The National Register. — London, England, 1816-02-04 00:00:00

FEB. 4. 919 THE NATIONAL REGISTER. WNW was felt so oppressive by the people ; inflict, we were still to bear, during peace, all the overwhelming imposts of a war establishment. Lord MILTON and Mr. PRESTON also expatiated on the dis tresses of the country, and on the necessity of retrenching our enormous military expenditure. Sir S. i:OMILLY spoke in severe terms of the conduct of the Mlles towards France, and feared the peace would be more secure than honourable. It was not founded on the base of reciprocal good will, but on that of arbitrary power—of unjust compulsion. In making it, we had planted the seeds of war, and left the stings of hatred and discord. Lard CASTLEREAGH replied to Sir S. Romilly ; and, adverting to the distress to which one class of society was subject, said, it was only such as must happen in all transfers of property and employment like the present. If we referred to the situation of the country after the American war, we should find that the dis tres'e; of the country were infinitely greater, without those con solatory and animating prospects with which we were now cheer ed. The pressure of our domestic commerce must be allowed to be considerable ; but the revenue had not failed. There was, upon the whole. a million and a half increase. The war-taxes had kept steady. He would not undervalue the difficulties under 'Which commercial and agricultural interests laboured, but he saw no room for gloom and despondeucy. With respect to the property tax, there was only the choice of reducing the public credit by interfering with the sinking fund, which ought to remain inviolate, or of raising the sum necessary for the service of the year by this tax. Mr. COKE (4lf Norfolk) remarked, that the barley-farmers were those who most suffered. The Noble Lord opposite had intimated,. that the alarm among the agricultural interest was exaggerated ; he hoped the Noble Lord would be able to prove this, though he greaCy suspected it was beyond his power; particularly as he had been so long a time out of the country, and could not be accu rately acquainted with its domestic concerns. There was not a doubt that the country gentlemen and the farmers were extremely distressed—what they wanted was, a market, and a fair price for their grain. He (Mr. Coke) did not look forward to the return of those great and extravagant prices which the country had wit nessed some years back.—ln the management of his estates, he, for one, had never looked to those prices; being convinced that, is the long run, a steady remunerating price was more for the benefit both of the fanner and landholder. He was sorry to hear frrin the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the renewal of the Income-tax was to be proposed. He, for one, would resist, to his latest breath, the imposition of that tax, in whatever shape it was proposed ; being convinced that, if once admitted in time of peace, the country would'never again got rid of it. (Mar, hear!) He trusted also, that the war-tax on malt would be done away ; and, if Ministers chewed no disposition to remove that burtfien, he should make a motion to that effect on some future day. Mr. TIERNEY coincided in the sentiments of his Hon. Friend, ip respect to the character of the British army, though he was afraid of the conduct of the British Government. The Speech recommended economy. No doubt his Royal Highness would not recommend economy, unless he meant to practise it himself. The Rt. Hon. Gent. in noticing the lateness of the Meeting of Par liament, attributed to Ministers a great inconsistency in their con- duct ; because last Session they had talked of the difficulties of the landed interest : and yet they delayed enquiry into the distress, as it interfered with their line of policy. The Noble Lord had talked of keeping the Sinking Fund sacred ; but he had forgot that the Right Hon. Gent. had taken seven millions from it. This was one way of keeping it sacred. He hoped that the House would not vote one shilling of supply until the estimates were on the table. He concluded with recommending a Committee of En quiry into the real produce of the revenue. Sir G. HEATHEOTE supported the amendment, and referred the general state of the agricultural interest. Land, he ob served let at 51. per acre, under the idea that wheat would fetch six guineas per quarter—it now only fetched 48s.—consequently the farmers could not pay their rents, and the landlords lost half their incomes. This was a subject which Ministers ought to en quire into. The House then divided, for the Addres 90—for the Amendment 3.4.--111ajority 67. [Adjourned. FRIDAY, FEB. 2. Mr. Brougham gave notice, that he should, on an early day next peek, move for an Address to the Prince Regent on the subject 9f the recent transactions in Spain. Lord Castlereagh gave notice, that he should, on Monday next, submit a motion to the House for the erection of a Mouujnent to commemorate the Norval Viciories of the Country. 