
sacrifice of the public liberties and the public
happiness give, as they suppose, security to the public
funds. On this great question, however, affecting the
self-respect and personal dignity of the middle classes,
outraged as much by their circumstances being pryed
into as if their homes were violated, we are persuaded
that no class of persons, interested in any way in taxa-
tion, will be allowed to give the tone to public senti-
ment. We shall be surprised if public opinion, before
the week come to an end, be not so loudly and indig-
nantly expressed as to make Sir R. PEEL stand aghast
at his own presumption.
It is a good augury that Lord BROPGRA.M, who cannot
yet have forgotten the art of kindling the public enthusi-
asm, has taken up the question. He will know how to
make the blood boil in the veins of our long-enduring and
much suffering people. He may, possibly, remind them
that WALPOLE, at the height of his power, was defeated
in his attempt to establish a system of excise whichwas
infinitely less objectionable than an inquisitorial tax on
income. Lord Baouonax will not forget, that a be-
sotted scheme for levying an obnoxious tax separa-
ted the United States from England. He will, probably,
remind the people, that it will be unworthy of them to
accept from the mere toed of the monopolists a whole
series of indignities, which neither the Elder nor the
Younger Prrr, which neither CASTLEREAGH, with his
imperturbability, nor CANNING, with his frank courage
ever dared, in a time of peace, to perpetrate on the
public liberties. He will, or lest Lord BROUGHAM
should not, we-will, call on our high-spirited people
who have struck down the eagle in his loftiest flight, and
.hunted the lion to his den, not now to submit to
be humbled and plucked by a carrion crow. They will
declare that they did not put an end to the despotism of
BONAPARTE, to offer their hands to the fetters
of the sordid landowners of England. The
townspeople, the middle classes, and the ten pound
householders, have been, it is said, enfranchised
and they will make a scandalous use of their liberty and
their power, if they do not arrest at once the success of
the meanest and the hungriest political faction that ever
cursed a country.
Let them not be deceived by the statement that the
income tax will fall on the aristocracy as well as on them-
selves. The Tories recently expended 1,509,0001. to secure
seats in Parliament, and they will willingly pay their share
of the proposed taxes as an insurance for the continuance
of their power. In their hands are.all the emoluments
and all the offices of Government, and they enjoy all the
' taxes of which they only contribute a part. For them
it is a good pecuniary speculation to pay another
L 1,500,000/. in order to secure the suprenia*cy of the aris-
tocracy, and the distribution amongst themselves of an
additional revenue of 5,000,0002 The income tax will
go to preserve the landlords in their station, and pull
down the aspiring democracy. For the aristocracy this
is worth a large sum; and if their nefarious scheme be
not defeated it will be owing to the undue veneration
for them yet nourished by the middle classes, and to the
unfounded and unjust apprehensions which the latter
yet entertains of the working classes. By their apprehen-
sions the aristocracy are now profiting, and the palpable
object-of Sir ROBERT PEEL in uniting his tariff with an
ncome tax is to separate the middle from the lower
!lasses, and obtain the support of the latter for the Aris-
tocracy and the Government. He bids forpopularity. If
the middle classes allow him to succeed they may at
.'ace reconcile themselves to be for ever the landowners
slaves.

Now that it is proposed to increase the taxes, a Corre-
ipondent appropriately calls public attention to the fact
:hat no small number of ships are annually built only to
lie and rot.- He mentions two cases which fell under his
)wn notice, and the public will, on this occasion, re-
member that the Queen Charlotte, rfter ly 'lig in ordi-
nary for a few years, cost the country 15,0001. or 20,000/.
to repair her before she could go to sea. When it was
proposed to make use of her, she was found eaten up
with the dry-rot. There are, no doubt,riany other simi-
lar cases, and were the people less preyed on by their
own fears, or by the designs of those who seek to profit
by their fears, they might spare half the sum annually
expended, toprepare against an attack which can never be
made. It was Sir JOHN SlNcLata's opirion, that none
of the nations of Europe would have been ineumbered
with a national debt had they not fitted out fleets. There
is much probability in that opinion, and England is at
this moment suffertig under a vast load of debt, because
she would always me4ntain, under the name of a navy, an
immense number of useless hulks. But, if that opinion
be probably correct, when limited to navies, it becomes
ompletely true when extended to natiopatfears and suspi-
-ions. Nearly all the danger one ration is subject to from
ethers, and nearly all the expense it occurs on their ac-
count, are the consequence of idle and Unfounded fears
Nations under the advice of interested politicians, sub-
iect themselves to enormous certain evils to avoid an
imaginary danger. They are now paying a great price
:or their mutual distrust, and of that, a part is incurred
my the expense annually.incurred of building men-of-war
to lie and rfat.