The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-10 00:00:00

cconti_Zbition

SUN OFFICE Three o'Cltich.

It was recently proposed at a meeting of Not-
tinghamshire Magistrates to increase the police
force for that county one-third, and the proposal,
we believe, remains over for consideration. At a
meeting of Staffordshire Magistrates, at Stafford,
on Tuesday, Lord SAN DON moved a resolution ,
that it is expedient to take measures for the in-
troduction of a more efficient system of police
into the county of Stafford, under the 2d and 3d
Of VICTORIA. After some discussion, the resolu-
tion was unanimously carried, and followed by
other resolutions, carrying into effect the Report
of a Committee. According to its recom-
mendations there will be appointed four police
superintendents to the Pottery district,
one at 1301. a year, and three at 1001.
a year, with sixty constables at weekly salaries of
Hs., 18s., and 205.; six police superintendents
and ninety constables at the same rate of pay-
ment, for the mining districts; one of the super-
intendents to be mounted, and have a salary of
150/. a year; and eight superintendents, with
seventy constables, for the rural districts of the
country. Over all there is to be a chief consta-
ble with a salary of 3301 a year. Thus we find
the country gentlemen busily engaged in orga-
nizing a pike for their own security.

What may be the cost of this new force in the
rural districts of Stafford we do not see stated,
b'tt it is proposed to levy on the Potteries
and mi►,ing districts, for the Support of
this police no less a sum tha❑ 9,2401. a•year.
Our view of what is at present good policy in our
rulers is perhaps simple and erroneous, but it
strikes us, when the country. is groaning under
the weight of local and general taxation, that
every addition to it, fur whatever purpose, is
very much to be deprecated. The Staff-yrdshire
nobles and squires have adopted a different con-
clusion, and they are helping Sir ROBERT PEEL
to destroy the incomes of the industrious classes,
and the nourishment of future industry.

In the course of the discussion Alderman
COPELAND observed, that unless the Potteries
were supplied with an additional police "he
would not atL3wer for what might occur during
the ensuing winter." From the apprehensions,
therefore, which the opulent and unpro-
ductive classcs in Staffordslihe entertain of
t'he masses engaged in productive labour,
they are about to establish a new and an addi-
tional coercive feree. The proceeding is ob-
% iously the result of fear. Instead of living like
brothers in this England of ours, class dreads
class, and tnan dreads man.

It is plain and palpable, too, that the poverty
of the people, the tumbling down of their wages,
their want of employment, and their consequent
discontent, are the causes why the COPELANDS and
the SANDONS are filled with alarm and urged on
to establish alarger protective andeoerciveforee.
But what makes the people poor and discon-
tented? Restrictions on the supply of their
food, and excessive taxation ; and without re-
moving the former, the Staffordshire 'squires are
augmenting the latter. One of the pretexts for
Corn-laws is county rates, and county rates are
to be augmented, furnishing a pretext for the
continuance of the Corn-laws. The Magistrates,
therefore, are, in a measure, the cause or all our
disorders, and the cause of their own alarm. Such
policy must end in mischief.
Coercion, we arc assured by every page of his-
tory, can only in the long run answer the pro.
posed object by ruining all prosperity. The
peace which it establishes is the peace of
desolation. It is incompatible with the
hum of energetic industry. No good there-
fore can ultimately come from the eagerness
of the Tories to carry into effect the Whif,-;
scheme of a general police. It might do were
the country very thriving, but then they would
not think of it, and it would not be requirea. It
is the wretchedness of the people which begets
the necessity for constables, and supplies them.
Were they prosperous, men would not be found
for the unpleasant occupation. But when the
wages of labour are Bs. or 93. a.week, the pay of
a constable 16s. or 9.05. will be opulence and
case. To us it is a singular spectacle, to see
the opulent and unproductive classes of England
ionncetshseatilntls: and rivetting fetters
tesntrgiaoguesdainndfoprrgoidnguetive classes. Such
is not the end nor approved object of Govern-
ment,Nn interests
of such Corn-
and in despite of the calculating prudence
COPELAND, and the
ests
soofrdsuidcheamreenforasAlderman
their ov
Corn-
law makers as Lord SANDON, we venture to pre-
dict that their protective and coercive police will
hasten the national decay.

Jut pated, people are everywhere
beginning s a sae
to aucry ci
out against the Income-tax.
The shoe pinches, even before it is well on to the
foot. " We daily hear," t
says a Morning Con-
temporary," of mercantile establishments in the
City, of reputation as unimpeachable as any of
her Majesty's Ministers, being served with sun-
charges by a huckster or vender of small wares,
residing in some obscure alley or lane in their
loCality." But this, though:nuite bad enough, is
not, it seems, the worst part of the business.
The same authority adds,
that it has
good reason to believe that the per centage of
the tai:-collector is to be doubled fur diligence
that is, of course, for speedy returns. Pleasant
prospect this for John Bull! He will now reap
the full harvest of his exertions in the cause of
Toryism. A host of ravenous harpies, in the
shape of tax-collectors, who have a direct per-
sonal interest in annoying him, inasmuch as
they will be paid in exact proportion to the ex-
tent and activity of their annoyance—a host, we
say, of these ravenous creatures will avail them-
selves of every opportunity of subjecting him
to their paltry, teazing importunities and insults,
and establish a raw in his temper which they will
take good care shall not very .sooa heal. We
cannot say we think honest John wholly un-
deserving of such treatment. He was desirous
of having, what he called, a respectable set of
men to govern him, and he is now paying the
penalty of his lore of respectability. Seven-
pence in the pound is the exact sum John Bull
pays for his admiration of the genteel and the
respectable I
That the clamour against the Income-
tax will very shortly be universal, and
that the proposed doubling of the per centage of
the collectors will add greatly to the popular
detestation of the impost, we have not the
slightest doubt; but what will Sir ROBERT PEEL
care for all this general discontent? What will
he care, even though Anti-Income-tax Meetings
should be held in every county, town, and village
throughout the kingdom, so long as he can com-
mand his present subservient majority in Parlia-
ment ? He has a giant's strength, and he
knows it ; and like a giant, will he use that
strength, utterly indifferent as to whether
his measures are popular, or the reverse. In
the partieular case of the Income-tax, however,
he bad some grounds for supposing that his pro-
position would be readily agreed to by the
people, for, when it was first broached, scarce a
whisper was heard against it, out of Parliament.
No meetings were held—no remonstrances made
—and the petitions, considering the repulsive
nature of the impost, were singularly few. But
now, when the tax is fairly clapped on John
Bull's back, and his broad shoulders ache under
the burden—new, when the nuisance is no longer
distant, but brought to his own door ;—in a
word, now, when it is too late, honest John be-
gins to cry out against the Income-tax, and to
abuse his respectable friend, Sir ROBERT PEEL,
for having saddled him with it. John 'Bull—
John Bull, you may as Well bold your tongue,
and be resigned, for say what you please—do what
you please—you will not prevent the collector
from honouring you with an official visit twice a •
year, for at least five years to come.

The Spuch of the Elt:,a of the BELGIANS, on
opening the Chamlwrs is very satisfactory Qllll,ll