Star. — London, England, 1814-12-14 00:00:00

COMMON NALL. Yesterday there was a numerous attendance at the Common Hall, convened for the purpose of consider ing the propriety of petitioning against the renewal of the Property Tax. The LORD MAYOR came forward, and stated the object tor which they were convened, pursuant to a requisition which had been sent to him, and which would be read to them. He begged that they would recollect, that in the discussion of this question, there was a duty imposed upon him of reserving order and regularity. He hoped that every person who should come forward to deliver his sentiments would be heard fairly and distinctly, in all the oMervations lie had to offer. On the indulgedee and support of the Livery he relied, to enable him to preserve upon this occasion, as upon every occasion he was deter mined to preserve, the dignity of the situation of their Chief Magistrate. Mr. WAITHMAN then came forward. In calling their attention to the business of this day, he thought that it was hardly necessary to remind them, that in the year 1798 (the period when this tax was first im posed), the Livery of London had come forward with very strong resolutions against it. On many other occasions they had presented petitions against the In come Tax, between which and the tax that was now called the Property Tax, he could see no difference. He saw no cause now for pursuing any other course than that which he had taken, a few days are-in the Common Council. He then forebore to state instances of individual oppression, suffered under the operation of this tax : if he had been disposed to state such in stances, he could have produced them in thousands. He could have produced as many cases of oppression as would have covered the floor of the Hall in which he was then addressing them. He wished to confine his objections to the tax, under two general heads:. Ist, as to the principle of the tax ; and 2dly, as to the xnode in which it was carried into execution. He thought that it was an incontrovertible position, that if the war with France was undertaken (as it was said to have been) for the protection and preservation of our property, the system of taxation for the support of it, ought to be fair, equable, and in proportion to the property that was to be taxed. What could be more' unequal than that, if income was taken as a criterion of property, the same property tax should be imposed on an income derived from annuities or from preca rious sources as from landed and funded properties ? It must be - obvious that the sort of income which was derived from mere personal exertions, and which was lost when those exertions could no longer be made, was by no means of that value that an income derived from landed property or other certain sources was. If a man possessed of an income from land or the funds died, there was something left for the provision of his family; but in the case of income derived merely from personal exertions, there was nothing left for a family. In tact, in this case, it was only out of the in come made by personal exertions, that any provision could be made for a family, and this income tax struck directly at the only means of making this provision. Now, it, too often happened, that when a man died, his family was left absolutely destitute and starving f and this was often produced by the operation of this *eery tax. It never was originally supposed, nor could it have been supposed, that any tax of a permanent vetere,,would have been raised on a 'principle so un fair and unequal. The objections'to the tat were in. superable ; and if it had not been represented at a time that it was imposed, that it was only of a temporal y nature. ‘nd intended merely to meet the difficulties cf - the. peculiar times in, which it was raised, it was impossible that it could ever have been sukimitted to. When it was considered how.oppretssve this tax had been, and how degrading it was to the feelings of Eng lishmen, the wonder was, how it had beery endured 1 4 ) long ? Tbis could only be accounted for by 'recol lecting the peculiar circumstances oT thecountry when the tax was imposed. We were then told that it was abiolntely necessary for all parties to untie : that, by such union, we should soon get rid of the war ; and that the lax, would. be levied with the. utmost mild ness bi torarnitsjoners appointed by the people them seli4s. Although all this was said at the time, yet there were many, as well as himself, who even then opposed the tax. If any man, however, then ven tured to raise his voice against the tax, he incurred the dangerof immediately being called a jacobin, and an enemy to his country. He, however, thanked GOD, there were some men whom no danger could terrify • they had; therefore, notwithstanding , freely delivered their opinions. With respect to modifying the tax, and it had been somewhere said, that such an idea was in contemplation, and that instead of 10 per cent. five would be taken ; he hoped the people would not submit Whew even that sum squeezed out of their pockets. Any thing in the shape of modlE. cation, if complied with, would be bad ; because It" would establish the principle of the tax, and would never be got rid of.. The evils attending it were great. There were a set of Commissioners with fixed salaries, which could not be taken from them by the people. The machine altogether was curiously con structed; it might truly be called ig The Irifernal Mak chine," for it was calculated to biirg, about tyranny, and fix fetters on the people.