The Revenue returns for the year and . quarter are an additional
testimony to the soundness of Sir Robert. Peel's commercial policy. Practically, the revenue is unimpaired in the face of large remis- sions of taxation. It is true that, as compared with the preceding year, there is a decrease of 467,5231.- as compared with the corresponding quarter of that year, there is an increase of 144,6811. But the decrease and the increase are both too incon- siderable fractions to be taken into account in the vast calcu- lations of the British exchequer. The revenue from Customs and Excise has increased both for the year and quarter ; the Ex- cise shows a decrease of 13,025/. on the year. There is something amusing in the impudence which takes credit to Ministers for the trifling increase on the quarter, and tries to make of the equally trifling decrease on the year a serious charge against their prede- cessors. Such egregious trifling is worthy of the disciples of Mr. Disraeli.
