'The understanding that a real improvement is going on in
trade and the condition of the people, is in some degree confirmed by the Revenue-accounts just published. The serious falling-off in the previous year, indeed, is not quite recovered ; and on the year there is a considerable decrease in all the four great branches of ordinary revenue—in the Customs amounting to not less than 1,136,0001., in the Excise to 338,0001. As to the Customs, it is not to be ex- pected that the whole loss on the first operation of the reduced tariff could yet have been retrieved. The deficiency in the Excise must have been much greater, had not the alarming decrease in the earlier part of the year been considerably counterbalanced; and accordingly, on referring to the quarter's account, while we find still a decrease of 414,0001. in the Customs, there is an increase in the Excise of 240,0001., and an increase also in the other prin- cipal branches. The advance in the Excise is generally admitted as a sure test that the condition of the people has improved. It is con- tinued from the last quarter—the improvement is progressive. The total increase of revenue on the year is 4,076,0001.; on the quarter, 1,565,0001. It is said, to depreciate this really satisfactory advance, that it is made up of the Chinese money received in the previous quarter,—which is true, but the disparagement was made its full use of last quarter, to which it belonged; and of the Income-tax, which amounts in the year just ended to 5,052,0001. The Income-tax was imposed to make good the deficiency left by the Whigs, and the further deficiency anticipated from the operation of the tariff; and it is doing so beyond expectation : surely no cause this for any thing but satisfaction and hope. There is a decrease in the Post- office of 1,0001. on the year and 8,000/. on the quarter; no great amount, but a source of triumph to the opponents of the penny- postage ! It is to be remarked, in the first place, that a falling-off an the Post-office revenue is as yet too rare to found any thing on its casual occurrence; and in the next place, there is such a tendency to mystification or blundering in the accounts of the de- partment, that there is no telling but the apparent decrease may be a real increase. On the whole, while there is not much to brag of in the state of the national finances, they wear a more hopeful ap- pearance than they have done for many a day.
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