— (iliolauler.)—First, as he had observed; there were the Commissioners; then there were a set of officers above them, called Surveyors, who were at liberty to assess the people as much as they pleased ; and if they did not comply with their assessment, might take them before the Court of Exchequer. Then there were another set of efticers called Inspectors, and their duty was to look ever the Assessors; these Assessors ton, in mort cases, were become Cdllectors—( 44 ..111 are Collector:!" was' ' e.t . lieed in the Hall.) —If the people did net take care eery would, by the powerful operation of this ma :::e, be g: ound to dust. He seould not indulge in personalities in respect to these Commissioners, some of whom had justly excited the indignation of the Livery—(Applawee). It mattered not who were the Commissioners, the machine was tyrannically con .:tructed, and could not be honestly carried into effect. One great hardship of the case was, that while one set of individuals escaped its rigour, another were . compelled to send in large returns, while struggling to maintain their credit ; and others, actually in a state of insolvency, paid their quota of Incomes out of the pockets of their creditors. Such was the state of Ithe public Traders, that within the last 10 years, there were no fewer than 15,000 bankrUpts, and more than 20,000 had compounded with their creditors within the last few years. He know a man, who was in a state of intolveney, who bad been asstaftd frbth a few hundreds to £3OOO per annum. Many for the last twenty years had not, though in good business, been able to lay aside £lOO a year for the support of their families. It was not necessary to furnish proofs of the injustice and iniquity of such a tax—every man had those proofs within his own breast. Mr. W. then no ticed the observations made in the Court of Common Council as to the necessity of the tax for carrying on the American war. Was it to be told to the Livery of London, who had gone up with Petitions and Re monstrances upon the subject of reformation in the public expenditure, and the abolishing of sinecure places and pensions, that they must submit to this Tax, when the necessity had ceased to exist ? Could Ministers call upon the People to submit to such a .Tax, when they had done nothing themselves to re here them from the pressure of sinecure pensioners and placemen —the worst of public bur thens?—(///r -plauses).—lf the People suffered an unjust war, like die present, it was allowing one abomination to fol low another—it was an unjust war and an unjust tax. The Honourable Baronet (Sir W. Curtis) had said, speaking of the Tax, and the necessity for continuing it, that it was owing to the American war—that he would (not in the homely expression) give the Ame ricans a good drubbing ; but " he would give them a confounded flogging. If such was to be the reason, the Tax might as well continue for two or three years as one. He remembered to have read some biogra phical anecdotes of one of the best of our Aldermen, in which it was said, that he received his education by inoculation, and that inoculation was performed by the athletic arm of a country Schoolmaster on his m at fleshy part.—(Laughter).—Probably this worthy Al derman having suffered so, might have given the idea to the worthy Baronet to wish to have the flog ging of Jonathan.—( Laughter).— He had suffered at Walcheren—it was a pity that he had not sailed for Lake Champlain, and there he might have suffered too, or have confoundedly flogged Jonathan.— (Laughier).—But, to be serious on the subject, there was not a man, he believed, differed, in respect to the question of the war with America, and did not wish this country to uphold her rights, and, above all, her maritime rights. Would they, however, wish, just when the contest was ended on the Continent, to go into the desarts and wilds of America, to carry on a war of revenge ? He was persuaded they would all declare against the continuance of a Tax for such mo• tives.—(4olauter).—lt would be recollected, that in waging war with America, this country was de: prived of the very best customers which she had had , forthe last 30 years. Mr. Waithman concluded with reading his Resolutions, for which see the Advertisement: Mr. FAvatr. seconded them. He considered it un: necessary to add any thing to convince the Livery of the evils of the Tax. He • thought that the Lord Mayor might instruct the Officer to cry out for any one to speak in the Hall who had any thing to say in its favour. That would be the best criterion of its merit.