The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-08 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION.

The Chronicle, reverting to the questien of the income tax,
says :—" It is very true that the tax is to be at first only 7d. a
pound ; but let the small end of the wedge be once in, it may
he driven home much sooner than is now generally appre-
hended. Had the Premier proposed a tax of ten per cent. at
first, the country would have been in arms against it. But it
is folly to calculate on a continuance of the tax at 7d. a pound.
There will never be wanting pretexts for adding to the amount
of a tax so convenient to the financier. The principle accord-
ing to which the tax is calculated ought to weigh more with
Inc people than the actual amount taken in the first instance,
for the principle having been once acquiesced in, it will remain
the rule, should the tax be increased."

The limes justly and forcibly argues on the glaring in-
equality of the income tax in the following terms : " It is a
mere fallacy to talk of MO/. per annum being the real available
income of those who have but a precarious or life interest to
that amount, in the same sense as it is the income of him who
draws it steadily from capital : the one can spend it all ; the
other, in nine cases out of ten, will have to lay by half of it, to
form a provision for himself or his family. The one has really
500/. a year at his command—the ether has 2001. or 250/.
Should we really leave these men as they were before, if we took
from each of them 501. a year? Or, to put another case com-
monly urged, let two different persons lend the same sum of
money on virtually the same terms, so that it shall produce
them, say 2001. a year for ten years; the principle of the loan
being in both instances, that the lender shall be able in each
year to spend a sum of money equal to the interest of
the capital so invested, and yet lay by enough to repay him his
whole principal by the end of the ten years. 'I his may, or
rather must be, the principle of the bargan in both instances.
But let the agreements be worded differently; let one man call
it a purchase of a terminable annuity for ten years; let the
other carefully separate payment of interest from repayment
of principal, and make the transaction a loan of money upon
interest to be repaid by instalments. The result will be that
two persons investing precisely the same sum of money in pre-
cisely the same way and receiving precisely the same benefits,
will pay to the Government the one three per cent. on his
whole returns, the other only on that fraction of them which
comes to him in the shape of interest, probably amounting
so about one-third or fourth part of the whole ; the
one will pay 61., the other something under el., per annum.
NOW, to say that this kind of inequality is unavoidable—that
laws must proceed on broad principles, and that some hard-
ships must result—that they cannot be avoided entirely—and
that their partial avoidance is not worth the complexity and
loss that they would occasion all this, though we think it un-
true, is yet not unintelligible or palpably absurd ; but to quote
any authority, however high, in support of the opinion that
such an inequality created by the tax is not an inequality at
all—that such a tax leaves incomes relatively where it found
them—to throw up the plea of justification, and put in a bold
Not Guilty' is really an insult to the most ordinary under-
standing."
The Herald observes, with reference to Mr. Wakley's speech
on the copyright question :—" We are grieved to add that
Mr. Wakley, who rides much too hot and fast a horse for the
steady roads of such a suburban constituency as that of Fins-
bury involved himself in some dilemma, unworthy of his repu-
tation as a skilful master of fence. How did he attempt to en-
force his argument that authors of the present day were re-
munerated beyond all former example ?' In what way did he
justify his assertion that it was degrading to literature for
authors to apply to the House for an extension of protection ?'
—thus indicating sordid and unworthy motives.' The un-
exampled remuneration' he brought home to the guilty heads
of .uch minor ' authors' as Scott, Byron, Southey. But how
did lie prove that ' men of science were entitled to similar
protection ?'—or that no one would say that their works
were not of more consequence to the world than mere literary
works?' Why, by inference irresistible, that such compilations
as the Lancet were not thus protected. Shade of John Aber-
nethy ! Is this not too much ?"
The Post says—" It must be satisfactory to every honest
mind to observe that the continual attempts of the Whig-Ra-
dical party to damage the present Government by dishonour-
able means are generally received with derision or disgust.
We have no objection to fair controversy, and should be very
sorry to see any Government unchecked by a watchful
opposition ; but we blush for the kind of opposition with which
the present Government is assailed, while we rejoice to find
that such opposition is not a whit more successful than it de-
serves to be. The truth is that facts are too strong for the
Whig-Radical party to get over. The country is aware of the
unfortunate condition to which public affairs had been brought
under their weak and wilful guidance, and satisfied that vigorous
measures must be taken to restore those affairs to a condition
worthy of the great British nation."
On the subject of the income tax, the Advertiser observes as
follows :—" It is not, we repeat, Lord John Russell's resolu-
tions which will defeat a scheme so subtlely devised, and sup-
ported by the whole weight and influence of a selfish aristo-
cracy, and their nominees in the House of Commons. Other
means are necessary to free the State from the thraldom which
the Tories have re-established over it. ' The complete suf-
frage' movement in Birmingham, proceeds with unceasing ri-
gout. It has started on a solid basis, and a safe and secure
principle, affirming, in the very outset, that the people might
march to their full rights through the forms of constitutional
law, and by that moral force which should unite the majority
of all classes in one grand national union. Ireland, and other
parts of the empire, are proceeding with similar purpose, and
on a similar principle. It is to these movements that Lord
John Russell should address his attention."

