Star. — London, England, 1816-02-28 00:00:00

.M,.11, 7- 1 , =NI ~- ,~ .. ings of the Hone, the House would know i le tTurt e o d protect itself. and bow to assert its Own•din silty (Hear, Issan) He (the Chancellor of the Ex. chequer) confident of this, should neither fear nor I /winkle(*) any measure to which the Honourable and Learned Gentleman might think it his duty to have recourse. (Heir. hear.) With respect to the' questions which had been asked, he had only waited for the bringing up of the *petition to reply to them. For the astidiScations•which wernsPolten af. he had to observe, these mild not be aside till the Bill bad • been brought in ; and When it wee is progress he should not be wanting in his du* by/Wing Cos at. tend to the suggestioas which - asight be thrown out. As to hurrying of the maasure wigs% had been corn. plained of, it was proper to reniaelt, that if the Honig waited to receive all the petitions whitillimight be • voted, they wool probahly wait tin the laver end of next month, as till then it was prnhitle *O. proem dings would not terminate. and if ?bay were to de this, what dine would remain fox certain a measure tbmugh the House, which ought to completobe fore the sth of April t in answer to the questions hit by the Hon. Gentleman opposite Mr. Mid/leas) e begged to say that the regulations iv/hick were suggested by the two Arst.of them, could only be properly considered in the Committee. It would by for the House to introduce such modificatiohs when the Bill reached that stage, if they should . aprar proper to be adopted. With respect to the question as to the duration of the tax, he had no hesitation in saying it was intended to propose that it should cOn tinue for two years. and this he thought would be more satisfactory, than if it were stated its duration was to be limited to one, as if renewed from year to year, it would wear more of the aspect of a permanent tax. From the present situation of the country, there was reason to hope that 3t the end of two years et would not be necessary again to renew it. If much discontent bad been excited out of doors on that sub ject, it arose, not from the tax itself, but from the gross misrepresentations which had gone abroad, and from the unfounded amnia) which had been made, that to renew it would be a breach of the good faith of Parliament. ' He contended in renewing it there would be no breach of good faith. The words with which the Act had tanned, closed—" and' so longer," which declared the tax should terminate with the war, had been omitted is the Act of last year,. (Hear, hear.) Mr. METHUEN and Mr. HADDOCKS seas; stilly explained. Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY wished to be remem bered, when Ministers told them that time could act be given for the voice of the people to be expressed on this question. "beaus the present law expired on the Bth of April. that it was theta same Mainers who had called Parliament together later in the year thin it had ever been called cu die memory of any man now in that House. They knew it was in tended to propose the renewal of this tax, yet know. ing this, and knowing what must be the feelings 91 the people on the subject, they had thought simper not to assemble Parliament before. lest that the peo ple should have an opportouity of fully expressing their sentiments on this detested measure. Having acted thus, that the people might not be enabled to express their sense of it to their representatives, the Right Honourable Gentlemen now told them, that, if 4wontents bad gone abroad, these were caused, not by the Property Tat itself, but by the gross mis representations which had been circulated. and he bad denied that. in renewing it, the Parliament would break faith with the country, as. the words s and no longer,' which were in the ortAinal Act, Were sot introduced into the Bill brought in for its renewal last year. Was such the mauve of the Chancellor of the Exchequer for omitting those words r. Did he think Parliament was not pledged to abolish this war mx on the return of peace, became these words were not so be found in the last Bill ? If he had a design to 11114iUtSill this when he omitted the words in ques tion, the more manly. course for him to have pur sued would have been fairly to tell them, that he was afraid this tax must bepermanent. ' This was what he ought to have said ; for this would prove the fact, and he thought no man could so deceive himself as to believe that if this tax were voted now it would be other than permanent. It was important that the circumstances under which