A WORD TO ELECTORS : " TAKE CARE OF YOUR

POCKETS."

WE fancy that by "much meditating" we have penetrated the true policy of the lately threatened dissolution—assuming that the rumour once so rife as to be " in everybody's mouth" had any real foundation. Seeing the result of the elections at Walsall, Canter- bury, and East Surrey, and looking at several places, now returning Liberals, where success is still more uncertain than it seemed in either the aforesaid county or boroughs, it appeared like madness in the Ministry to throw away a keep-out-the-Tories majority, for a Par- liament whose majority, whatever it might be, would be inclined to let the Tories in. Something, no doubt, was to be allowed for the Whig scheme of leaving Sir ROBERT PEEL with a House elected under their auspices, and denying him, through bedchamber influ- ence, the power to dissolve. But was not this, like NAPOLEON'S plan of the campaign of Waterloo—a masterly conception, too fine for ac- tion ? We say nothing of the discredit attaching to the Crown by making it a party to a trick if successful, or the personal defeat that would fall upon the Sovereign if the project happened to mis- carry—nothing of the pecuniary injury that would accrue to many a hapless " friend" drawn into the expenses of a couple of con- tested elections rapidly succeeding each other. But would the "proximate Premier" and his coadjutors be such ninnies as to take office without a dissolving power? and if they stood out under a new Parliament, their terms must be granted, and the Crown and its wearer have the satisfaction of being baffled in the attempt to perpetrate a shabby trick. . Pondering over these points without satisfaction, we were driven to cogitate further : and we deemed at last, that it might be no Court intrigue, no endeavour at factious triumph over a party antagonist, that prompted the reported dissolution, but that " ne- cessity" which "has no law." For some years past we have been " outrunning the constable," and to an extent, in one of our little wars, which we will exhibit presently. Syria has yet to be paid for, China yet to be carried on, and the status of an " armed peace" in Europe to be maintained, not to mention the heaving in America. The votes for all this the Reformed Parliament will pass readily enough ; but gentlemen in their fourth sessional existence may pause when it comes to raising the wind, and shrink from the imposition of new taxes. Nay, conscience in some, prudence in others, and party feeling in many, may lead them (who knows ?) to require some distinct statement of how we are going on, and to strive to put a stop to the Moll Flaggon principle of finance.* Under any circumstances, we can fancy the Budget is a matter to be postponed as long as possible, or evaded altogether if practicable. But a new Parliament, with the hope of a full natural life before it, would not be quite so squeamish as one which has passed its grand climacteric and is turning an eye towards its latter end ; whilst the Tory leaders, we dare say, would willingly come into any thing in reason, if the Whigs would only undertake to put on the new taxes. Therefore, John Bull, look to your pockets. If a dissolution come, care not for the colours or the cry of your candidate—put hint to the question on taxation and finance : ask him all about it.

Enough for a general hint : the man of figures may like a little proof in support of our divination. In 1837 we were at peace, for the news of the outbreak in Ca- nada did not arrive till December. That rising may be said to have been quelled in 1838 and the early part of 1839 ; but a glance at the following table will show that a warlike expenditure does not cease with war, and that the real expenditure for Syria and China has scarcely begun to be felt.

TABLE SHOWING THE ANNUAL INCREASE OR DECREASE OF THE EX- PENDITURE FOR THE ARMY, ORDNANCE, AND NAVY, SINCE 1837.t Iuwease beyond.

1037.

£294,000 21,000 369,000 507,000 187,000 740,000 847,000 These additions do not, however, show the whole increase of warlike expenditure in the last three years. There have been sums directly voted for Canadian expenses, and one little item for China—just to book places for the trip ; the reckoning for the jaunt itself will come here- after.

1838. " Army and Ordnance : Insurrection in Canada " 500,000

1839. Insurrection in Canada 647,000 1840. Insurrection in Canada 553,000 „ China Expedition 150,000

Deduct— X4,815,000 Decrease in the Ordnance in 1838 £60,000

Decrease in the Navy 1838 230,000 £290,000 Increase in the Military Expenditure since 1837 64,525,000 Had we possessed a surplus revenue, its expenditure on warlike objects, instead of its application to repeal taxes or pay off debt, would have been bad enough ; but during the whole period we were exceeding our income. See-

1837. " Excess of Expenditure over Income" X655,000 1838. Ditto 345,000 1839. Ditto 1,512,000 1840. Ditto 1,593,000 .f.4,105,000

1837. ARMY

X6,521,000 1838. Ditto—first year of Canada War 6,815,000 1839. Ditto—Canada pacified 6,542,000 1840. Ditto 6,890,000

1837. ORDNANCE

1,444,000 1838. Ditto 1,384,000

Decrease in 1838

60,000 1839. Ordnance 1,951,000 1840. Ditto 1,631,000

1837. NAVY

4,750,000 1838. Ditto 4,520,000

Decrease in 1838

230,000 1839. Navy 5,490,000 1840. Ditto 5,597,000

Is there a prospect of improvement in the revenue ? None at all. The Chancellor of the Exchequer estimated the increasefrom his per- centages and new spirit-tax at upwards of 2,300,0001. The decrease on the year, according to the quarterly returns, was 254,0001.; bnt the diminution from the change in the postage was upwards of a million, and the additional taxes have not come into complete operation ; so that how much the new taxes have fallen short cannot be told exactly. But one fact is clear enough—they will fall short. Another fact is equally significant : the addition of taxes in the Customs may be rated in round numbers at 1,000,0001. ; in the last quarter of 1840 this addition should have been in full yield, but there was a decrease of 398,0001.

So much for an improvement in the revenue. Is there any chance of retrenchment ? Read the hint in the Queen's Speech- " However sensible of the importance of adhering to the principles of economy, I feel it to be my duty to recommend that adequate provision be made for the exigencies of the public service." Or, if the reader wishes something more specific, he may look to the Estimates just printed. In the Army a slight increase in the Effec- tive Service is balanced by the decrease in the Dead-weight, but in the Ordnance we have an additional estimated expenditure over last year of 186,0001., and in the Navy of 729,0001. ; and this under circumstances we believe without a parallel in our financial history. These are matters that require looking after by some wiser persons than Parliamentary charlatans. If, therefore, the whole batch are to be turned loose upon the country, we repeat with Mr. DONALD- SON the runner at the pit-door, "Gentlemen, take care of your

pockets!"

* Air, Moll Flaggon.

a Come, my soul,

Post the cote;

I must beg or borrow: Fill the can,

You're my man-

'Tis all die same to•morrow."

The authorities are—the FInance Accounts for 1837, 1838, and 1839, Account No. 4; and for 1840, Parliamentary Payer, 1841, No.4.