—(dmileure). —lt was honourable to the City, that in a season of necessity they had borne the Tax so long. If, then, it was honourable to bear it in sj season of necessity, how irresistible must be their claim . now, when the necessity ceased to exist, that the Tie should cease also I He deprecated the policy of en. tering into wars on light grounds. On the subject of Reform, the best way would be to lay the axe tuthe root, as the means of preventing usissot taxes, - • Mr. Panama had heard so many unanswerable'ar guments from the worthy Mover, that be did not ap proie of the introduction Of any topics irrelevant to the subject. As the war with America had been introduced, it ought to be recollected that it was forced upon us by America—( Hisser and Applause.) He Jid not expect perfect unanimity, on the present occasion, but it was evident that America had taken advantage of the distress into which this country was plunged, and doubtful 'of the contest being termi nated successfully, had commenced a war. To bring the contest to a happy conclusion some sacrifices were necessary. Mr. HUNT (of Bristol) wished to notice a few to pics not treated upon. It h'd been sai.4 that it was nut easy to point out a mode of supplying the defi ciency of fourteen millions (which this Tax produced) supposing it was given up— (Ilirrer.) —He aborin. nated the Tax as much as • any man ; there were means of supplying the deficiency by abolishing Places and Pensions. Mr. H. then read a short list of twenty names of the most distinguished Members of both Houses; among whom were the names of the Dukes of Grafton and Richmond, Lords Grenville and Erskine, Mr. Ponsonby, &c. ; and he calculated that the pensions of these persons, amounting to nearly £200,000 per annum. would, at the rate of 15s. per week, keep 5000 famiies, of sit in the family. He th.ught, therefore, that these Noble Si Ives of State should be •compelled . to give up their pensions. Dr. Johnson defined a pensioner to be a person re ceiving a sum without an equivalent—os A Slave of State, bound to the will of the Master." Pope thus illustrates it : " In Britain's Senate he a seat obtains, • And one more Pensioner Sc. Stephen% gains." He condemned both Whigs and Tories for imposing the Tax. Mr. HARVEY conceived there could not be a more difficult question to propound than the reconcilement of parties. With respect to the Tax, the great eva consisted in the Commissioners being allowed to take evidence not upon oath, and then afterwards to sit as Jurors upon the party summoned before them. He deplored the tyranny which this Tax so generally created.—The Resolutions were then severally read, and agreed to unanimously. Mr. WAITIMAN then presented the draft of a Pe tition, embracing the whole of the Resolutions. He disapproved of the introduction of topics of disunion, and should not meddle with either Whig or Tory -parties. The opportunity for a discussion of that ki,ud was ill chosen in his opinion. He agreed that there was plenty of ways of supplying the deficiency (if the Tax was given up) by reform and retrenc h. Anent. To that subject he had often called the atten . - Itien of the Livery. The only object in introducing it DOW seemed foe the purpose of bringing the heads , f all parties into contempt. The Livery of Lon don had a great battle to fight, and their object must e to conciliate all parties, and obtain their support in abolishing this odious Tax. In respe ct to dieoproton of Mr. Fox on the subject, those opinions had been misrepresented and misunderstood, as might be seen by reference to his speeches. Thi s h e ri Waith man) knew, that it was the opinion of Mr. Fox (and he had it from an intimate friend of that great man) en being told that the people did not like the Income Tat, =he said—c. lam glad of it, for now the people Will Mon be tired of the War." The Petition was then read by the proper 01 and agreed to unanimously. Mr: Wastuatak then proposed a Resolution for instructit* the City Representatives to support the Petition ui Parliament. Sir - Wis.•Ctotais came forward, amidst great ap plause.. He expressed his readiness to attend to the instructions of his Constituents on most subjects. In respect to the Tax, which was one of necessity, the country, by subscribing to it, had been enabled to come out of the war with honour and safety. He was convinced that the Livery were, like himself, disposed to act rightly and justly—that they were, in short, like himself too, honourable and just men— (loud shouts) —that is, they were disposed to pay their just debts. Unless the debts of the nation were paid it was impossible this Tax, which produced so large a sum, could be abolished.—(Murmur: and hims.)— 'lf the necessity of it was shewn, they were bound to support it, at least .until the accounts were adjusted. In Parliament he should act according to the dictates of his conscience; and he wished them to recollect, " That those who rule over freemen must themselves be free." Sir J. SHAW was disposed to attend to the instruc tions of his Constituents. He had read the Petition, and had great pleasure in giving it his support.— (Amiatme.—With respect to the Tax, there was no thing so clear as that it was to cease with the war. He was not quite sure that Ministers meant to renew it. But it they did, before he gave them support, they must lay strong grounds for the renewal. He always considered it as a Tax tolerated only from extreme necessity. Conceiving that its renewal must be called for only on strong grounds, he should go to Parliament, and use that discretion which became ne duty of a free Representative and an honest man, ! uninfluenced by those in power.—(Afildators.) Mr. Alderman ATICINS considered it his duty, placed, in the high situation in which he stood, to state his view of the subject. Taxation, he obseserved, had risen to a height beyond what it was conceived it could obtain. For more. than twenty years this Tax had been borne ; it had crept, as it were, into the doors of the poorest person, and had been laid almost upon the food' which he ate. It was improper on that accoult. Still dire necessity had compelled Govern ment to adopt it. He had, when sitting in Pailia. ment for another place, objected to it, because he could not discriminate between income and property. 