The Statesman. — London, England, 1823-02-22 00:00:00

[ l l l 7f its duties and its responsibilities. He asked, however, •e undivided attention of the Committee, while be 'toted detain them with his observations on the vast and ' am eons interests of the country. He felt more desir •us to claim their attention, because he was addressing hens under circurnsumc , s of an embarrassing contrast, ;Athos& whose acute mind and long eiperienee, whose many virtuea and unsullied integ ri ty, gained him for many !years thexespect and esteem of that house. He could not, however. but feel confidence, when he recollected thous el occasions, few as they . were, on which be ad drossed that house, he had exper ienced their indnlgenee ant cheering encouregement many years.—(eheers.) The best return that he could make for their kindness wonld be to make his statement as brief and intelligible at be could Brevity was always us• ful, and every state ment oft questions of Finance, Revenue, and Expendi tom Should, above all, be particularly clear and et . plicit. He should, at all event', avoid intentional oh tmttilty. If. indeed, he were so wicked alio attempt to cloud his subject by fallacious reasoning or false calcula this% he would 4v little better than a teedman. Many mete then in that house, who were able to detect him if be esieavoured to involve his statements in any obscu ettx,so that in all casts it was his wish, as it was his interest and his duty, to make himself clear. Having - Stu! so much, be would proceed to detail his plan.— litit be proposed to state the actual Revenue of last year. then the expenditure for the same period, with the . surplus arising from the excess of the one ab6ve the other ; and, lastly, to explain the estimates of both, and application of the surplus for the present year. The • fiist strement (that of the revenue of last year, the ex prlditure, and the surplus) was already in a paper be. fore the house, and therefore lie would not have occa sion to give any further detail of it, than merely stating the hares lase Revenue of last year. then, was . .C 34,364,649 Ard the Expenditure tor last year was . 49,449,130 • Leay . ng a Surplus of . . . 4.915,519 He would next come to the calculation of the Revenue, which might be ex; ecteit to arise in the present year, the estimated expenditure for the same time, and the proba ble aXcees ; and proceed to show the mode in which it was intended to be appli►d. The estimates he formed of the income of revenue, after deducting all that might be expoeted to be lost from the reduction of taxes lost year, and adding-that which was to be received from the Com tn'ssioners of Half-pay and Pensions. Amnestied to . . . . £57,096,588 (,)f this he would alio iv for the ordinary Re semis . . . . . 52,246,988 lr.dependent of the sums received from the Commissioners of Half-pay and Pen• &ions . . . . . The foul Expenditure of the Country he estimated at . • . . . . 49,852,000 H• made the following calculation of the various branches of Expenditure:— The tots' Chargeof the Funded Debt, in cluding Interest, Long annuities, and Management. . . The Commissioners of Half•pay . . Other Charges on the Consolidated Fund, including the Civil List and Pensions . The total Interest on Exchequer Bills The Estimates for the Service of the Army Estimates for the Navy . . E,'imn•ee for the Ordnance . blisecl:dneutis Estimates ..C45,124.756 2,de0,000 2,050,000 1,200 ,000 7,362,000 5,444,000 1,380,11C0 1,491,214 Making a Total of— Of To`;11 Expenditure, a permanent Charge was . . • • • And the Iteuislnder was within nliat was called fur theSnpplirs of the Year . 49,852.000 33,084,000 16,768,000 The Result, then, of the Total Estimate of the it.verue was the Snm of . . From which, if the estimated Expenditure was deducted . . . • . 57,096,588 49,852,000 A these Surplus of Ream • over Expendi• . tune was seen of TLe sett point he had to show, after establishing that surplus, was bow it should be appropriated. He would propose thecae major sum of five millions should be op ...plied towards the means which Parliament had recognis ed for the liquidation of the National Debt ; and the re matnfug two millions would be appropriated to the re . &talon of taxation.—(Cheers.) In which one tenth of tf•e 311:0Ullt would be taken in the Assessed Taxes, and le remain ler he wcitild explain as his statement went on. Having thus far explained the probable ran etaue, expen ddtre, and avail .ble surplus for the present year, he eva-ld prot eed to the separate details, and give the Com• nittce an explanation of the most material parts.