MONEY—TRADE—COMMERCE.
An arrangement has been made between the Directors of the
Bank of Manchester and the shareholders of the Alliance Bank
in that town, by which the entire capital and business of the
latter will be made over to the Bank of Manchester on certain
conditions agreed to at a meeting of the shareholders of the
Alliance Bank, held on Saturday last.
On Tuesday, a vessel delivered her cargo, consisting of 1,053
casks and 66 cases of brandy, and 100 bags of clover-seed, in
the docks, in the short space of eight hours ! This is, perhaps,
one of the quickest deliveries of such a cargo on record in the
annals of the port of London.
A general session will be held at Guildhall te-iaorrow, for
the transfer of licenses to persons taking taverns, inns, ale-
houses, &c. in the City of London.
NAVAL AND MILITARY.
In a Dutch paper of the sth inst., it is stated that a bottle
was picked up on the shore near :Wyk, containing two letters,
dated the 2d of March, by Captain 'Thomason of the ship Blair-
Adam, in which he informs his relations at Perth that the crew
had threatened during the day to murder him and throw him
overboard.

THEATR 'CAL.
Mr. and Mrs. C. Kean appeared as Hamlet and Ophelia on
Wednesday night at the Haymarket. Plessy made her
second appearance on the same 'night at the St. James's Thea-
tre, in the comedy of Mademoiselle de Belle-Isle.

,05c.74

c o T-PASHXONABLE.
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford remain at Oakley House,
Bedfordshire.
The Duke of Wellington commenced his early daily walks
on Wednesday in the garden at Apsley House, between six
and seven o'clock.
We regret to hear that the Duchess Dowager of Richmond
is seriously indisposed.
The establishment at the Austrian Embassy, Chandos House,
is forthwith to be broken up, on account of the resignation of
Prince Esterhazy.
Lady Stanley has returned to town from Tunbridge Wells.
The Marquis of Northampton, as President of the Royal
Society, commences hie soirees on the 7th of the ensuing month.
The Marchioness of Londonderry's grand full-dress assembly,
last night, was given by her Ladyship in honour of her Majesty's
first drawing-room this season.
LAW AND POLICE.
After a host of Counsel had been engaged on both sides in
the great Wood cause at Gloucester, an arrangement was made
between the parties, the devisees consenting to pay the heirs-
at-law 10,0001., which will cover all the costs, both at law and
equity., and leave them a small sum.
At. Liverpool, on the sth inst., Edward Hardman was con-
victed of a burglary committed in the house of James Bothwell,
at Spoland, anti also of firing at the prosecutor, with intent to
murder him. The Jury recommended him to mercy, and the
sentence was deterred.

At the same assizes, Robert Woods, Isaac Jacques, and
Thomas Alolyneux were indicted for the wilful murder of
Henry Grayson, . at Windle. The prisoners wee acquitted,
as the Counsel for the prosecution said he could not ask for a
verdict on the testimony of the principal witness, a man of the
name of Colquitt, who had given some information on the sub-
ject ten days after the occurrence, when a reward of 1501. had
been offered.

rifIXEICEILMANEOUS.
The new enhance to Hyde Park, called the Albert Gate,
was opened for the convenience of the public on Wednesday
morning at six o'clock. The handsome structure is not yet
commenced, but in its place are two lofty wooden gates.
illr. Wilson gave his first morning entertainment on Scottish
music and song, at the Hanover-square Rooms, on W ednesday,
under the patronage of the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland
and the Earl and Countess of Dalhousie.
UtYNtiEnntki OF TILE DAY.
It is currently reported that Lord Keane is about exhibiting
an example of noble disinterestedness seldom witnessed at this
present day; being convinced that the fall of Gl.uzneo was alone
attributable to the ingenuity of a young officer, and that his
Lordship's hasty withdrawing of the troops from that country
laid the foundation of our subsequent reverses, he has at li ngth
resolved upon return nn his patent of Nobility into the hands of
her Majesty, of which the Queen has been graciously pleased to
signify her acceptance.
We have been given to understand, on authority which we
have every reason to trust in, that subsequent to the untimely
decease of the late Earl of Munster, a letter written by that
unfortunate nobleman was found amongst his papers, and for-
warded to an illustrious personage, soliciting the extension to-
wards his contemplated orphan family of the same allowance
from the privy purse as had previously been granted to his
Lordship.

