Star. — London, England, 1816-02-09 00:00:00

• is sinners, lid to isesii .soda of. ' ' 'private ammo t *Oaks s pithass . go all this degradation, ladle answer wiry put to Alm-his exataktition was takes down is It* ting, in nee of the Kg's Ikeveynt:;4l4 was aft desired to withdraw. In the face of the sta4inate.to which be had sworn.nithotithis bow bog what might have been said in hisnbsenee -bow ied eharrer inlet have been wilifieil....be was wide ; in, and told that the Commissionersidl thooght proper to.confirm the surcharge.-(Heer; . hear, keen) This was a gross evil, and cut up:pub Be morals by the roots, and opened id oor to 8U kinds - of profligacy,—.... . [Here the business of the Coon sins. interrupted* for some time by the entrance of:the:Archdukes John and Lewis of Austria, who, on the motion of the LORD MAYOR. were allowed to sit on - the right hand of the Chair.] • * , ' The Honourable Member resumed his discourse, by stating, that from these multiplied evils there was So relief-and that the subjects were effectirally de.: prised of all right of appeal. The Taii 4 howevex,. reduced in its amount, was sub an encroachment on' the liberty of the subject, that it ought never for a single moment to be tolerated. • He knew a great deal had been said of the reduction in price of the produce of land, and that from the depreciation of this tax pressed particularly hard on the landed interest. But such Was the state of trade, that the Cite of Lendon might safely say that •thii:lromoree ciarpart of the community were as little *le to SUS. 1140 the Pressure of t 'les is the landed interest. He wished nere to observe one thing.. Even if the lan. dad interest were more oppressed than traders in ge neral, yet the hailed proprietOn had taken care to relieve themselves from the inquisitorial 'powers however heavily they might be taxed, they . were ex. empred prom all surchstges-all inquisitonal exami. nation. It was this most odious feature of the Tax against which he chiefly complained, becassee though the agricultural and Mercantile interests were so closely ;laird that they could only subsist together, yktbe oppression fell with an undue weight on the one side, in a manner different frorri that in which it fill on the landed interest.. He had heard .of fanci ful schemes for making the tax palatcablea-the con tinniag it to the landed_ gentlemen only. They thought that if die tax was cuntinued, lend ought to be relieved from it ; while others again thought the Mx good with respect to land, but not so with respect to commerce and inane). To all these schemes and modifications he was decidedly averse. The tax, if once allowed in any manner to be continued, woe Id soon ef fect the destruction of the Constitution. It would stick to them for ,ever, like the excise scheme.- As to the country. he had no doubt.that it was decidedly with them. However unanimous they might be on this occasion, he trusted they would not beep their opinions to themselves, but state them in a manner becoming Englishmen and freemen, that they might produce a due impression on the Legit. Lowe. . The HoncuraKle Gentleman concluded with moving a series of Resolutions (for which see the Ad vertisement.) Mr. KIRBY seconded the motion, and contended that the tax was subversive of our rights and liberties. Mr. HARVEY expected from' the Gentleman who ilt r noen Icosvord the motion, that he would have gone mere into the krnunds of the measure and less into the policy of it. It was in the recollection of all that this country had been (educed to the neces sity of yielding to the Property Tax, or any other measure which the Minister might propose, because it was iielieved that the existence of the country was at sub.e. It was certainly not a little sin i; olar, how. ever, that that which had only been yielded to in days of necessity, should be the coreplieF.: ....I y re.l suit of days of prosperity-(Hear, h,:ar.) 11:: cot:. ter ded that a great part of out grievances we r e owing to the indifference with which public It ellIbile• tions were viewed in this country, and he quoted an illustration from an elegant historian, attributing the di dine oldie Roman Empire to a similar indiffer. ena, and pointing out the manner in which the Ro- Mans were successively burdened with Customs and Excise, and at last with heavy Taxes, affecting every description of property. The Honourable Member then made several observatiohs on the tyranny and impnVcy of the measure, and in conclusion re marked, that instead of the blessings of peece to which they looked forward, after the exertions they bad made, the privations they bad submitted to, they were still threatened in peace with all the horrors of war, without any of its glories. That