The National Register. — London, England, 1815-01-01 00:00:00

imml!igp Til E NIITIONAT, REGirtglt. . LITERARY REVIEW PROPERTY TAX. • Some individual who stiles himself " a Friend to his Country," hai . been bold enough to publish What he is. pleased to term •' Strong Reasons for the Continuance of the Property ',lax." Our readers will agree with us in think: ing that if it can possaiy be continued, the reasons must be strong indeed. But however they or we may differ with him_ as to the Tax in question, and that we most certainly f!o, we cannot but applaud his anticroaking spirit and his just ides, of the still immense resources of the country. And whatever may be the diffe:ence in oi,inion on the subject of the Tax, it is but justice to give his introductory observa liens. • " Those acquainted in the slightest degree with the science of Political Economy, or accustomed to a study of its win-. cipies, and their just application to the ordinary. transactions of life, will find in the following pages little that is new ; but much that, in the present state of things, will be interesting and important. " Those persons who, 'like a celebrated compiler of docu ments, deny to a nation composed of a number of families the, application of.principles that have been deemed by the w!se,and intelligent of all ages and nations necessary to time swell-being of one—those persons who ridiculously imagine that the power of Great Britain has reached its aeon., that her resources are neatly exhausted—those persons vlho obstinately persist. in their attachment to a system, merely because it is established..—those persons whose understand lugs are' thus clouded, and whose fears are so needlcs'Av ex cited, whose blind attachments arc so strong, will find if) the following pages much loud • for astonishment. On the other han& however presumptuous may be the xpeetat ion, it is hoped that after a little reflection, the writer's idea on the ,sabject of the impost in question will not be deemed so very heterodox. " Of the boldness of the task—of the mass of prejudice existing in every branch of society against this impost, he is fully aware; of the sufferings of society under the preSent burgle) of taxation he is also aware; but still it must be borne. •Theonly remedy is to meet the evils with firm ness; to search for a relief from its pressure with industry and candc,ur. In this event, it will be found that we shall be called on for new exertions, to open new sources of re venue, new channels of commerce, and new means of ac quiring wealth. They are all within our grasp. " Ildwever, it is impossible to send this tract into the world without deprecating the most mischievous idea now extant, 'that our population is superabundant, and out of all proportion to our sources of supply. Dr. Colluboun ha: rissumed this as a fact, and takes great pains to point out 'the colonies to which this overflow of population should be made *to direct. its 'course. That such should have been the opinion . of a writer whose object has been to-estimate the resources of the empire, and whose representations possess so much plau sibility and probability (more indeed than could possibly have been expected), must excite surprize. • " But it is much to lie regretted that the Doctor has for gotten the best principles of the science, as much as it is to be hoped that the mats of valuable inforination which the publication of his bobk attract. frnra %arinas quarters, will afford him an opportunityin the fature editions to pay more attention to - this part of the sobjec'. • ro enforce the idea that in the agricalture and 340- Emmy of the country arc to be (nand the means of i;~ wealth and dcfcucc, is, in short, the object of these • yd- • • -lOW JAN; L. " Notwithstanding all our boasting, the.extract from the Report on the French Corn Laws will prove, that as to tl produce of the earth we are inferior to the ancients. " Peibans if the relative proportion of produce gathered fiom the district around the metropolis to that generally ob tained in other districts was ascertained, it would furnish . a i erfectly satisfactory proof of what industry and encourage ment will .effect. 1r Cutnherland, Mr. Curwen's success has afforded ample proofs of what may be done. " To extend this system, the only way will be to relieve the capital of the country by withdrawing the imposts that absorb it, in proportions infinitely too great, and which thus prevent its- fertilizing, every action of the island, as well as aiding every pursuit, whether its object he commerce, mains • facture, or . agriculture. In short, under a conviction that the benefits to be ultimately derived from the enhancement of the Property Tax. will be infinitely more than commen surate to any possible inconvenience, it is boldly proposed to increase rather than reduce its.rate of assessment; and so far from merely making it a resource is time of war, to avail ourselves of its admirably productive qualities as a perms, vent source of national revenue. _ _ •• To conclude. it is contended. that one of the greatest benefits to he derived from such a system would be the di rection of thecapital thus released to the improvement of the for in the improvement of the soil will be found the elements of national grandeur and felicity. " Many other inducements exist, but none pei haps greater, .to use the words of Mr. Curwen, than ' that it it favourable to happiness by being favourable to 'virtue.'" . The late decision in the Court of King's Bench in - favour of Messrs. Kensingtons and Co. has given universal satisfac tion,. for a contrary verdict must have led to endless litigation and confusion among merchants, bankers. &c. The attempt to identify commission with interest, and thus to evade the ,payment of a debt, cannot be defended either in equity or honour ; kind we. will even venture to add, that the desire of late manifested of prosecuting for presumed usury, if sup ported by Juries, and carried into rigorous effect, must lead to very serious consequences. Very few men in business can be safe under such- prosecution—all our bankers who dis count bills, and even the Bank of England itself, may be con victed of transgressing this law; that is, of charging more than .'; per cent. per annum interest, for advancing money upon bills or other 'securities (see the Universal Catnbist, vol. 1, p. 18). From the same work we learn, that.in almost all other nations the interest of money is not limited by law. hut fluctuates according to the plenty or scarcity of specie; and perhaps such a prac•ice in this country would be found more convenient and equitable than the law against usury; which, it is well known, is either openly or secretly evaded. A list of the criminal causes brought before the Court of Assize in Paris during this year. makes their number amount to 358, of which 314 were thefts, 15 forgeries, 6 assassina tions, 21 fraudulent bankruptcies, and 47apes. One Devanx, a button-maker, at Paris, found guilty of an attempt to violate the person of a girl of nine years of age, has been condemned to 20 years forced labour, and 3000 francs for the inspection of the high police, under which he is to remain all his life. The F. each character ig, in the opinion of Buoriararte, very fickle. Somebody told him his statue was taken down fiom the grand pillar—" NVell," said he, „ and what have they put up in it: stead?" The person to whom he spoke answered-- •' The Bouthon flag." " They ought," said he, 44 to have put up a weathercock."