MISOELLANEOUS OORBESPONDENOE, 1859-60. 811

Word of which I have read. After all, I hardly know that
the Liverpool men could do a better service than in preach-Ing
 the abstract doctrine of direct taxation. People are
Mtracted by the advocacy of a principle, to which alone we
can feel any strong and lasting devotion. The threat of
direct taxes held over our aristocracy, may perhaps do a
littloto restrain their proneness to Government extravagance;
8nd it will help an honest Chancellor of the Exchequer to
Move forward in the path of commercial reform. There is
50 apparent tendency in your speeches to advocate the
Interest of the working class as apart from the upper
Classes, Now, I am sorry to say that whenever the case is
80 posed, there is a tendency in the middle class to range
themselves with those above them, to resist a common
danger. Your witticism of the middle class being invited to
be the squire of the class above has been realized. Therefore,
Ihave always studiously abstained from using the words
‘Working class,’ as apart from the middle class, in discussing
the question of taxation. For you see how eagerly your
Opponents parade the poor widow of 100l, a year. I cannot
Separate the interest of the small shopkeeper and the
labourer, or the manufacturer and his operatives, in the
Question of taxation. Indeed, ultimately, God has made
all our interests in the matter one and indivisible. Ido not
believe there is a hairsbreadth of difference between us, but
You seem to take the working class sometimes too exclu-Sively
 under your protection. They are quite powerless as
%pposed to the middle and upper classes, which is a good
feason why they should not be allowed to be made to
Appear to be in antagonism to both.
“There is another point on which we should not differ in
our cool moments, but on which you are sometimes carried
way in the excitement of a speech beyond me. I mean
Where you seem to assume that a wiser policy in taxation or

1859.
Ar. BB.