could never be pol:tic teli;ch WAS unjustifiable. Mr. S DIXON compHmented the Gentleman who introduced the question for the close and ptieeise man ni-ein which he had argued it, and approved of the strong and manly language of the Resolutions. The first idea of an Income Tax was well founded; as nothing was so fit for' taxation as profits ; but then it was an irksome thing -fur is man to let the world know his circumstances. With respect 4 to him . sell, t or i fl o wnee , he WAS gut ashamed to say, ,that by the loci of a West India fleet all his well f .pros. pests were destroyed ; and after all his Is, he was a loser in the course of the year. Was he then to &date this to the world, or otherwise be obliged to pay a Property Tax when his income was uorse -than nothing. He had never felt any oppression from the Commissioners of the City of London, bat it was too true that in the neighbourhood,of this city. and throughout the kingdom, regular surcharges were made of so heavy and - oppressive a nature, as were not to be borne. He hoped there was sufficient patriotism in the people of this ,country boldly to meet the exigencies of our situation, but still he ex. pected that those who administered the affairs of the country should set on foot a system of retrenchment. When, such a system of retrenchment should be ho. noumlily set about, every person of ibe kingdom would be willing to contribute their utmost to meet the fair claims , of the public creditor. lie concurred in opinion with the other Gentlemen as to. the itispo licy- of continuing this tax; and he would not agree to three,• two, or even one per cant. if it was Mid, to become perpetual. 14r. Gitinitte entered into some.partieulars of in. ekviduals acting as Commissioners, who were is the receipt of large incomes from the Crown. Mr: Swore said be would not redrew the example , set bun by the last speaker, in mixing up personal isielstigs, amid personal transactions wi th this question. iiis would take the broad basis of that Gentleman, who bad kiwi' them a beautiful allusion to the case ,oad , battles; ___ wan when they were told that the existence of the eonotry was at slake. If it had been proposed tut oh, timber time, there were Gentlemen in Parliament *M would have loudly raised their Voices against such els .invasion it the Constitution. The rax Went is fee a time till its aggravations called forth the tion of the conntry. He knew that a nutisbe i = Commissioners at first were Went honourable inset but these men had been induced to accept ofi-ells situation merely on the assurance that the Tatseal temporary; when become permanent this pate of thesCrimmissioners retired, end left riablebusi ness in the eaads of persons in some Way or other in the pay of Government. Wbese was the man *rho cmild' now say, in the language which we' had been taught to use from our infamy, that an Englishman's house was his castle ? When be could be dragged from his-hanie for interrogation before these gulp missioners, like a prisoner before the Inquisideo k Spain ; and forced to disclose his must private trawl sections ? The only reason that could be urged fop the Colltiallitlite of a Tax of so odious a natant was, that the place of it could not be supplied... But the answer to this was obviuns ; it the wants.eff the Government were to be supplied. thee could only be supplied from our resources—and these resource, might be of op Without having recourse to thkalhk ors Tax, because if this Tax could be raised time must be resources in the country; and eithout :up rising ai.y extraordinary abilities in the financial Minister of the day, whenever it should become ne. emery for him to do so, be would find means' to reach them. When it was first proposed, in a time of war, the people were solemnly assured that on a return of peace it would be discontinued; and now when peace was arrived, after a glorious war, they, were certainly entitled to think it highly unreasonsibli• that the first fruits of that peace should be a Fewer...- lion of the liberties of their country.—(Hears Alger ) Mr. Cawrnoartz . s . poke against the Tax. Mr. Alderman HEYOATE said, it wits there was a question which ought to be discussed with temper, it was the present. As the Act now rood, it was in its principle hostile to all that was must valuable in the eyes of Englishmen. The question divided itself into two pans; lst. Whether the necessities of the State were such as to render any sum equivalent to what was proposed to be raised by the Proper('' 'Fax necessary ; and, !Idly, Whether heeled Gem dell Property Tait was the must eligible, or Boom obeli might not with advantage be substituted for it. Tim Chancellor of the Exchequer bad not yet told theft what sum would be requned for our peace establish. went. He hoped the Court would bear with him a feir moments, while ha went into a few details figures on a question of merely a financial natured.. (Ne, .I—Such a coy as that never had, and never would deter him liens delivering his sentiraeats in that Ceutt. In In% the last year of peace. the whole establishment of the country A innurecd only to 4114,500,000. Now, the actual revenue, after deduct. sag the interest of the National Debt, and the aloe • ante to the kinking• Fund; was about. 