TRANSMISSION OF LETTERS.
MONTHLY STATEMENT OF LETTERS DELIVERED IN
TILE UNITED KINGDOM :
Week ending :March 20, 1842 . 3,964,28a'
Week ending March 21, 1841 . 3,721,45
Week ending Nov. '24, 1839 . . 1,585,973
Increase since 1841, on the week's
letters . . . .
Increase since 1839, on the week's
letters

242,831

2,378,313

MEETING AT PLYMOUTH
AGAINST THE INCOME TAX,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE 517117.
have just returned from a completely crammed
meeting, held in the Guildhall of this town, and convened by
order of the Mayor, for the purpose of considering the proposed
measure of Sir It. Peel with regard to the imposition of an
income tax, which meeting has lasted from noon till near six
o'clock. The Tories, by inserting paragraphs in their neoly-
staited paler, and by placards posted about the town, in which
tistev described the tax as one placed upon the rich to the ex-
clusion of the poor, endeavoured to get up the steam and erlist
the working classes in their favour. At the meeting they
mustered in all thin. strength; they soaped over the working
men and exhausted their powers of oratory in proposing
and endeavouring to carry a vote of confidence in the measures
of thoir pet man, Sir It. Peel. But alas for their cause ; as.
be fore, even so row, Toryism, disguise it as they will, whe-
ther by a sliding scale to keep out corn, or by the imposition of
an odious income tax, w ill not, cannot be thrust down the throats
of the Plymouth men, and a resolution proposed by, would you
believe it, a gentleman who has been a Tory all his life, but
who remembers the iniquity of the last tax on income, was
carried by on overwhelmniug majority, denouncing the Unposi-
tnm of this most unjust, inquisitorial, obnoxious and abominable
tax in no measured terms. Let all other constituencies be as de-
termined us that of Plymouth, and Master Double-face will have
to do as he has threatened, fall with the income tax.
I am, Sir, A MAN OF PLYMOUTH.
Tuesday Evening, April 5, 1842.

THE INCOME TAX.
ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS.

Yesterday a public vestry meeting at the inhabitants of the
above parish was heM to consider the propriety of urffin., upon
the Legislature the justice and necessity of subjecting landed
property to the same probate and legacy duties as all other
property is liable to.—W. Richard Cobbett, Churchwarden, in
the Chair.

Mr. 11. Poe NCEY said that they were assembled to eonsider
a inost important question, of which the industrious classes
were in a great measure ignorant. When a party died worth
personal property, that property was subject to probate and.
legacy duties, while landed or real property passed to the
legatee free of those duties. Even before the widow or son
could touch a shilling of personal property, they had to pay
st•"^"p duties. The average of the various sums thus paid
amounted to I/. 9s. per cent., yet the landed pro-
perty exceeded the personal by one-third, and was
free from probate duty. After paying the probate
duty, and before any distribution of the property took place,
the widow and children had to pay an additional one per
cent., nephews, &c., Once per cent., and strangers had to pay
ten per cent. R a man married a widow with children, and if
he bequeathed his property to those children, they had to pay
ten per cent. on that property. Should they remain silent
while such a state of things existed, and when an additional
impost was about being fixed upon them in the shape of an
income tax ? ( Hear, hear.) According to the data afforded
by Mr. Pitt and Sir Robert Peel, there was no difficulty in
ascertaining the amount of real property, which, according to
these calculations, exceeded that of personal by one-third.
The estimated annual amount of probate and legacy duties was
1,869,0001. ; therefore the same duties imposed upon landed pro-
perty would produce '2,585,000/. It was said that she ad valorem
duty upon lands was an equivalent to those duties. That he de-
nied; for in the transfer of lands front A to B, the ad valorem
duty was only 11. 4s. ;3d., while the probate was IL 9s. The per-
sonal property had also, in its transfer, to pay duty for bonds, and
the purchase of shares. The animus of the party who insisted
upon preserving land from those duties was exhibited by the
following :--11 a man bequeathed 10,000 acres to his children,
they had no legacy duty to pay ; but if his children sold that
land, the purchase money would have to pay the legacy duties,
because they ceased to be landholders.--( Cheers.) He con-
cluded by moving the first resolution.
Alr. J. W. SMITH seconded it.