'He thought that property ought to be taxed, and not the poor loan who had none—(ilmlauser.) He could, however, give no pledge, and must go unshackled to Parliament—(Murerurri Would the. Livery have him not vote for the Property Tax, and: thereby crouch at the feet of America—America, who, when she thought this country at her last ebb, declared war against her ?—(Applause:.) He was disposed to-give a pledge not to support the Tax, if it affected incomes derivable from trade and annuities—he would not sup port a Tax on industry. He would endeavour to discriminate ; bet, at the same time, he must support his country 'against its enemy—(Applauser.) Mr. WarrumAN,then said that their other Repre sentative, Mr. Alderman Combe, could not attend froth indisposition, but they all knew how he would 4ote--(ANtlaure.) As to the declaration of the three irorthy Members who had just spoken, he should for bear to comment, for one reason—because he could hot understand from any thing which they had ut teted what they meant to do— (Altltlatuer.) All that he could learn was this—that let them get into the House of Commons, and then they would follow their own inclinations. The Resolution was then agreed to. On the motion of Mr. COLLINGE, thanks were voted to the Mover and Seconder, who expressed their ac knowledgments of the honour in suitable term's.— Thanks were then voted to the Lord Mayor for his impartiality iq the Chair this day. The proceedings were then ordered to be published in all the Papers, and the Meeting was dissolved. , ADWRiILTT SESSIONS. BAR3AROUS MURDER AND MUTINY. Four natives of Java, called Malays, of the names of Panjang, Sootoo, Moodie, and Callen, were yester day indicted for a murder on the high seas, commit ted on the body of Antonio de Costa, on board the Governor Raffief, on the 9.11 of November, ISIS, off the Cape of Good Hope. They were also in dicted for the murder of Joseph Rater Madiena. Mr. GURNEY opened the case on the part of the prosecution. He began by observing, that this was the most melancholy transaction he ever had to state to a Jury. The ship Governor Raffles was an East India country ship ; she sailed from Batavia in September, ISIS, under the command of Captain King, with a crew composed mostly of Malays, whb ad voluntarily consented to act as sailors, and were perfectly satisfied with the agreement. When the ship came within a short distance of the island of Mada gascar, the Malays, who were natives of the island of Java, came upon deck in the night, while the Cap tain was asleep in his cabin ; they attacked the man who was steering her with knives, and threw him over board, and afterwards struck at the Captain and wounded him as soon as he came upon deck. After stating all the circumstances of the case, he said this horrid business originated in a conspiracy and mutiny, into which the barbarous natives of these countries were too frequently tempted to engage. Mr. Gurney then called his witnesses. , Robert King said, be was Master and Commander of the ship Governor Raines ; he took the command of her at Batavia in September 1813. Her cargo consisted ot rice, coffee, atc. The crew consisted at first chiefly of Malays. He sailed on the 30th ot Sep. Itember. Before he sailed he changed some of the Ma lays for Lascars. There were nineteen Malays when he sailed; among them were the four prisoners. There were 21 Lascars ; he and his brother, who was a boy, was the only English on board. There was a Dutchman, a Swede, a Batavian boy, a French man, who was the mate, a Spaniard, named Ma deira, who was the gunner, and De Costa, another Spaniard. Before he sailed, the Malays were on shore every day, and they had notice of his intention to sail. Cceden was a boatswain for the Malays, and received 20 dollars from the witness for himself and countrymen : and they all appeared satisfied. They had beet% hired by the Captain who commanded the . • . Airbafoen hm, They all knew of the time thii the ship intended to 'CH& England. After he sailed _of he Malays applied for higher pay, as they could steer ; the witness told them they shoulahllTC it. Soon after they applied for warm clothing when wet weather came on, and this was granted. In all respects they were well treated, and had no reason to be dissatisfied with their condition. On the Sth of 1 _ ~ November witness was ill ; they were then sailing to the westwatd, before the wind, wish all the sails set, and about 200 miles of Madagascar. That night he heard a noise on deck, he jumped out of his cot, and was running up the companion stairs. He had his shirt and trowsers on ; when his head was just on deck he perceived the Malays beating some onc: he was immediately struck with a cook's cleaver ;he got two . blows, and fell senseless down the ladder. He could not see who struck him. When he came to himself he was sitting near the cabin door, and found his servant Pansho, a Lascar, binding his head up; the Chief Mate was lying senseless by him. In the course of the night the carpenter and some others, Lascars, forced their way to his cabin through the bulk-head. They had some muskets and pistols. They immedi ately loaded those weapons and armed themsaves ; the companion above the stairs, as well as all the hatches, had been fasttrd by the mutineers. At day-break they endea to break open the hatches but they could not fire, because. the Malays threw water on them, and put planks on the hatches ; they then tried the hatches, but could not break them ; at last the Carpenter cut the compaiiiiin, and %vanes% saw the Javanese throwing the spars over board, while some of them were guarchng the companion. When the hole was made in the companion, they tired at the Malays, and at last brolte,,put about ten in the mor ing. On coming out witTtbeir fire-arms, they drove the Malays below, and"Cceden and Panjaii:i, not being able to get dowailii fore.scuf tee, surrendered. 