13 millions and a half, ant the consequence was, that if pikes,. peaces could be taken at the duuble of 1791., these would still be a surplus, besides the PropertysTax, of tour millions and a half. It he were cold that it was impossible that the establishment of the country could be taken at this sum, he would refer to the etateme, t of t:.e Chancellor of the Exchequer last year. who then said, that our establishment during the lira; four years of peace, might be estimated at 17,00(,,t t,O, and afterwards at 15,000,C00. Taking then the estah.ishment at seventeen millions, it would only red,.ire three millions and a half to make up the deficiency. Now what was the alteration that had taken place since last year ? The alteration was thi that we were then obliged by treaty, to keep up large force on the Continent, and to discharge seve ral subsidiary engagements—and we were now by the late Treaty relieved from keeping up a single man on the Continent at our own expence, and enti tled besides to receive•from France about seven mil lions in money, as our share of indemnity. Now it , was singular enough, that with this indemnity, and the maintenance of 55.000 of our troops, Ministers could not raise the supplies without the Property Tax. But supposing, with all economy. that the revenue of the country should not be equal to the necessary expenditure of the country, to what were `we to resort ? The principle of the Property Tax bad something good and something bad in it. It was good in so tar as it drew from real, property what was necessary fur its preservation, add could be borne Id the least expence; but it was unjust when incomes of a precarious nature were charged at the saute rate as property ; and unconstitutional. because. to get at that precarious income, it. armed Commissioners with powers which were subversive of oar liberties. He would analyze the Tax of last year, to ° skew them bow small, p share was raised from that een. riovs income. The sums levied last year from dad' and real Property , brae{ five millions and a half ; the Public* Funds, ,e 2,800,000 t from Salaries * &e. one million;' from Profits of Agriculture, two mil. lions; and from the Profits et Trade, &e. about at/2,800,000. So that of A 14,100,000 only ii+,Boo,ooo was raised from the profits of agriculture, and the profits of every other description, and the remaining nine millions were drawn from fixed inconse. t It; therefore, such a Tax mu s t b e resorte d to , by Win. ins from all that part of it derived from uncertain incomes, the loss would be inconsiderable, The produce would be, arfive per cent. between foneand leee millionc—This would answer the deficit, and the objections of an unconstitutional • nature would also be grit rid of. This exemption was nothing more than justice—that capital which was rendered pro ductive by industry, contributed in a thousand way, to the State. This employment was attended with the risk of health, the sacrifice of ease and trequsenly of property—,.risks which were not run by persons pa lased property. Another consideratlnn t 6 be attended -to was, that the injustice of this equalization or fixed property andprecariops income had always been ad. `witted, and only justified from necessity. Noir for ten years, the casual had be en p a yi ng at th e same irate as certain income, and this relief would only be remedying the former injustice. 'This would' t4e away all objeCtions, and do away all stucharges. The Himoulable Gentleman conckpled, after a ea. . • threatened. anissuttensive military establahreents. Mr. S. Woe disclaimed any wish to consent to the Tax, is it did net touch thsraselres. Kr. ITIORAM, in reply, spoke at in me length on tie idiotic( and irnpohcy of the reposition of a Worthy Alderman (Heygate). The Resolutions , were then unaninsously carried, and a petition in conformity to them was thereafter read and adopted. • • ' NONNI Or C Ma RCM erie. thee es Mehl n Anise% he limpirleg late d Ne lastrueled ps neve the Hamm Imessr sea * of the bsaiwse —..ot take pleas, he asesdal fed 4 she CvesaiNtee concurred with chin M ilne* Ind already bees a as= • therefore he shoold pis eisesseeis;es he appointed to sown Er `l//d. ler the baser The swedes was apes r. GORDON notradear a L batter end Chaste Impend lati Ifor rem ohliegiellhe the avi Anent was lansediesely presses Mr. GORDUbI awed ler as nem& carrying bee den the A Mra New Pest Office In Lends@ . 