The Sun. — 1865-11-17 (London, England)

THE LATE CASE OF ALLEGED POISONING BY A SWEETHEART, AT SALISBURY.—Wm. John Storer, the surgeon's assistant lately charged with administering strychnia to Miss Emily Sophia Blake, the daughter of Mr. Blake, surgeon, of Salisbury, has, since his committal, endeavoured to obtain poisonous drugs, with the view, it is supposed, of committing suicide. He wrote out a prescription under an assumed name, and addressing a letter to Messrs. Savory and bthore, of London, succeeded in inducing a newly engaged turnkey to post it for him, a further arrangement being also made for the " medicine," on its arrival, to bo left at the turnkey's house. Messrs. Savory and Moore, finding that the prescription included a dose of morphia more than sufficient to destroy life, immediately put themselves in communication with the police at Salisbui y. The result of their investigation went to prove collusion between the turnkey and the prisoner. The turnkey was at once suspended, and a further inquiry into the matter has been entered upon by the .visiting justices.  We are now, however, informed that these calculation; favourable as they appeared, underrated the productiveness of the revenue, and exaggerated the probable expenditure. The actual income of the American Government for the quarter ending at Michaelmas last was upwards of £29,000,000, representing a yearly sum of £120,000,000, instead of £80,000,000, or an excess of 50 per cent. above the estimate. At the same time Mr. MiCulloch had reduced his estimate of the year's expenditure to £52,000,000 in. place of £70,000,000, so that the gain would be equally remarkable on both sides of the sheet. Nor are these new figures necessarily to bo suspected. We observed at the time that the calculation of £70,000,000 as the expenditure of an ordinary year was so liberal as to savour of extravagance, and that it would probably be found to admit of reductions when brought to test. The receipts, again, of the last quarter represent a mere matter of fact, though we are not told whether the quarter question can be taken as a fair sample. The general statement, however, does undoubtedly suggest a most favourable view o American Finances—so favourable, indeed; as to make us fear that the Americans may be proposing too much ; but there are certain points on which information is still very desirable.  If it should prove that the wants of the Union do really not exceed £50,000,000 or £60,000,000, it cannot reasonably be expected that the Amer 'cans should be willing to have twice that sum extracted from their pockets. They will ask, of course, for the repeal of superfluous taxes. We should do the same, and it has, indeed, been the policy of financiers generally to keep the strain upon the national resources as small as possible. Mr. Gladstone stands almost alone in his desire to see the public debt reduced by more active treatment than we apply to the case, anti it is commonly thought that if we render the charge of the debt easily supportable by relieving taxpayers from prossure we are doing enough. The Americans, it is true, are so far in accord with their Chancellor of the Exchequer at this minute that they express a decided objection to the perpetuation of the burden which they have assumed. They have loudly declared that, in some way or other, the debt must be rapidly liquidated, and that a new country like theirs cannot resign itself patiently to the incubus endured by the uld nations of the world. But we are already told that they may be expected to rebel against the only policy by which their desires could be gratified, nor aro we surprised at the spectacle. The sight of a people raising £60,000,000 for current needs, and £60,000,000 more for payments of their debts, would be an unparalleled phenomenon. At this rate the Americans might unquestionably clear off their whole debt in ten years' time, but the speculation is too incredible to be entertained.  The truth is, such works are works less of effort than of endurance. It is very easy to borrow, but not so easy to pay. The mere calculation that the people of the United States can, if they please, raise a surplus revenue of £60,000,000, and that the present estimates of income and expenditure would really present this result, is in itself an extraordinary testimony to the resources of iho country. But we are not believers in the theory of convulsive action as applied to Finan.ce. We place greater reliance in the steady operation of moderate or insensible forces. We know well that the Americans can pay their way if they please, and if they should make fair provision for doing so, and for cancelling their debts by easy and graceful instalments, they would be doing quite enough to establish their financial credit in the eyes of the world. It would not be good policy, according to our notions of finance, to attempt much beyond this—at any rate, at first. The Americans have given proof of many things, but there is one thing of which proof has to come yet, and that is their ability to bear pressure patiently for years together without the excitement of national strife or triumph. It is in their interest that we should regret to see this pressure applied too severely in the first stage of the experiment.—Tizzies.