The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-24 00:00:00

the existing scale of taxation, a surplus of 14,000.0001. would then be available. of the war taxes on articles of consumption we have shown that the 2,000,0001. of increased ditty on spirits might well be retained. The increased taxes on sugar and tea (the item of coffee is insignificant) remain to be con sidered. The increased duty on sugar has dimi nished its consumption. Sir G. C. Lewis eitiinated that the enhanced duties would yield 1,900,0001. It is doubtful whether they h ive yielded so much, as the consumption fell f •inn 8,33'2,407 cwt. in 1854, to 7,547,157 cwt. in 1855. The total loss to the Revenue from abolishing the war duty would not, we I u igine, allowing for increased consumption, be more than about 1,500,0001. The tea duty, which, by the Budget of 1853, wai at once lowered front 2s. 21(1. per lb. to is. 10(1., sunk in the following year to Is. 0(1. Th 3 decline was then arrested by the War, and in 1855 an additional 3d. per lb was added by Sir G. C. LEWIS. The duty is, then, at present ls. 9d., and will, by the terms of existing acts, fall to Is. 3d. on the sth of April next, and is on the sth of April, 1858. If the reduction on tto sth of April next takes place the loss to the Revenue will probably be about 1,500,000/. The total loss from the reduction of the duty on tea and sugar may be about 3,000,000/. : from the loss of Ild. in the pound on the Income Tax, 11,000,0001.—together, 14,000,0001. An amount of 2,000,0001. of Exchequer Bonds will fall due this next year; but if a sinking fund of 1,500,000/. is established for the redemption of recent loans, further re demption of debt can hardly be expected. The bonds may be renewed, or thrown into some other form of debt. . If our peace establishment now be substan t ally the same as it was before the war broke ex it, there is no reason why the general finan cial scheme of 1853, to which the faith of Par liament was pledged, should be interrupted. 'tie increased duties on spirits may meet the I icreased charges for interest on new loans, stad for a sinking fund to redeem them. The oilier figures of Mr. GLADSTONE are as valid now as they were in 1853—more valid, indeed, the ordinary revenue has augmented in the r ttio we have reason to believe. If a reduction of the tea duties and Income Tax was practi• cable in 1853, why is it not practicable now, if our establishments are placed on a peace foot ing, and the increased duties on spirits are allowed to meet the increased charges occa sioned by the War? One point must not be overlooked. The on)rmous military and naval expenditure of tiv last three years has replenished our stock and stores of all kinds. This point was dwelt on by the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER last par—May 19, 1856: — During the last two years we have devoted large sums o' money to extending and improving our naval and mill Ulf establishments. Our military arsenals are now much fuller, our stores are greater, our guns more perfect, our troops ar ned with much more efficient weapons thou was the case at the beginning of the war. Our navy is likewise more nume rous, better appointed, and more efficient for all the pur. poses of war ; and although the objects of a belligerent power are not those which we now seek, it is to be remain• bered that we are in possession of a much greater amount of materiel for naval and military purposes than we had when the war began. It must not, therefore, be supposed th it all our expenditure baa been for the accomplishment of temporary objects, for a considerable portion of it remains in a permanent form. This assurance is encouraging, but un d.iubtedly it arms the hands of those who con tend that our expenditure shall now be reduced to a peace footing. Be it recollected that in the last year of peace, 1853, Mr. CODDEN,Iin the Budget debate, dwelt with emphasis on the fact, that a sum of no less than 1,875,000/. had been added to the naval and military estimates since 1851. If we take the last year of peace as a standard of peace establishments, we shall, with our addi t►onal materiel accumulated during the War, have our services in a much more efficient state than they have been in since the close of the war in 1815. This much is quite clear,—that to main t tin larger establishments for one year or two than it is proposed permanently to maintain, will be money completely thrown away,—or rather worse, as it will place our services on a false footing, and entail future retrenchments TILE PRESS. which may be excessively narrow and in jurious. If it be held that we cannot now return to the very highest peace establishments known previous to the late war, the question must be pressed home, Where does the fault lie? Does it arise from the mismanagement of our