'They all appeared to be armed in some way or c Cher. The rest of the Malays were not subdued that day ; the party were obliged to Keep watch over them. Next day (the 10th) five of his party volunteered to go down and attack - Aids ; there was a great conflict ; ' muskets were fired; talitYpfllre Malays were killed, and one of his party wounded ; Moodie and Sootoo were brought upon deck. There were only four. fective irons on deck, and the lour prisoners at the bar were .:put in them. It was impossible to guard and take care of all the prisoners that were taken, the Lascars wanted to have the other Malays shot ; they were, however, put into a long-boat and sent adrift. The deck was covered with blood. He missed seven out of his own party, and one was found dead) five of those were Lascars, the other two, Madeioa and De Costa, were Christians. The witness then prosecuted his voyage; had been ill ever siuce ; he had not found the bodies of any of the Malays, those that were killed having been thrown overboard, and the rest sent adrift. The next witness was Morita Kranur, a native of Batavia. He corroborated every thing stated by the Captain ' • he was a sea - tunny, or quarter-master on board. He was on the deck, and he saw the Malays rushing up, and attacking the person at the helm. This was Antonio de Costa, who cried out, N Oh, Lord I Oh,. Lord !" and he was thrown overboard. Four or five of the Malays were at the same time at tacking Madeina on another part of the deck ; he was himself violently attacked, and received IS wounds altogether; he endeavoured to escape do o n the hatchway, but was prevented; he then ran to the 'companion just as the Captain was putting his head up; and witness saw Moodie give the Captain a blow on the bead, when he feU down ; witness jumped down after him, Moodie struck him on the shoulder as he fell down. A Lasear next gave his evidence thmngh an inter preter. He said he was the serang or boatswaiii on board the ship; when the claim broke out he was be. low, but immediately came on deck, and saw two Malays standing over the hatches, with weapons in their hands. Panjang and Sootoo belonged to his watch; and they ought to have been below, as their watch had been out about two hours, bu t they were on the deck with the others. Witness being ft ighten ed, soon went under deck, but in the morning he was induced to go oa deck, on a promise of safety being made to him. They took him to the compass, and as he understood navigation, asked him whitq way the ship was going? He asked the Malays to what place they meant to go ? They answered, that they would go to Acbeen or Pedang, where there was a Java Rajah, who would purchase all their goods, meaning the goods in the ship. Cteden was steering the ship; he had a large knife and an augur in his haad. Panjang was sitting forwards by the long-boat; Moodie was on the larboard side by the long-boat ; Sootoo was on the starboard side of the capstan, and was armed with a crow-bar.-- All the Malays were on deck, and they were all arm ed except Panjang, who was sitting on the bit, with one foot on the tore hatch; all the hatches were guarded by the Malays, and they all appeared to be acting together, and the four prisoners were acting with the rest. Some shots were fired at them, in con sequence of which they sent a man down to scuttle the ship; witness asked them the reason for doing so? they said they meant to sink the ship and take the long-boat; and Moodie began to clear the long-boat tor that purpose. The whole evidence was then read over to the in terpreter of the Javanese language, and repeated in that language to the prisoners. The prisoners when called oa for their defence said, generally, that they had not committed the murder, and that the persons who were guilty had been either killed or sent out of the ship. Mr. Baron GRAHAM, in charging the Jury, wished to impress on them this circumstance, that the pri soners were not in any respect in the condition of per sons trepanned, and compelled to serve on board A ship. They had voluntarily agreed to serve, received wages, and appeared perfectly satisfied with their con dition on board this ship. Then with respect to the persons who actually committed the murder, it was 'sufficient to bring the crime borne to the prisoners, if it appeared that they were acting with the others in the mutiny, and in the endeavour to seize the ship. The Jury withou hesitation found them all Guilty. The Judge of Mil Admiraly, Sir Wm. SCOTT, then addressed the prisoners, and dwelt on the enormity of mutineers and piraticalpractices, for the purpose, he said, of giving admonition to others, and then sen tenced the prisoners to be executed on Thursday next, and their b9dies to be anatomised!