The Sun. — 1842-04-22 (London, England)

PHILIPPE. He has before now forced the French to do hoinago to hit vigour ; he was never before for his servility degraded by their praise. What then is the vigorous measure which is so phering to the Fieneh Journalist? We only know that it takes away his property on false pretexts by an atuny of cornIliissioners and tax-gatherers. As for understanding the Income-tax law, that is beyond JoaN BULL'S comprehension. On its outside it bears this significant mark, " under 20 oz." The law which he is to obey, therefore, which is to be a rule of life: (like the command, "thou shalt not steal"), is contained in a book which weighs something less, without any c iver, than I Vb. troy. It is so cumbrous, that no journal will probably publi'sli it entire, and Dile Tory print said yesterday— " It is quite impracticable for us to print this Bill, as it contains no fewer th in 189 clauses, which, together with saledules, forms of tillidavits, and other explanatory matter, occupy 130 cloiely printed pages."  Such a law will mean whatever the Commissipners and interpreters choose to make it say. To the bulk of the people it will be " heathen Greek." They will be governed and plundered by a law which they cannot comprehend. It is a restoration of the age of mysticism as well as plunder. To us that ::ecins the climax of degra. dation. It is bad enough to have our Government praised by the Journals of Lours PurraPpt, but to b.: compelled to obey a law which is so voluminous, complicated, and perhaps, contradictory, that not one man ia a million can understand it, is to be the slaves of in,c o preh e n sible jargon.  The determined opposition given last night by the Ministers to Mr. S. CRAWFORD'S motion must undeceive the working classes, if any of them. yet suppose that the Tories will help them to political power. The Tories have of late been flattering the people a little, and have pretended that they were studying the benefit of the working classes, bat it was only as a good farmer takes care of his cattle, to get as much work out of them as possible. The Tories want more revenue, more money ; they avow that they cannot get any more from the bulk of the people till their condition be. improved, and therefore they spare them, they say, flPrtaxation ; but they wil no more allow them to have a share of law-making than the farmer will allow his oxen or his swine to take up their abode in his carpeted parlour. The' Tories are by their very nature opposed to the people. Their political creed is, that the people must obey, and that they must be the masters of the people. Last night they merely spoke and acted as they are always inclined to speak and act. Their existence as politicians is bound up with class privilege; and class legislation ; and to ask them to give Universal Suffrage, is to ask them to commit political suicide.  We were somewhat astonished yesterday to learn that the Columbia could not get her broken engine repaired at Halifax. There is a Royal Dockyard at Halifax, and the Navy List contains the name of ALEXANDER EiAOTT as Storekeeper there. That establishment, however, and the whole town of Halifax, were unable to repair the damage of the Columbia, and she was navigated across the ocean by her sails and one paddle. We are not acquainted with Mr. CUNARD'S arrangements, and cannot therefore say what precautions he may have taken to provide against accidents ; but we should think that it was incumbent on him to have spare gear at the port his vessels stop at, and the means of repair: ing any ordinary damage.. W e must, therefore, 4xpreAs our surprise that such was not the case for the Columbia. We must express still stronger surprise thatthe damage could not be repaired in Halifax. It is now ninetythree years since that town was founded. It has a noble harbour, where a thousand ships might ride in safety. It has long been the chief resort of her MAJEsTv's fleets in those seas, and its dockyard is said to be supplied with all kinds of stores for the Royal Navy. At present, that navy comprises a considerable number of steam-ships, and the dockyard, if kept up at all, ought to., be provided with stores for them, and with all the means.oP keeping them in repair. That the Columbia was obliged to come home from such a place with one paddle, reveals to us, better than would many volumes of statistics, th backward and neglected state of Halifax, with all possible advantages as to extent of territory, proximity to England, and great conveniences of trade. at the end of nearly one hundred years it has scarcely attained the size and rank of a third-rate town of the .United States. Such comparatively slow progress is not creditable, either to the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, or the Government of Great Britain.  But if it cannot repair a steam-boat, we shall be told that it can supply an author and a book ? SAM SLICK has made Halifax renowned, and though he cannot teach the Blue Noses engincering, he can hold up the Yankees to never-ending ridicule. The contrast, may serve as an illustration of the progress of civilisation in our American Colonies, and in the United States. In our colonies it leads towards the agreeable—it grows from a Government more polished than the people—it it something partly derived from the Court and the Government ; in the neighbouring United States civilization is towards the useful, and grows from the natural laws which determine the progress of nations. We will not say that the ibrmer may not have the most charms for certain classes, but it has this terrible defect, that it keeps the country behind in population and in wealth, and exposes it in the end to be swallowed up by the nation in which the useful is the guiding principle.  - _