this tax was first pro posed, and wider which it was now to be renewed, should be considered. It was first resorted to in .consequence of the indispensible necessity of seeking in this way the means of carrying on a war against *the power of an individual, whose gigantic projects threatened the security of this country, menaced • our maritime power with destruction, and laboured , eo exclude our trade from the whole Continent of Eu- Pipe. Wild as such projects had appeared, it would be remembered by the House how nearly they were -carried into effect—at least it would be remembered tour enemy had at one time almost succeeded in ex cluding our commerce from every part of the Conti nent. The very different situation in which we were sow placed must strike every one. It would be seen that the Property Tax was no longer to be imposed for purposes like those which he had described, but it was w be kept up for the support of a great mi litary establishment, which was necessary now to *ippon Louis XVIII. on the Throne of France, and io secure the authority of the Bourbons. This odium and oppressive Tax erair-no longer to be endured for the furtherance of British objects—it was laid on to tataintain an arbitrary Government in France in op position to the wishes of the people. We wen to . submit to all the privations, which this impost brought with it, in otder to keep up a Government in France which had put down the Liberty of the tress—which had abolished all security for perecinal liberty—which, in Intoning the Assembly named eta represent the people, had committed the roues' violation of the Constitution it had professed to estab lish—and which had connived, and in some sort rictioned, the persecution of the Protest:awn. • Vicar, hear.) He contended that Government had acquiesced in the late persecutions. He knew it was stated in the letter of the Duke of Wellington that the Government had done all it could to save the Protestants from oppression—but what, he could wish to bow, had the Government dime It had issued a Proclaination, and that was all. He knew from very good information which he had received • en the subject, that notwithstanding all the crimes which had been committed in the South of France— &tough two !toadied persons had been murdered.:- • though thehoeset Ott todaolleaktd.Pettolls ha Alton plundered Or Went, ISA *mash 150 spei - s hid been aconrged in the city of Mates with such cruelty that many of then had.died. aboard' these attncious outrages had been punished-enist one person even had been prosecuted on account of them. Alter Ibis., could any man say thit there was not a criminal connivance at, or acquiescence in, these persecu tions, on the part of the French Government ? What . was the conduct of the English Government in con sequence of the eutragei committed in the year 1780 t offenders were prosecuted without •delay, and Fprouiptly made to feel the just severity of the law—' and even tie First Magistrate of the City of London was procetdeld against for cowardice, in not having vaificsendy exerted himself to bring the disturbances tp an early termination. Had any thing like thif occurred in France I Was it not notorious that even where the General sent to quell the riotous was ,fait, that nothing had been done by the Prefect of the De partment. The assoi.in had never keen brought to justice, though be was well known ; his name Was `Bonen, and he was a Serjeaat in the Royal Volun teers. Agar shooting at the General, he had retired into a neighbouring tiepartment ; a reward was of fered for his apprehension, but those among whom he resided had pretended nut to know who he was. He had thus been sacred to escape, and the Mayor, under whom he had been sheltered from jte.tiee. had not been removed from his situation. The Ordinance which had been issued on this occasion tended more than any thing else to prove toe... steno of the Government an the crimes to %leen lie had referred. It was there stated, that 4. a great ctime had been committed ;" but it was eitt (oe• clime alone that had been committeti—thousai,d., ha., been perpetrated, and the Government had nut . , enter...t. The inter. fereuce of the people of this country in behalf of the French Protestants. which had been censured, he be. lieved to have-been attendrd with the happiest el. fects :'to that be believed those unfoi mate persons owed what they now njoyed of toleration. This, flowerer, was not even n w very great; the Protest ants had formerly possessed two churches in that part of France which had been the seat of the late parse= cuttons. One