7 *I" ~;~ It was also orik.red, that no Petition fur leave to bring in a ari vate Bill should be received after the Itith inst.; no private read a first time after the sth of March ; or any Report on a priN ate Bill received after the 13th of May. Mr. P. GRENFLIL gave notice, that he would on Tuesday nett submit a motion to the House on the subject of the Bank of England. TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS. Lord CASTLERENGH, by order of his Royal Hight:es% the Prince Regent, presented certain Papers and Documents relative to the Congress at Vienna, consisting of General Ti, ivies between Great Britain, Bavaria, Hanover, Baden, Russia, Prussia, &c. and Sub sidiary Treaties between Bavaria, Hanover, Sweden, Hesse, &c.; Treaties between Great Britain and Portugal, and Grt at itain and Spain, respecting the Slave Trade, and between Great Hi itain and Russia, respecting the Russian Loan; and various other Trea ties ; which were laid on the ta ble. Ilis Lordship observed, that it would be necessary that those Papers should be printed; and that Members should have a few days to consider theta, before the discussion came on. The Noble Lou d then named, as we un derstood him, Tuesday week, as the day ou which he would bring the subject under the consideration cf the House; but he spoke iu so low a tone, it was impossible to collect, wilt certainty, what ha said. THE P ROPER:II"n X. Mr. BARING %VW:ell to put a question to t le Chancellor of this . Exchequer on this subject. The Right lion. Gentleman had declared his intention to propose a contirmation of this tax at a rate of i per cent. He wished now to ask, if it was in the con templation of the Right Hon. Gentleman to continue it with cer tain modifications, or whether it was to be continued with its pre sent objectionable and oppressive inquisitorial p owe rs, and cent with no other alteration, skive the r eduction from 10 to 5 per .? and, secondly, if he intended to propose its continuation as a per manent or a temporary measure ? The other question which he was desirous of putting to the Right Hon. Gentleman was, to leave it resolved, whether he had understood him rightly when he con- ceited him to say that he would in no case touch the :1 ialug Fund. Did the Right Hon. Gentleman, by this, mean to say that he would got even take a loan from this source? • Mr. VANSITTART, in reply, observed, that with respect to the Property-tax,he - trusted he should be prepared, wlrn the subject came under discussion - , to lay such a proposition before the House as would fully satisfy the country. He should submit a plan, with certain modifications, though lie did not, intend to exempt any • description of persons or property front bearing_ their fall propor tions. With respect to its continu ance, he should propose its con• tinuance as a war tax for two or three years.—( Hear, !grail ) It would, at the expiration of that time, be for m the wis do difi ca tions, itm of Parliament to determine whether, under any o should be confirmed ; but that was a question not necessary to be agitated now, and one on which his mind was by no means made up.—( Hear, hear ! )—ln answer to the Hon. Gentleman's second question, which related to the Sinking Fund, it was his intention, for the present year at least, to apply it in its entire force, and to its: fullest extent, to the purposes to which it was assigned by tho h Act of 1792, which Act lie considered as forming the Act of basis on which the public creditor had advanced his nioney. Te 1813 was founded on the saute principle, and could not be taken as any authority fur touching or breaking in upon the Sinking Fund in any way inconsistent with the public faith pledged to the public creditor. Mr. BARING agreed with the Right Hon. Genortleman what he had said of public faith wit h the poblic credit ; but public faith did not forbid the taking a loan for the public, service front the Fund, He wished now to know, whether the Right Hon. Gentle.% man had any intention of doing this ; or it he did not, whether he could do without a loan from some other quarter. • ) Mr. ANSITTART said, h did not intend to take any Loan from the S VANSITTART said, he did not intend to take any Loan fioi the Sinking Fund ; but he e was not pre pared to say he could do without any Loan at all. AGRICULTURAL 'FAXES. Mr. BROUGHAM asked, whether any determinatio h n a s had bee p n come to as respected the A g ricultural Taxes ; wheter, a ste t o wards relieving the culti vators of land, there w as any probantitty the Tax on Horses and Leather would be repealed. Mr. VANsirra Wr was unable, at this early period, to say what would be done on this. subject ; but the Hon. Member might be assu that the resent stte of he agriettltural interest tiamed a prirncied, pal considerationp in a t every measnre intended to b e brought forward. ADDRESS' TO THE • PRINCE REGENT. Mr. METIIVEN brought up the Rep9rt of the Address to the rrince 'Regent on his - Rod Speech.- - ii