—(Hear, hear)—The first thing was to call the recollection of the Louse to a paragraph iu his Majesty's speech from the throne, %%loch expressed an opinion that the Revenue of the color ry would exceed the expectation. He thought that he should be able to show, in the course of his state ment, that such an expectation wits fully borne out, and that tl•o Ministers were justified in putting these words is his Majesty's mouth. Though the actual surplus of the Rescues over expenditure did nut actually exceed last year more than live millions. yet it was material to c'Paeller what it would have been if certain great financial ropermiens had not taken place at the close of the year t o effect i• ; and whirl, did effectually reduce the revenue without riving a cet• mpuraneous reduction of expendi tare. The Committee would recollect in the early part of the year 11322. that from the estimates laid on the table, a clear surplus of 5;285.000f., or thereabouts, wall calculated to appear over the expenditure of the eountry. Toot excess was founded on the supposition that the rate of taxation should be continued as in the preced ing year. The holm would recollect that not long a:ter a Noble Lord (Londonderry), to whom he could suit allude without f eliuys which he should not express .there, and at that moinegap-(Here the lion. Gen tleman seemed much affected then stated to the House, that it ass the intention of ti•ivernment to propose a me,- ,sure for executing a very important financial man, which would on the one hand have the effect of ditnieishing .ex2en,e, and on the other give to Parliament the means of 'tn king an equal redaction in taxation.—(Hear.) He alluded to the plan of converting the 5 into 4 per cents, and which was calculated to admit of a lessening . of the Lurdens to theextent of 1,400,0001. At the s•tue time to gain a reduction of interest to an equal balance. It re wilted, however, front that plan, that on the one hand a rtsluetion of taxation was made before the corresponding 'eduction of interest aas effected on the other. For in stance, the reduction of the Malt Tax took place on the b•th April, Itti22, and the interest on the 5 per cents was paid up to the sth July last, so that, in point of fact, until the present y ar, there was no saving wade by the dirnimitio.l of interetc—(Hear) The diminution on the . Malt Tax alone was 1.500,00111.. and there was now simi lar rases, a diminutiiiii in other brunettes, affecting the total amotoit of the revenue very considerably. The re . ;evil. in ail these branch.s was no less in the total than AU,Othjl. From !hens ebe inferred, that if no reduction ot tsxatiuri hail taken place, the total surplus, instead of five million.. would hale been six mtllioes and one half. • The passage iu his Majesty's Speech to Pariament was, therefore, fully borne out by the facts. in allusion to . that seduction of taxation lie (the Chancellor) did not trial. it to be supposed that he stated it with any regret— ...! tattroett it, as. he coneeiv-d that the reduction ot taxes was die to the'rountry whenever it could be safely e.feet gii. And he concurred in the propriety of Weeding it --~-- ~~~ i . - .-.~ THE STATESMAN. further on similar pelielples. He had merely notieed it for the purpose of showing hoverer the amount of re venue was influenced by it.—filear, hear.) The next polo to which be soled the attention of the Committee was the ground on which be estimated the produce of the revenue for, the present year, lie calculated—be thought he might do so under all the circumstances, al. lowing for the diminution of taxes in the last year—that the revenue would not be inferior to that of last year, in any branch, from the belief, tbat the source of revenue in the present year would not, at least, fall short of those of last. He would, therefore, estimate the customs at 10,500,0001. The customs for last year were 10,662,0001. He bad to deduct from the above estimate all the loss that would fall upon the Customs from the tonnage duty being repealed, from time sth July. As no part of those dues would be receivable this year, he might be entitled to a higher rate than he had estimated on half the difference, amounting to 80,0001. He calculated then the Customs at 10,500.0001. The Excise produced last year 27,271,6081.; but from this should be deducted the loss arising from the repeal of taxes, partially on Mal., Leather, and Salt, which were lessened to a certain ee, at the-ciose of last year, from the demand naturally bebing decreased in expectation of buying cheaper. He deducted from that estimate all the remainder of the loss produced by the repeal of the duties on those articles, and he thought he might take The Excise at . . • . £26,000.000 600,000 The Stamp Duties he took at . . . the Revenue of the Post Office at somewhat lower than last year . . • • 1 •+ 00 • The Assessed Taxes and - the Land Tax. last year, came to 7,217,901. It should be observed with regard to that branch, that the Hearth and Window Tax were abolished ID 'lreland, and a consequent reduction of revenue took piece, which would come into the present year. He took, then, the Assessed Taxes for this year at £t7,100,000 Mg the various miscellaneous items . 