of these they had built with their own money, the other had been a rant to them from the Government. These were now taken away from them and they were allowed the privilege of build ing diem, and the Duke d'Aagouleme had way je rwewly subscribed a sum of money in furtherance of this undertaking. It ought to be known, that at the time those churches were taken from the Protestants. a Catholic Church, which had formerly belonged to a Monastery..had ceased to be used tor religious pur poses, and had been converted into a place for the sale of fish and meat, and this those Catholics could contemplate without eniottnn, who would have been shucked at seeing it in the hands of the Protestants. It was to support such it system that a large military establishment was to be kept tip by England, which establishment subjected the people of this country to a renewal el the Property lax. Mr. PONSONBY :•bserved, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had been pleased to s 4, the good taith nt Parliament would riot be broken by the continuation of the Property Tax after the war had ceased. lie had formerly read the Law to the House, to prove that they stood pledged •o abolish it on the return of peace ; and no man had on that occasion contradic ted what he had thought it his duty to advance...-. The Legislature was as solemnly pledged as it could be to put an cud to it on the conclusion of the was: the predictions and promises of the Chancellor of the Pcchtquer were never fulfilled. Last year he had told the House he had no doubt it would be necessary to contioue the Bank Restriction Act after the present year ; yet the first measure of the present Session had been to renew it ; and be had in this instance wisely abstained from promising again that it should be taken off: he now told them be hoped it would not be necessary to continue the Property Tax for more than two years. Last yearle (Mr. Ponsonby) had told the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that he deceivei the House or himself when heexpreesed as opinion that the Bank Restriction Act would not be necessary this year;. and he would now tell him, that from the sys.; tem of extravagance on which Ministers were acting,. it would be impossible, if that were adhered to, for die Property Tax to cease at the expiration of the pe- . 1 riod which had been mentioned. The Tax was not now resorted to less for the revenue it would give. than for the purpose of keeping in the hands of Mi nisters the machinery of oppression. Possessing this Tax, they could at any time raise it from five to six or seven per cent. ; and if it were now submitted to, he did notbelieve any man in that House would live to see it again taken off. 1 Mr. BRAND considered the House to be pledged to the abolition of this Tait at the close of the war. When it was renewed last year, he bad expected it would end with the contest which caused it to he re vived. That contest having terminated much sooner than might ban been expected, he was astonished that every man in that House did not bold himself bound as a party to the pledge which had been given to oppose the renewal of the Tax by every means in his power. Lord FOLKESTONE contended, that the Bill, when brought in, could act retrospectively, and there fore it was plain the object of Ministers in attempt ing to hurry the measure through the House, in the manner proposed, was solely to prevent the public from expressing their grievances, and shut the mouths of the people. Insult was added to the injury by the conduct ortfinisters, when one talked of 44 the igno. rant impatience of the people for the relaxation of Taxation," and when another stated the discontent which had gone abroad to proceed not from the Tax itself, but from the exaggerated statements which had been made on the subject. Good GOD! was it possible that this language could be held with respect to as impost so oppressive as the Property Tax t-- Could it be doubted that the universal voice of the people was raised in consequence of the pressure of the Tax itself f He, foe one, approved of; the line of conduct about to be adopted by the HcmOurable and Learned Gentleman (klr. Brougham). He was glad that the Honourable Gentleman bad deteentimd to take advitntage of those forms of the House, which, it was plain, had bee n f rame d in order that ;then the country was in dan ger _ (as it was at present) of being run down by the Minister, those honest Gentlemen who had really the interest of the country at heart, might use them to oppose the danger. .HE hoped his *forte would succeed, antrum ibis most odious, • hipoiti 'blast Blue; aid twit daillistirddOltai vaiith be Abolished. Mr..raxc lastA Ite LClt a A e yr oo the understandingbadvotedrteduretniral of the ould cease , With the contest which it had been revived to support. He had always understood that the House sto iZe, and had never heard till this night that it i pledged to put an end to it on the return of pe could be continued after the 'war bad terminated, on any plea but that of necessity. But the Chancellor. of the Exchequer had told them, that in the Act of last yea r, wectarrdc. H I i an d em n r e . c l o A n t g a r . 