The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-23 00:00:00

PAIZZA.`riZENTII.7ZY.

Amougt the petitions presented to the Lords last night, was
one by Lord Brougham, to exempt Mechanics' Institutes from
the asessed taxes. His Lordship stated that some mercantile
holses had saved from 1,0001. to 3,0001. a year from the re-
duction of po-tage.
There was to have been a commission, and the House was
to have adjourned till April 7th, but by some accident the com-
mission could not be found, and their Lordships therefore
meet this day.
In the Committee Mr. Bankes gave an explanation of the
eh eumstarxes of the Dorsetshire Magistrates having committed
persons to the quarter sessions instead of the assizes, as has
been said to avoid paying fees for the defence of the prisoners.
Mr. Ashworti was brought to the bar and repremant ed
by the Speaker for interfering with a witness on the Clitheroe
Election Committee.

Sir Charles Napier moved a series of resolutions, having for
their object to improve the navy. A considerable debate ensued,
in which Sir James Graham, Captain Berkeley, Lord Ingestrie,
Captain Pechell, Sir B. Peel, and Mr. C. Wood, took part;
in the end the resolutions were rejected by the previous question.
Subsequently the House was occupied by Mr. O'Brien's 'no-
tion for papers relating to the case of Flanagan, whom some
gentlemen are accused of having murdered in a lark, by setting
fire to his clothes, after they had poured oil of turpentine over
them.

Lord Eliot explained the course of the Government, which
seems to have been proper on the occasion.
The papers were not refused.
Committees were appointed to inquire into the state of the
British possessions on the West coast of Africa and the state of
the different West India Colonies in reference to the existi g
relations between employers and labourers.
The House adjourned at a quarter past one o'clock.
PUBLIC OPINION.

The Morning Adr ertiser, speaking of the opinions of the
Tory Press on.the subject of the income tax, says :—" They
cannot afford to compliment the Minister at the expense of
their own circulation, and they know pretty well that there is
scarcely one in a hundred of their readers who does not scout
the income tax, in the shape in which Sir Robert Peel seems
resolved to force it down, as one of the most oppressive mea-
sures that the present generation has ever been subjected to."
The Post observe, of the income tax :—" This is the mo-
ment at which the aid of a really Conservative Press to the
Government of the country is most required. All taxes are, of
course, unpopular— an income tax is especially so, because it is
so obviously a tax, and because not only the reality but the
hope of evading it is forbidden. But this much all we Con-
servatives admit, that the time has come for making a great
exertion to restore the country to a sound financial condition."
The Times says :—" In our yesterday's article on the pro-
posed income tax we observed, that the principles on which
such a taz must be founded—the only principles on which a
rich man can at any time be called upon to contribute more to
the defence or adsoinistrati in of the country than a poor one
—were, first, that he could afford to pay ; secondly, that he
received a greater amount of valuable arrtection from the
State. Except upon these principles, we cannot conceive why
a tax should take the form of a per tentage on income at all—
why in its stead we should not impose an equable poll-tax,
say ss. per head per annum, on all her Majesty's taxable sub-
jects, putting those. into prison who have not the money to pay.
And on those principles we are at a loss to understand how Sir
R. Peel can refuse the practical conclusion which seems to us
to flow from it inevitably and immediately."
The Chronicle thus refers to the income tax:-"It is by
stealing a march on public opinion that such an unjust tax can
be imposed on the countiy. The necessities of the country
are not such as to reconcile it to the most unequal and unfair of
all conceivable imposts, withcut taking into consideration the
inquisitorial machinery by which alone the tax on trades and
professions can be raised. It is, in every sense of the word, a
revolutionary tax. Under the pretence of subjecting all in-
comes to the same rate, the most revolting injustice is about to
be perpetrated. No distinction is made between capital and
interest."

The Herald, noticing a communication from a Correscon-
dent, signed " John Englishman," on the subject of the in-
come tax, makes the following remarks The real question
is that put by John Englishman, Is justice done to all (daises
when, in imposing an income tax, the higher is let off at what
is really a lighter rate than that paid by the middle
class? Sir Robert Peel may depend upon it that, should
he carry through the House of Commons his present
proposition, he will thereby establish a grievance in a
section of the commuaity in a matter which must tell
against him at the next. general election. ' Next after the
cravings of physical want,' most truly writes our correspondent,
' this feeling of grievance has been tne greatest political actor.'
The defect which Sir Robert Peel has engrafted on the income
tax is not, John Englishman points out, an unavoidable de-
fect— to lay an unvarying per centa7..e on properties of all
kinds is not essential to such an impost; and what the people
have a right to demand from Sir Robert Peel is not merely a
good measure, but the best possible measure that can be
devised."