600,000 The result of all these branches would give from the Customs . . . . .£10,400,000 Excise • Stamps Post Office 1,400,000 Assessed Taxes . . . . . 7.100,000 I!Miscellaneous items . . • 600,000 Total 1:52,200 OtiO which was the result of the ordinary revenue of the country, independent of the contributions paid by the Controtssioners of half-pay and pensions. The lion. gentleman proceeded. lie ventured to form his caltu lations under the impression that the different sources of the revenue would prove as productive in the present as they were last year. It was very true that the re ceipts of last year exceeded the receaptof any antecedent year; but when the Committee looked ith hint at the improvement which had taken place within the last year, and observed the continuance of the same causes in the present, they could justify him in the anticipation that there would be no falling off. Indeed, be was justified in anticipating not only a continuance of the revenue, but a progressive inc eeeee , when he looked at all the fo reign relations which were opening new sources to the I commercial enterprise of the country. When lie saw the general conviction of the utility of. more enlarged principles of trade, and the daily abandonment of anti quated restrictions which had so long'. encumbered it, not only in this, but in other nations—it was utterly impossible to carry those liberal principles into effect. withnnt creating squid commercial benefits to other countries, and without extending the demand for their produce as well as for our own. (Hear, hear, hear) — The advaa'ages were not shoot-ter at one side, but • equally beneficial, when lie observed in every brauch of foreign export, as well as of domestic manufacture, an increased consumption, and consequently of Revenue. Upon them he thought that he was not saying too much, in anticipating to the Committee the gradual extension (and if gradual, the safer and the better) of the corn inercial transactions of the nation to other parts of the world.—(Hear, hear.) He could not advert to that part of the subject, without bearing testimony to the valua ble services of his la'e Hon. Colleague in office (31r. Wallace), to whose abilities for the apace of ten years in that particular department he country was so materi ally indebted—in whose mind he (the Chancellor) found the readiness to assist him in all plans of liberality, and who effected great and important changes by his own personal exertions—changes in the commercial system productive of inestimable benefits to the country.—(Load cheers.) When be (the Chancellor) looked at the great results arising from these extended principles, his mind expanded. lie saw the commercial enterprise of the country directed to every quarter of the (tube. fertilizing and productive, and would exclaim— The wide. the unbounded prospect lies before me. But lie could not add with the poet— Bat shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upen it. On the contrary, they had seen a bright dawn, and a still brighter teeridian.—((heers ) If after this favourable state of the foreign commerce, he adverted to the state of the borne consumption of manufacture. and of articles available to the Revenue through the Excise, the picture was equally satisfactut)'. It appeared from the last return of the Excise, that to all the great and important branches of domestic con sumption there has been a considerable increase above the average of the last three years. lie would not tres pass on the attention of the Committee by going into de tailed state.nent, but on all the main articles, such as bricks, enroll.' s, glass, soap, piper, printed goods, British and forign spirits, tea, tobacco, articles which constitute so great a put- ion of the consumption of the great classes of the community, there bast been a very considerable in cr. ate. If, therefore, he saw a great addition in all these ankles, was he too sanguine in assuming that there herd every probability of a cot tinuance 6f the revenue in the two great sources stouts and Excise? As in feet the prosp-rity of branches muss by the operation of necessary et alio the smaller sources of revenue, he no ticipatean improve ment in all. Lot. • mass of the peoplili it was with satisfac t their condition o been essentialy improve . e no longer existed that distress, inquietude, and sedition, on which that house was a f w years uo called to legislate. The very cir cumstances which distinguished the character of the two periods were to him the source of the purest consolation because they afforded the most convincing proof, that whatever were the difficulties under which the people of this country laboured—to whatever temporary excesses they might be driven—however unceasing the efforts ,to excitement, still a t bottom the great body of the popula tion was sound—(hear, hear!), and steadfast in our pa triotic attachment to the collatitution of their country.