17) bad had of bee teo n, differed from the Right Hon. Gentleman:.. but he had o. i yea r . the ear, h always considered him to be a fair plain•dealing man _()Par, hear, hear,) —and he was as valished o n t he should now come down and tell them these words were omitted in that Act, and therefore Parliament was not pledged as heretofore to 'abolish it on the re turn of peace. He ought -not now to say to his po litical opponents, you are misleading the public—you are endeavouring to excite a ferment in the country, by saying I promised it should cease with the War. ,1 Dever meant any thing of the kind. (Hear, hear.) If this had been the meaning of the Right Honour able Gentleman when he omitted the words referred to, why had lie not fairly told them so at the time ? (Hear, hear.) He might, with a better grace, have told them then, that he feared it mast be permanent, than he could now call upon them to renew it for two yens. He was of opinion it would be most un pin to renew it, and if this were done he should think himself more forteinere, if, instead of seeing it expire at the end of two years, be did not find the Chan cellor of the Exchequer coming down to the House to propose, that its amount should be increased at the end of one.—(Hear hear.) Mr. TIERNEY could see no inconvenience likely .to result from the measure being delayed till the Pe titions now preparing against it could be received. The Bill could act retrospectively as it had formerly done—u it had done when it was passed on the 9th of August, in the year 1803. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. If the Hon. Gentleman who spoke last bad voted for the Bill of last year, understanding him to give an assurance that it should in no CAW be reneged but jo time of war, be could only regret that he bad been misled, and declared that what had fallen from him did not go to justify this confident expeetation.— Vlear, hear.)—He had come down to the House on the 'oth of February, and submitted to them his plan for the Peace Establishment, and had then given it as his opinion that it would be wise to renew it for a l limited time, and when consequently he brought in the Bill, he had but expressed a hope that it would not be necessary to continue it beyond a year. He had said it ought not to be kept in force beyond that period which was prescribed to the necessity of the case, and to this opinion he still adhered. On a fu ture evening it would be for him to* . shew that this necessity existed ; and should he fail to convince the House of this, of course it would not be in his power to press the tax.— (Near, hear.).—The Gentlemen opposite went further than him when they declared the necessity for this tax would be perpetual. He thought it would won cease, if the other branches of die revenue were properly collected. He had dis tinctly objected to the assumption that the House would in no case recur to this tax at the close of the year. When an Honourable Member, whose loss they all lamented, the late Member for Bedford, pro posed to introduce the words , d and no longer," from the former Bill, he had opposed their insertion, on the ground that there might possibly be a necessity for doing so. Ot the Bank Restriction . Act, at the commencement of the last Session. he had said he saw no reason at that time why the Bank should not resume cash payment in the next July, but had very considerable hopes that this would be practicable.— The return of Bonaparte to France had quite changed ' the aspect of affairs. On this :object, however, be would not now detain the House, as it would be his duty to go largely into it at no distant period. Sir FKANCIS BURDEI'I' said, he felt consi derable unwillingness to speak on a subj-ct, in the discussion of which, every thing he could possibly offer, had been already so ably urged by many other Gentlemen; but he could not refrain from contra ; tulating • the House and the public on the subdued tone adopted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his second address—( Wear, hear, hear.)