1.11)/INGTION, the I.llldllo I CiltOKl4 ten, psoriases behis is $ Jill, with a view ten mkt mums of Hand Cs the w pra Majesty, Mei uf Naval Coen Mu whs. llot that Act waste h nog, which latter Act, bowel igelheaee doubts arose as to dm itth. To remove these *Mots Aneellesvltogly mend for leave alluded to, with repro' to the tot of Naval Coons Miortisk and t€ nob persont—Leave gine. CONYourlon Of ADANA, A Mr. BENNET asked, i the Treasury Beech bad a the House a copy of the C ', Lord CASTLEREAG objection "m o ttle produces's Honourable Member thoui dress for it. Mr. KENNET observe, document connected with t alto wished to have laid on • the Correspondence wit! islysesing the claims of I,ord CASTLVAEAC. able Member might to-mc meat *Ended tu, and that would•consider the subject. • awrim +Ter ro Mr. LUSHINGTON estimates for the year 18 ordinary cf the pavy, and the expense of guards and forces ; the expense of bui in the King's yards ; the 'Ordnance for land forces; curred, andnot prayided it bable expense of the tram of what was likely to be I I sports, together With a rata br 1815. Mr. TIERNEY asked,. present accounts of the p cure, which were seldom Is after Easter f He saw na ittforming the House. ape papers might be much sons proper Odice. Mr. LUSMNGTOR d to present the papers alit were usually laid before till Mr. HUSKISSON ohm proiisiim of the Act, the pi preseuted before the 25th mon was uniformly compUt impracticable to present-ii could not be made ottt wid trims all the Out,orts, Mr. TIERNAT rergarl were, made out up only is thErefore he could not coot paring them for presentati 'within the mond: of Febru desirable that they should as' soon as possible, in on whether there was any ert revenue or expenditure. Mr. ROSE said, that # was mistaken in supporini to could be prepared betot Those papers notoriously r bout and industry : and aught be ascertained, it a possible, to collect the der. a necessary reference to ai the Right Hon. Gendema Mr. TIERNEY discish Gentlemen for the perfor but he was Raviolis that al veniently attainable slioulc possible, in order toguidet An Address was agreed the Estimates stated. Mr...M. A. TAYLO R Motion for the 7th. tif . Paving of the Streets of don on that day, instead o for the appointment of a G. WARRENDE R the notice of the Chancell respect to a Motion for pro don lot the Vic ; Chencelloi Mr. lit/SKISSON gar Monday. for leave to brim .. Jittiog the payment of Croy The House resolved ini Acts with respect to ladigi adopted. The House rest ordered to be brought up u Mr. LUSHINGTON I and continue-certain Acts upon Glass. Sir M. W. RIDLEY sir able Gentleman's Bill me former Acts, or whether si :ions I and also when the p commence its operation ? nOureble Baronet said he information necessary to sr Mr. LUSHINGFON posed simply a continual without any new provisioni Ale Baronet's last question Cioply when the law would After a few more remit and Sir M. RIDLILT, the Bi Jared to bt read a second Sir R. HERCN express • • • _ . -.. ::i . t` , !` f':. - '''' k ‘." ' ' _•.` r.!-L ''.. ~,, ---- --- .÷-rta . ,l — • - " -- : - " 7 - r -- oa os i bigild, 41 algteire n * t ak die llie zi: I m r e piaft iesta hr r is : l d er so s ocat ip4l3 o4 4lll lo 6o imaiiity 0 it. - • cl ith eed th"-___71•0111 eiterietit. loriPed air awl. : Aides. " lest an biome& isretrong w .. km II " had alar tbalia " 4/Year ' .a.ari) 844 1 0 . 711. ' 411. ag l ialt *li re weir"' ate tio s e l coes saal t e r ie f i r g o t tt 4" 6" filled on th eir libetties battbeen %Word in Wolk sr , biek r old . • . . . . _____ .... _.. ... - st rest•stive atilitary estaishahreenis. - PIRLI4MikIART PROCERDISGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY a. TIIZATIES. ConVallolls, &C. _ The Maretis'of LANSDOWN moved loran Ac count of the Sums of Money due to'this country by the French. Government for the Maintenance of Pri soners of War.. The Eall of LIVERPOOL said, the account in the war brt o re last was conceited by an Article in the Treaty of 1814, and wished to know to which war the Motion of the Noble Mai referred The Marquis of LANSDOWN said both wars, and the Motion was so agreed to. The Marquis of LANSDOWN then wished to tit some questions to the Noble Eail. with the view obtaining rtifierittefires eiseethil to the discussion of the Treaties and Papers before the H.4OSe.