MONEY—TRADE—COMMERCE.
At a meeting of the Proprietors of the L• ndon and Green-
wich Railway, at the London Tavern on Monday, it was stated
that there was a balance in hand, after every deduction, of
9311. 91. 3d. The passenger traffic showed a decrease of
1,6351., compared with the preceding half year ; but the
Brighton tolls had increased to 9871. I 3s. 3d.
The Artists' Benevo!ent Fund held their annual meeting at
the Freeinasons"Tavern on Monday. The total receipts for the
year were 1,2471. 11s. 4d., and the payments, including widows
and orphans, to 1,1821. Ils., leaving a balance in hand of
651. Os. 4d.-

LAW AN] POLXCE.

A journeyman plasterer, named Ceok, obtained a verdict on
Saturday last, at the York Assizes, against his employer, named
Sjkes, for false and malicious imprisonment, and damages were
returned at 20/.
Divers squabbles have lately occurred between the propri •
etora of the Greenwich Pier Company and the watermen, who
have erected a pier adjacent to the former. On Monday, at the
Mansion-house, three labouring men, employed by the Com-
pany, appeared in answer to a charge with unloading a quantity
of soil into the River, thereby obstructing access to the Water-
mens' Pier, and injuring their traffic and business. The de-
fendants were fined 405. each, which was foregone by the
Solicitor, on promise of non-repetition
Thomas Bartram, who carried on the business of a draper at
Seven Oaks, Kent, and whose debts for a period of nine or ten
months, had accumulated to about 1,4001. underwent exami.
nation before the Bankruptcy Court on Monday ; his statement
of a burglary upon him to the amount of 115/. in cash, and
2501. in goods, being doubted. The Court remarked on the
suspicion of the case, but‘were of opinion he must be re'eased
from his present position, while the evidence was nofsufficient
to commit hini to Newgatc.
Witlism Pitts was tried at the Exeter assize,, en Saturday,
on the charge of murdering, and subsequently robbing Nathaniel
Bennett, in the parish of St. Leonard's, last July. The priso-
ner was acquitted of the murder, found guilty of the robbery,
and sentenced to fifteen years transportation.
The Master of the Rolls decided on Monday the case of
Strange against Dr. Turner and others, which was a suit
brought by the plaintiff to obtain the dissolution of an injunc-
tion granted to restrain the defendants from recovering the
amount of two bills of exchange, for 2,0007. alleged to be due
by the plaintiff. The order to dissolve the injunction was
made absolute by the Court.
LITERARY AND SCIENTIC.
The Admiral have bestowed eniMrs. Skyring, the widow of
Commander Sayring, who was killed by the natives near Cape
13°X0, on the coast of Africa, in December, 18.33, while making
observations for the Government, a situation in Somerset
House.
The late Earl of Monster
occasionally employed himself on
literary topics. In 1827 he published three papers is the
Journal Aszatique, on the employment of Mahomedan trier-
cenaries. He has also published an account of the campaign
of 1804 in Spain ar.d Portugal, together with other short con-
tributions to lighter lit,e ature.
SPORT/NV.
, about two miles from
The Queen's hounds meet today at Ivor Hea'h, an! on
Saturday
will be
Blackutnhceart
e dat
lasetgo
Stoke
13 tc*clofmc nmt .0 n On Ester Monday the
deer
the station at Slough.
0 ON.I.R.T—TASHI°II"X`2*
The Right Hon. C. Arbuthnot arrived at Apsley House on
Friday, on a visit to the Duke of Wellington, from his seat in
Northamp•onshire.
The Duke of Wellington is expected to leave Apsley House
to-ntorrow, for Strathfieldsaye.
It is reported that the Earl of Jersey will receive the Gartc r,
vacant by the death of the Duke of Norfolk.
The Marchioness of Londonderry will open Holderness
House on the 7th of April.
itensacEzczal.TrEOUS.
Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of Goethe in
1812, and of the burning of Archbishop Crammer in 1556.
The State apartments of Windsor Castle will be opened to
the public, es usual, on and after Monday next, the 25th inst ,
between the hours of 11 and 4, Wednesdays and •
Saturdays
excepted.
The Italian Oera-singers are arriving by degrees. 'Signor
Ronconi will be here end of , the week -
b y th e
sarn, time Madame Frezzolini and Signor Poggi are expected.
ts.o early as the year 925 the office of Coroner was in ex-
ist""=o,a- appears by a Charter of King Athelstan's to Bever,y.
Edward the Fol-r3i was the first t ho erep,,erekl tilt a.zay,)r
and Commonalty of London, among other privileges, to elect
a Coroner.