Star.
London, England, 1817-09-04 00:00:00

FRENCH PAPERS.

The Paris Papers of Monday arrived this morning.
The public rejoicings in honour of the Fete of St.
Louis, which were postponed on account of the wea-
ther till Sunday last, took place on that day. under
the happiest artficts. The weather was uncom-
monly fine, and the multitude which poured forth
from all quarters, animated with one common senti-
ment of gaiety, was immense. The Duke of AN.
C:OI.:LEME, in a strict incognito, accompanied by two
Aidcs-de-Camp, joined the throng in the Chamrs
Elysecs, and after amusing himself by observing the
various spectacles and diversions, returned on toot to
the Thuilleries.

Davousr, has been promoted, agreeably to the
announcement contained in onr y:sterday's extracts,
to the dignity of tgarshal. He received bis baton
from his Majesty's hands on Sunday.

It will be seen from the Madrid article subjoined,
that the opposition to the much-applauded financial
plan of M. (litany is not confined to the priesthood
whom it so particularly affects, hut is participated in
by persons of all ranks and classes. The fact is, that
though founded on a principle of indisputable excel-
hence—the duty of all to contribute equally to the
protection of all—yet from there being no previously
existing valuation of the property and income of the
clutory to regulate the repartition of the general
sum of contribution, it muat be liable in its applica-
tion to many oppressive and irritating partialities.
It miy be enough to convey a perfect idea of the
operation of this plan to Englishmen to call to
their ttcollection what an ill-allotted Property Tax,
now happily no mote, was in their own coon-,
try. The same iejurious exposures—the same its•
quisitorial ictutiniesthe saute arbitrary surcharges',
—the same cruel oppressi,ns, which Englishmen
have hollered, under that tax, have now become
the lot ot‘ the potpie o( Spain, under a system of
milar ezcelltnce in principle, but from causes of a
liar nature, of no better effect in practice. M. GA-
II A Y seems to have locked more to the end of his plan
than to the means by a hich it is to be attained: No-
thing is easier than to erjoin that every sort of intima-
tely shall be avoided in the repartition of the general
contribution—but how this inequality call be avoitted,
when it is at the same time expressly admitted, as
was done in a former publication of this Minister's,
" that there is an universal want of cadastres (land
registers) and of modes of assessment adapted to the
system of qua/ eoniribut;on," it •is dillicult to conceive.
—The money may perhaps be got by the period the
Minister has fired, but it v,ill most assuredly not be
got without much and serious ittlary in the exactiois.
The valuation, or Cadorere, which he invites the pro
ptietnrs of lands to [(Award, cannot be the work of a
day or even of years ; but the wants of the State are
im ~ediate, and must br supplied, whether that valu-
ation is perfected or not, and as it may this happens
without any valuation at ail.—Spain, in a financial
respect, is now exactly in the same situation in which
France was at the commencement of the Revoluti)r,
and the following summary of what has since been
done in France will strew what yet remains to be
done on the other side of the Pyrennees, before any
thing like an equal system of contribution can be
pretended to exist :
1. At the

of the Revolution, the Constituent
Assembly saw the necessity of reforming the defects of the old
system of tuadon, and consequently ordained the execution of
a CoLuke, or Land Register, throughout France, as the only
-ffectual remedy.
2. After attempting to execute it by mare:otos of erbioatioß,
perceiving the inadequacy of that method for assessing each core
tributor, s promprtion tubas real intense, they wire obliged to

have retsurse to a tartellary Cadost,t, comprehending a survey
and valuation in particular propirties.
The execution of this measure was commenced in 1806,
from which period till 1816, 8886 communes were surveyed.
and 6121 valued, forming a total of 16,007, ur nearly one-fourth
of all the communes in France.

4. Finally, to complete this process In 15 years, a providon of
5,700,000 francs annually would be required, amounting in the
whole to 85,100,000.

5. But even in its present imperfect state, such have been the
benefits resultiztg to individuJl lindholders front its partial opera-
don, that several communes have undortaken it at their own ez•
pease; and, when completed, its general effect must be, by re.
moving the inequality of the contribution, to remove the odium
of the assessment, and thus eventually to lessen the expense of
collection, and to increase the piddle income, while it remove•
the grounds of discontent, and thus augments the happiness, And
consequently the prosperity, of the whole community.