—And he did indulge in the hope, that, if the people did not relax in their endeavours to make known their abhorrence of this odious burden—if, instead of suffering their efforts to be impaired, they derived encouragement from the altered tone of the Right Honourable Gen donut, to persevere in making known their senti ments throughout the country—a course which must have its due effect when their feelings were properly placed in view of that House—they would come off ' victorious from this great struggle—(Hear)..--The Right Honourable Gentleman had asserted, that exaggerated statements had been propagated through the country, aad that the popular spirit which had been evinced was the result of those exaggerations. Now, be believed there Were individuals in that House, who, if 'they stated their situation to the Right Honourable Gentleman,• would prove to him, that the general distress had not been exaggerated. .Those individuals could inforno.hitn, that they made no profit by their estates—they could tell him, that, from the various taxes which were imposed on the cultiyators of the soil. they had no t e na n t s to occu py their lands—View., hear, hear).--He should allude to one cue particularly, because it had appeared in the public prints. The Gentleman whom it respected, though placed in the situation he Ind just described, wits called on to pay the landlord's and the tenant's Property Tan This demand was made on him at a time, when, instead of making profit by his estate, he was suffering considerable - loss—(Hcar, hear). — He (Sir Francis) was acquainted with a clergyman, et - oe y n t o a se r a . liptoatuly T oui h iegn i h s iootti Ge hmery n ple t roa l od e pr m euti a octy n er who was possessed of a v e ry l arge li v i ng , w h ic h for hnaela.adxrl,yrepacenrdonddy beds ieuciesod po t , a " t l , l s ed o Rbta a . of the living had only which the assessment was made—(Haar. hear, hear). —Such was the state of the country ; and yet they we:e told by one Member of the Administration Lord Castlereagh) that the people manifested ‘ 4 an ignorant impatience for relief from taxation ;" and by another (the Chancellor of the Excliequei) 'that 'their feelings were roused in consequence of crag. Berated statements, which were, in fact, totally un-, u rea i I d :: under' intended thet-:::: .. 4 41r •' A:t PP:. eon . , . , .. founaett-atifeer. (l l — .6 'n bo e lt . ;glst li• • . • . man said, they a I they supposed that the Prop e r t y is,. --4 •4• ' ''' .; renewed, be we li d e , ve at t c h er at th: fi t n e i r s m ter ie s w ar ~ one, never was mistaken on the o,lij L i '„,n' away—(Hear. hear).—H e w as gun . e c.. ▪ . I thi bri t° .. .. majortties which supported .the g•h -- "lla • te . l e lg al w ait Gentleonan would not chant l hint l • 'I 1 of any expression of the publi c vo i e ' e "' 6 . ' oe a Vela , pall of making the majorities of that II .. ip -- .' as the House at present was, feel for 'lL "'. • ! I r a' the country. He hoped that the s ee 6 1 ; 4 ' the Char a P i e. itto w ti o g u l l i d ti b le e m so ,t e li x e p er r it es d t h e et d: nst, e . euti 4 a comp e l todro ot h. bit to The Right Hon. Gentleman said, t h er ,, ••• ?knit justified by necessity. W is not that -' " 11 the l„ cow always used nn s u c h occ ...i ons ? wh ere - , i necessity to be f efiol, and who was th e i l l' . The Right ), H on. 4 }i n nev' . t e h G s a t t a el i tle l d l i n t s h l a n n t e i c i ' e l i e m ssa :v e ra l y f e :;: l : ..1 :1 .. • I b assigned to the Hotuiinseuenaoasfepernhitvh.iren:psthlte.: o nfii irul_ ... . • ' a (li nd ear bis h i c i a p r ia . . it renewal. It was a proceeding like d u i; „ 4 , ; „, -F9 1 -.,. 'th wi * the rm c r e e d b c h i I i jamexactions the • • (ll ear .h ear ,l Ship money, it was said,o t —but of that necessity h e was t h e o.le am...-. most intolerable burdens had been ' at "oo7 the specious cloak of necessity. The L ie I 'one of these; and the Property Tat Inc el L. 4 :, i a more extensive Land Tax. That To l 7 . .01 duced as a War Tax ; it was, at dife rm 7 , moved—but Gentlemen now saw i t ,"‘"v sal established—an annual confiscatiea of prep s , ' Jren fall imotint. What, then, w as to mere ' '-* , G if they proceeded in the profligate course ib ev ., ... 