— (Ilear.heer.) He dwelt with the more increased satis faction on tuts ties of the present improved condition of the people, because, under the circumstanees of former disttesses aid popular agitation, no man lamented mare sincerely toan he did that he was compelle I by duty to support in that House mmtsures of severity. — (Hear, hear.) If the Cotumitte, directed their attention to another circumstance, which oily when compared with greater interests could he deemed unimportant, they would at once find a demonstrative proof of ttie improved condi tion of the great mass of Cie community. lie meant the state of the Saving Help whether considered as to the number of contributors, o the total ninount of the deposits. it might be said that tiukobject of these Banks had been in some instances pervert */ : and that a description of persons evaded themselves of them, not comprehended within tee view of the institution. It might be so in some instances; but torn every inquiry he hod made from I e..sor,s con,ers ant with these banks, he bel.eted the great body of cot:- trlbutors were of the humblest part of the society. The creation of tech an inetitution he considered one of the greatest b!eseings ce..ferred upon the c:untry, and their , 'needs an unequivocal proof of the inerealhig ease and comfort of the people.--(llear, hear!) —Independently of the eirentnstanees which had pedually improved the reve nue, there were other views which affected what he ne:ght designate as its gross proportion. lie alluded to its col lection. In many important items, a very great reduction had already taken place, as it woold to evident, were it possible for him to have provided himself with the past ac counts. The Committee were aware of such ditheulti.s. and he should therefore apply himself to the comFerison of the amount of the expense on the collection of the Customs of the year 1821 with antecedent years. The Committee would ohverve that the aceouiatv of the last year were not yet completed.—ln the year 1818, the amouht of the ex pause of collectiug was £1.327,8 21 ISI9 IS2O I 097.774 1821 Here, then, was a cirri ution in four yeses on the ex pense of collection, from 1,327,6211. to 1,069,2821. It ells true that other (lentlnnen might entertain an opi nion that this reduction aght have been carried still fur ther. Those who held that opinion may feel confident in their own deductions, butt be had a right to contend ' that such are ducion was a prima fade proof that the Oovernenent was not neglectful of its dunes. For that reduction the country o as maitely indebted to the labours of his Hight Honourable Friend near him (we presume, Mr. Husbisson.) , But the Committee must be aware, that these reduceons could not be carried into effect at once—that some tune must elapse to allow the developt client of such arrangemsnts. It never could be contem plated, that persons who had claims from the long per tonnage. of duties, shonli he at once dispossessed, but that a progressive aninution of expense would arise from deaths or removal to other offices. It was at all evens obvious that public benefit was the effect of these important changes, and he had no he-itation in saying much more would he effected when he looked to the col- lection of the revenue in Ireland—(Cheers from all parts of the house.) He look rd forward to that result the snore sanguinely Dom the conviction that so much might be done, and he would add, with the persuasion that so much would be done.—(Hear, hear.)—And here It was impossible not to oder. t to the exertions of that Coin mission respecting the collec•ion of the revenue in Ire land, to whose appo:ntment it was true, no member at the time objecteo ; though tl.ere existed, on the part of others, a disposition to undervalue its efficiency. But what had the result proved ? There never was a Corn. mission, which in despite ()revery difficulty, politic al or otherwise, had more efficiently discharged * its many and important duties to the benefit of the public.—(Hear, from all sides.)