diplo macy,—from the arrogance of our Foreign office,—from the propensity of Administration to ferment foreign disputes that it may dis tract public attention from home affairs ? If we cannot return to peace establishments, — which is the one great question now for the public to consider,—we are entitled to know, the reason why ?" • Mn. G. H. Moont, M.P. was entertained at a banquet given by his constituents in Castlebar, on Thursday week. Archbishop Miele was present, although he did not take the chair, as was expected, the honour of presiding having been conferred on Mr. Mark Blake, a brother-in•law of Mr. Moore. Among the guests were Mr. Tristram Kennedy, M.P., Mr. IrEvoy, M.P., and Mr. Swift, M.P. Mr. Moore, who made the speech of the evening, referring to what he termed " the present crisis in the history of Ireland," said : - - The question I was about to say that agitates, but which rather weighs upon, the public mind of the country, is not in what national direction, or for what natural end or pur pose the national energies of the country shall be directed, but rather whether it is not now fitting that the separate national energies of our people should cease altogether; and having found separation by force impossible, separation by law a delusion, and united action in an Imperial Parlia ment too great a trial for our national virtue, why should we not frankly accept our position as an amalgamated nation, and enter into a new career as patt of the united people in the common interests and the common blessings of the British Constitution? Well, why not? Mr. Moore proceeded to answer his own question : the position of the Irish could never bq the same as that of the English under the British Constitution, in fact, that equal terms were not held out to the people of both countries ; and first among the oostacles in the way of equality between them he placed the Established Church. After alluding to the question of tenant right he returned to that of the present indifference of the people of Ireland on po• litical movements, and said public action retrograded since 1846 : Ay, thank God, it has. What was the policy of 1846 but an organised imposture, a gross and sinister cheat — warmed into life by the loudest hearts and truest energies that ever gave birth to a people's cause? It lived on the blood of the Government that nourished it, and it expired amidst the sepulchres of the people it betrayed. If the Irish members who still profess to do their duty are not trusted as these men were, thank God, they are watched as these men ought to have been watched. Whatever amount of public confidence we may ultimately deserve, there is not the slightest doubt that we shall ultimately obtain it; and, so far from regarding the present national distrust with dismay, I regard it as a good omen of an honester future. Now that the position of the independent party is recognised and approved of by the country, no doubt can exist that it will ultimately be reinforced by the country. Archbishop tlitiale made a long but somewhat dull gpeecli, insisting on the necessity of the policy of independent opposition. The general impression is, that the demonstration was not as successful as it was expected to be. A FIRE broke out in the Accountants' Office of the Bank of Ireland, Dublin, early on Monday morning, but was happily got under before much damage was done. The origin of the fire does not appear very clear. _ _ _ _ . DR. KEANE, the Romanist Bishop of Ross, has been elected to the see of Cloyne. THE VENERABLE WILLIAM FITZGERAI D, Arch deacon of Kildare and rector of Monkstown, has been appointed by the Lord Lieutenant to the Bishopric of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross. The new bishop, who was chaplain to Archbishop Whately, was believed to be a supporter of the national system of education, but since the archbishop's secession from the board it is reported that Dr. Fitzgerald's views have also undergone some modification upon the education question. A Punuc MEETING was held at the Mansion house, Dublin, on Thursday, at which the Lord Mayor presided. Alderman Roe proposed, and Isaac Butt, M.P., seconded, a resolution for the reduction of the income tax. The members for the city supported the resolution. An amendment for the total and immediate abolition of the tax was adopted unanimously. The discussion was animated. W. J. PAYNE, ESQ., deputy coroner for the City of London, has been appointed by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to be coroner for the Duchy of Lancaster, in the room of the late unfortunate Mr. Thomas Higgs, who committed suicide a few days ago. SATURDAY, OPPOSITION TO THE INCOME TAX. A GREAT MEETING was held at Exeter-hall on Wed nesday evening, under the presidency of Alderman Wire, to promote the objects of the Property