11 long continued in, from lea s i ng oat this - into Tax—the Property. Tax. (I-fear.) If Mini ma • (an nued to act as they had done, if the House . , • %09 enough to sutler it, what Gentleman would rot • of him tO say, that he would possess more t hi i .. . , cc in the course of a few years; th ea the meted* ot e ' There was ao standing against necessity= it • ~ • something that left no alternative. This eau able case here. • A loan of ,1;6.0(0,000 would p eke . ... renewal of this tax—althou g h p ro b a bl y the • int Honourable Gentleman might argue, ch a p 'le r be inconvenient to raise the price of mocks. Ile c.ei also heard it stated in that House, tha t .13 40 Sir l of property, the right to which w as opt deck ' C dormant in Chancery. This was a disge ser h •' e Court, a disgrace to the country, a disp ute wish manity t (Hear, hear.) What dreadful rose! mist this procrastination inflict on the suitrs! It lel infraction of the Constitution—it ass a Wow hao King's oath—it was, at once, a sellin g sa g 'fll' of justice.. (Hear, hear.) Justice was s.d i d al t dear a rate, that one half the property was ski up before the suitor could recover a put 0 ir. ' 'a. many instances, the amount of the property's ' t .ll over and over again, before a decision of that ,Mb could be obtained. Why should not the page, IA use of .this money ? Why should nut the - ' ' stand in the place of the Court of Chancery? (. hear.) Again, there were the unclaimed in the Bank of England. Why were they we .„' .(Hear.) The present distress was said to be , '' rary t here was also a temporary find to . Su (114 , r, hear.) Gentlemen who had opined Yr, system of Waste and profusion, were told, • . wily, that all their propheetos (t.se s., this delivered without that decided confide= . ' " belonged to prophecy, were denominitee) ; } completely failed. (Hear, hear, front the • ' lieneless.) Why, good Gob ! whit had tte .. ' P phecied ?.. That distress and ruin wield ably follow if a course of ulicootrenled oc se ;lance were persisted in ! (dear, bee.)- it not so ? Was not the country plunzed it ' d deepest distress ? Unfortunately their prupleas this point were, but too correct—(Hear, her) ' . I was trite, that one great event—an event whit, occurred contrary to all calculation, and aka ages, would hOld up British still aed valor' -1 applause of an admiring world—fae ever.sera - 1 battle of Waterloo—had saved the coentry Mai pending destruction I But he could not lady k ' M scribed as an ignorant or unthinking ma, whi pressed his fears beim the battle took plae, the rat 110 victory would incline to the other side. I the been the case, what would t he n have been th• -. : '°l . , iul of the country ? Or what would have been ou stances, •if, as almost every person supposed Fr had been able to keep the field, and to fighthe ~,• four more sanguinary con fl ic ts ? But wha ' , i could Ministers claim, in consequence of this • , , 4 nate emu ? Like lucky gionesters, they 11l . e double or quit, and brought themselves hoax/ ' , d (Hear, hear.) To give them credit for di * , „ event was ridiculous. They talked of it the . ; m as if they were amazed at its magnituk. .r • were astonished at their own success—(slew, . ' New, what was the result? There were odePo phecies to be noticed--oine of which was, Ark. Ft, cher England succeeded in the war or not,* „ would be ruin to the people. That the Lvern ,,. ' would be ground down—that, instead of the ' ' . 1 4'il tution we ought to possess, a Military Go- , I would be established—and that barracks *ode ~ sons would cover the face of the co ti mfr.-WW I , _, —Here he recollected a speecir of the put 1. i Chatham, at a period when that Nobleman dealt 'is of the liberties of his country—" When the , comes," said be, striking his crutch up:ai the . , 66 that a barrack shall he erected in Ene i hadi i adieu to the liberties of England!" But notr satin the midst of barracks. Woolwich, 6' and the contiguous places, presents! a lie u ! racks. What was the use of those barracks: , Honourable Gentleman on the floor said, 04 Ai Of with justice, that they were necessary ter the _ pose of keeping up despotism in France —btu • 01 had entered. into a Treaty to keep on the Tug: 'al th 4t country, a bigotred and most odious tyre; j. ii (Hear, hear).—But Ministers said, 4, That , itl sistanndeceingssaarrym • eessary to destroy them all; aria, if lbet s ty O a 1 exist i t 'in England, it could only be by do ing 2 meets I" He dytoeinnkieEedenptghlivas.pndinaelalldisaillopriiitutlail;iHibir; • • those immense establishmeas, for the tuoug: . I 1 which those c * taxes were " I " Jerna' its presses e foal f" , w W a a s s ie ll s i s er ne e ceevsseraraytlimewinhawthhicanda t g h r i e s a c t:n ui l:4 l t o t ' : I ac from Europe/ What had she to dr ea d - . 3 .