—lf thesefeelings operated so fully on the Mem bers of that commission,he would take the credit of observ ing that his Majesty's Government was not back. ward in the expressed determination of acting upon their suggestions (hear, bear.) The first Minister of the Crown had declared in his place in Parliament that it was his determination to give every support to the Re ports of that Commission. In that determination he (the Chancellor of Exchequer) most fully concurred ; end hen the Bills were on the table they should have his cordial and decided support, or if not introduced by any other Hon. Member, he should nowt certainly feel it his duty to originate them (hear.) In the pursuit of that ob. jeer, he should not only reduce expenditure but patroc age. He was aware that he was s upposed to be fri e ndly to patronage (a laugh); but he could assure the Com mittee he bed n r disposition to uphold it under the cir cumstances, as they applied to !Mend (hear.) And he must be allowed still farther to observe that his presumed partiality was, after all, but an imputation (bear, hear.) The next topic to which he should advert was the expen diture of the present year. Ile had stated before that he took the sum to:41 at 10,530,0001., or that the surplus of, income above the expenditure was 3,232,000. Looking at the state of these estimates, as conyrered with former years, he must contend that his Majesty's Government had fulfilled every pledge that it had made of economy; It was a charge against all Administrations, and he be lieved all future administrations must lay their account with tha same imputation, that they were indisposed to diminish expenditure. Still, on a fair review ut the esti mates of the preceding years, he would contend that his Majesty's Government had given every proof of their sincerity. It was impossible that all men's views could coincide in every practicable reduction. Ministers were liable to be taunted with not having effected this or , - the other individual reduction ; but he would ask, was no discretion in the application of the principle of economy to be left to the responsible servants of the Crown ? (hear) Was it not a mere begging of the question, in such a great system as ours, to argue that because, according to individual opinion, particular re ductions did not take place, therefore it was to Ire con cluded that Government disregarded all disposition to economy. (bear, hear,) There could be nothing snore perfectly unjust than to imply, that because the Achni• nistration did not yield to every partial suggestion of re-; duction in this instance or the other, that they were de termined to uphold a great expenditure. He would not trespass on the time of the Committee by stating the items of reduction in the estimates; bat lie would ap- i peal to those estimates to prove what the animus of the Government was as to every possible reduction consistent ; with the security of the country. The Committee would i then see that the estimates of the present year were, in dependently of the three millions for the navy, reduced below those of the preceding year by the sum of 470,0001. giving a reduction on the three preceding years o f 1.956,0001. In 1820 the amount was 2.971.000.; in 19, 2,156,000/.; in IS, 2,449/.—Even taking the antda pared estimate of the Finance Committee in 1817, which excluded some very important items, it gave a reducion over that of 1,235,0001. It was therefore with the fullest confidence he, ppealed to the Committee, thiat..houtver condemned and reprobated the conduct of Government might appear in the opinions of some persons, yet that such a statement of itself indicated most undeniably the intentions of Administration.—(Hear, hear,) Were not Ministers to be allowed some discretion? Was there to ho confidence in the grievous—grievous, he would tot say—but in the awful responsibility which attached to those who conducted the concerns of this mighty em- 1 pire ?—(Hear, hear.) What evils might not follow, if, contented with looking at the surface, they overlooked the real grounds of that security for which they pledged their responsibility? And how unjustly traduced have been, not alone the Government, but the House of Com- MOll4, because it gave its support to what some were pleased to call a prodigal and profligate Administration. the next point to which he should call the attention of the Committee, was to the disposition of the surplus of the Revenue, consisting of 7,000,M0/. He had said be fore that, iu conformity with the principle recognised by Parliament, 5,000,000/. was to be applied to the extinc tion of the debt, and the difference to the remission of f elation. When a country possessed such a surplus, there were three modes of its application: the first, was to abolish it altogether by a remission of Taxes to the amount; the second, was to apply the whole to an ex tinction of a correspondent part of the debt • and the third, was a combination of toe two former modes. The last was the course which his Majesty's Ministers had determinei to ad 'pt. If he was correct in these views of its application, he