Mr. WiLsoN moved the second resolution, and said that if
the people were able to do justice to themselves they would call
upon the landed interest to pay up the deficiency, which would
effect a reduction of one million of the national debt.
This resolution was seconded and carried.
_ _

Mr. WESTERTON moved the third resolution.
Mr. RIDGEWAY seconded the resolution. He said the in-
come tax was not intended to meet, the revenues of the State,
but was intended as a loan to a party of merchants to enable
them to carry on a war in which, perhaps, they had no right to
engage.—( Hear, hear.) However, there was little doubt but
that the Russians contemplated an attack upon our Indian pos-
sessions. It was, therefore, necessary that they should provide
for the safety of those possessions.
Mr. Churchwarden HAWKES moved the fourth resolution,
wLich was carried.

Air. LE BRETON moved the appointment of a Committee to
carry into effect the resolutions, and to adopt measures to effect
an union of the surrounding parishes to assist in subjecting
landed property to probate and legacy duties.
It was then unanimously resolved that the resolutions be ad-
vertised in the Morning Advertiser, Tenses, Chronicle, Her old
Sun, and Globe.

Thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the meeting
broke up.

MONEY MARKET .nd CITY NEWS.

FROM THE MORNING TAPERS OF yESTERD•Y.
CHRONlCLE.—Complaints are made by the merchants
and others connect 4 d with our West India trade, against the
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, on account of the delay,
confusion, and want of organisation and order in their ar-
rangemenze for sailing their vessel. The merchants have been
exposed to great inconvenience for want of remittances fro.n
13arbadoes, owing to the non-arrival of the mails, and the
colonial press is bitter against the conduct of the Company.
Some allowance should be made, perhaps, at the outset of the
concern for a little want of harmony ; but the faults in this
ease are so serious, that the public have a right to expect a
full and satisfactory explanation from the Directors, and an as-
surance that similar mistakes to the past shall not occur for the
future.

The maintenance of the sliding-scale frustrates all expecta-
tions of throwing open the corn-trade between this country
and the United States, a fact which of itself ought to unite all
the friends of free-trade in a determination to resist the con-
tinuance of the new scale with the same vigour as they used to
upset the old law of 1525. It is stated by Nlessrs. Lizardi that
their English advices seldom reach by steam under thirty days,
and that forty-five days may be considered as the average pas-
sage either way for sailin2 ships, so that three months are re-
quired to return an order executed to England, and to
enable the British manufacturer who sends his goods to
New Orleans for sale to receive grain, or the American mer-
chant to send grain as a return. The Americans say truly
that, although it is of great consequence to their producers
that their grain and provisions should be admitted into our
ports at moderate duties, the amount of these duties affects
them less than the regulations under which they are to be
levied, and that while the duties are subject to sudden and.
violent variations, whicli do not admit of previous calculation,
their products must be excluded from our markets. The new
scaie of duties on foreign corn is based upon the principle that
the British corn trade is to be considered subsidiary to the
principle that the home growers are to be protected by a high
range of fluctuating duties which do not admit of previous
calculation, although the variations will probably be less
sudden and vie:ent than they were under the law of 18'25.
In seasons of scarcity, however, when a large supply is wanted,
the duties will be reduced to the lowest figure, which will be
monopolised, as at present, by the neighbouring ports of Europe,
to the utter exclusion of the Americans.

DETERMINED SUIC I I )E.—At three o'clock yesterday
morning, the family of Air. Jones, zowkeeper, No. 22, Cross--
street, illackfriars-road, were aroused by a noise resembling a
rattling in the throat, proceeding from a bedroom in the same
houre, in the occupation of a young woman named Eliza Eaton.
On proceeding to the chamber, the deceased was bound
suffering from the effects of arsenic, arid with some difficulty
was removed to St. Thomas's Hospital, when, notwithstanding
every exertion un the part of the medical gentleman, she soon
afterwards expired. This is no less than the fourth time the
deceased has attempted self-destruction.
SUDDEN DEATlL—Between eight anti nine o'clOck
this morning, the following awful instance of the uncertain
t nut e of human life occurred in the family of Alr. John Luken,
of No. 3, Ebury-square (next door to the Flask Tavern), Vim-
lico. Mrs. Luken, who is the mother of a large family, was
attending to some domestic duties, surrounded by most of her
children, and apparently in her usual state of good health,
when she suddenly complained of a severe pain in the head,
ceased to exist. Her death is attributed
to an affection of the heart. It is only a few days since that
iklr. Brown the proprietor of the Flask Tavern, expired under
somewhataontill
d nearlybe ra iisnesdt a
ulipt 1
hady fell
csenseless on the floor, and before she
similar circumstances.