--lijt: He wished to know what communications had tehpn place between the Allied Powers, subsequent to the Towsz'y of the 25th of March, signed at Vienna, and ptevious to the military occupation of Paris in the following summer. respecting the establishment of a Government in France, in the event of the success of their arms ?....2JIy. What oommunicatioes took place at the time of the military occupation of Paris, be tween the Commanders of his Majesty's forces, his Majesty's Ministers, and the . Provisional Government established upon the abdication at Bonaparte, re. specting any Government to be established in France Sdly. Which was not immediately connected with the others, whether, in any past of the negociations, ..sty provision had bees made respecting the Loan soine years since made to Austria, and the repay ment of which was stipulated, or whether that repay ment was no longer to be looked to The Earl of LIVERPOOL., with respect to the first question, could net from recollection sate, what was the nature • f the communications whieli passed between the Allied Powers during the period men tioned ; there was something respecting them 'Vie Papers laid before the Home. in a dispatch from Lord Clancarty. There was. however, he could Kate, ae, understanding that it was desirable his Most Christian Majesty should he restored to his throne, in the event of the recovery of his dominions ; but he could posi. Ifively assert, that do engagement was entered into fir the purpose of making any provision as to the Go vernment tube established in France. With respect to the second question, he could at once state, that no nagrwciation was entered into with the Provisional Go. ve:urnent of France. On the subject of the third questi4n, he believed that the Austrian Loan had not termed a part at any of the uegociations which had taken place. • 'The Marquis of LANSDOWN, with regard to his - second question, observed, that it was matter 'of notoriety, that the Provisional Government of France offered to negotiate; was be than to understand that all negotiation with that Government was refused by the Commanders of his Majesty's forces and his Ma jesty's Ministers • j The Earl of LIVERPOOL nodded assent. Lurd ST. JOHN obse r vi n g t h at t h e Convention of Paris was not amongst bit Papers laid before the Hoose, moved an Address to bis Royal Highness the Prince Regent, praying for its production, which W4l ordered. • Lord KING observing, that the Convention re specting the occupation of a military line in France, referred to an agreement to be entered into by the Allies, respecting the specific distribution of that force, and the positions the troops of each power were to occupy, wished to know, whether such an agree meat had been concluded, and if so, th a t it mi g h t be laid before the House? The eZ d arl of enLlte?.dßinPOto,OaLitisaid beet hr suchgahl: Agree. wen been among the Papers before the House, but if nut, be would gave the Noble Lord information upon the .pubject tomorrow. Lord KING also nferred to the ProtocOl for dint distribution of the 700,000,000 to be paid by Franey' 'beery*, that it anis there stipulated that Austria smd Prussia, on account of pressing exigencies, should in the first instance have more than their distributive' share of the amount. He fished to know, whether, in the payment of this, anticipation of what th e y maid oily be entitled to receive at a future period, *as in any way guaranteed by thit'country ? ' 'he Earl ofj.I.VERPOOL stated, that the only et the adPurairon was, that Austria and Prusdi should, on account of pressing necessity, receis,io' 1 the first year more than their shares ; whilst in dtql otter years England and Russia would receive more l than their shares, which would restore the equilibrium. The Duke of SUSSEX wished to know whether a Treaty lately publi*d between Russia, Atmar t ia and Prussia, and prting to have been publishes; at Petersburgh, was authentic The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that an Aoto graph Treaty had been signed by those three Sove reigns at Paris, without the intervention of their Mi: misters ; but not baying seen the copy a wird to by the Illustrious Duke, he could not nuclei Ease to aa) whether that copy wis authentic. • The Duke of SUSSEX asked, whether that Treaty had been officially communicAted to this Go vernment Tlie Earl of LIVERPOOL mid it was officially communicated to the British Minister at Paris. The Marquis of LANSDOWN gave notice , of a motion for 1.04130170 W, for the 'production of the Estimates of the Peace Establishments, from 1784 to 1703, both inclusive: His Lordship afterwards mored for.an Account of the Military Establishments *doting dilemma period, which was metered. ' Lord sr. JOI* Jaw WWI of a motion for to morrow, • • l ar eL v t i rioduction of the Proclamation of General In Ceylots t mpottia4 ch? war in thaOsiiumi. jaunted. • .