and Income Tax Association. The large hall, with the exception of the gallery, was very well filled, and on the platform were Major Reed, M.P. (chairman of the association), Mr. Thomas Chambers, M.P., Mr. J. Brady, M.P., Mr. Apsley Pellatt, M.P., Colonel D. M'Dougall, together with deputations from the towns of Birmingham, Barnsley, Brighton, Bridge water, Deptford, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Oxford, Reading, &c. Letters of apology for non attendance, but expressing adhesion to the movement, were re ceived from General Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P., Mr. W. Scholefield, M.P., and Mr. It. Matins, M.P. In opening the business The CHAIRMAN earnestly impressed upon the meeting the east: with which the income tax could be reduced, from the flourishing financial condition of the country, and insisted that at least the additional ninepence, put on for the war, should be taken off in April next. Major REED, M.P., rose to move the first reso lution : That in the opinion of this meeting the additions made to the property and income tax for war purposes ought to cease from the sth of April next, and consequently that the Acts of Parliament imposing those additions should be immediately and unconditionally repealed. The gallant major insisted upon the right of the people to demand the reduction of the war 91, and observed, in conclusion:-- For his own part, as one of the independent members of that assembly, unless the declaration came from Minis- terial lips that the war Bd. should be given up, and a re• vision of the injustice done to precarious as compared with fixed incomes was promised, he undertook to put a notice on the books of the house which must either extract from the Government an expression of their readiness to yield to the popular will, or bring down upon them the obloquy which they would so richly merit. Mr. T. CHAMBERS, M.P., seconded the resolution. The resolution was pu► and carried unanimously. Mr. A. PELLATT, M.P., rose to move the second resolution : That the present system of levying the income tax by taxing permanent and precarious incomes alike is maul fe-Aly unjust, and leads to a general and systematic evasion ; that the despotic and inquisitorial mode of assess ment is repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen, and has only been submitted to from time to time under the im pression that the tax was for a temporary purpose ; and that the meeting pledges itself to use every legitimate means to obtain a more equitable adjustment of the tax and an improvement in the mode of assessment, or a total repeal 01 it upon trades and professions. He was for making short work of this matter. If the Prime Minister did not, through the Queen's speech, intimate a readiness to remit the extra nine pence income tax, some independent member of the House of Commons ought to get up and move an amendment to the address for the abolition of the hateful impost. If no more influential member took this course, he pledged himself that he should. Mr. T. ATTWOOD and the Mayor of OXFORD sup ported the resolution, which was ultimately carried. Colonel D. M‘DouGam. proposed the next reso lution : That this meeting recognise with great satisfaction the strong expression of feeling manifested throughout the country in favour of the objects of this association, and desire to tender their special acknowledgments to those gentlemen who compose the deputations present on this occasion. Mr. J. A. NICHOLAY, of Marylebone, seconded the motion, and stated that his borough bad already moved in this matter, and would hold a meeting upon it in the course of a few days. Sir B. Hall would be invited to attend, and if he refused his adhesion to the movement, be (Mr. Nicholay) would pledge himself to resist the right hon. baronet's future election. The resolution was carried by a large majority, and the meeting shortly afterwards separated. In compliance with a numerously-signed requisi tion of the inhabitants of PRESTON. the mayor, Mr. L. Spencer, convened a public meeting for the pur pose of taking into consideration the propriety of petitioning Parliament in the next session for the immediate reduction of the income and property tax, The meeting, which comprised about 1,200► persons of all classes, took place in the Corn Exchange. Lune-street, on Thursday evening week, the Mayor in the chair. Besides many of the principal inhabi tants of the town, there were upon the platform Mr. It. T. Parker and Sir George Strickland, the members for the borough, and Mr. J. Heywood, one of the members for the northern division of Lancashire. Mr. E. BIBLEY, manufacturer, moved That as the income and property taxes were increased to is. 4d. in the pound for the exigencies of the war, the law enacting that rate ought in justice to expire from the