saw nothing that could countenance a departure from that system, as to the Sinking Fund, which bad been so repro! edly sanctioned by the derision of the Legislature. Who would venture to say, if that departure once took place, where the evil would termi nate! Who would take upon himself to state what the circumstances of this cvinery may demand? What claims sire may possibly have to weak-. on that paired credit, which under every vicissi.u.le had ena bled her to sustain her prowl attitude in the m ew, an 1 the destruction of which, I e would fearlessly as. sert, would he the destruction of the country itself, (Lona cheers.) Well, he would ask, would n it that credit be materially effected by any di psrture from that pled er e swarm whim recognized a sort Ins of revenue applicable to a correspondent reduction of the debt ? Let an i tread he.once made on that arrangement, and no man coal., sly to whet an extent the deviation front the system cold! be eventually carried (hear, hear!). If Parliament vice ad mitted the principle that in time of peace r.o part of the debt must be pad off, was it rot a certain cnrisequelv e that thecredit of the country must be impaired ? In the event of war, under what disadvantag , s would new loans, if r ecessary to the public honour and security, lie nee r ,- ciat-d, whet Parliament 6a t given reasons to the publi c creditor to b lieve, not that in time of price a porno of the debt would be redeemed—bnt that it woithl no (hear, hear 1 .); that it was tit go on unchecked by re leetio.). to aggrava . e that pressure which necessarily weighed do.rn the energies of the country. If ever there was a time to uphold a contrary couiluet, and to s'iow to the world the determination of Great Britain to up hid I its unimpaired and unsullied credit, it was the prose.. t, w h en eve ry effort was tried to make a els-s of the conimuni y. whose inter. eats were tempormily (iciness-a, look f,r reli fin the robbery of the public creditor (et ee s from all sides.) — of robbery, he would repeat, and edit, that by dieerung from its course that surplus which was a legitimre, aati practiceble, and •pledeed application to the reduction of the debt. Parliament itself would give a countenance and encouragement to that contempt it'd spoliation (hear, bear, hear!) Could any man doubt that such a cour se would not give an additional sliunlus to those who recom in• nded a breach of the national engagements ? Would they not feel renewe 1 strength fro a toe declaration that the fund applied to i's redemption was diverted from it s purposes by the legislative decision? Th- more he con sidered the subject, the mare decide I was his conviction that there existed at the present moment, a combinatitm of circumstances whicii imperetively !brand the P.irlianwnt and the country faithfully to abide by its own ple.yed enactinents. Still, though the principle of the apphea lion should, in his opinion, be preservrd entire, it old bra no means follow tuat the whole of the surplus tea:* to be applied to the reduction of lira deity (hear, bear, hear!) lie Was one of those wit, thougot that a: rAuction of debt might be carried to too pea: extent; that, however, under present eirtemstenees, uas not e n apprehension likely to be realised. Ilia present object was to limit the application of the principle, and to give the surplus in the remission of taxation. On that p in. ciple the lioue acted last. year. Doubts have and will bs entertained as to the effect of taxation by different in n but for his own pill he would not disguise from ode house his conviction that the remiss ion of Taxes last year was the most advantageous. It has indeed been said that a Chanel for of the Exchequer was so necessati. ly enamoured of Taxation, that it was impossible to pre vail with him to part with one of t hem. lie tt a in this in_ stance an exception, confessing as he di I that to rend - sion of taxes he was friendly, and that he considered ti.e repeal of lest year a wise measure. Upoa the same principle it was that he cow proposed to apply the hal once of two millions to a further reduction (near, hear'). [The Right Honoursble was seize I at this moment with sudden indisposition. He appeared to the Reporter to bleed from the nose. The feelings of all ci !es of the house were evidently excited.] The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER returned —lie felt he had gone beyond his strength (hear, hear!). It was his intention to apply the repeal to the Assessed Taxes! As to the mode of applicaioit, it was in part ab solute, and partly by per tentage. He was anxious to reduce that portion of the'Assessed Taxes, which, in the Repeal, would afford the grei.test amount of relief wel ls Itemore distressed part of the community—he meant the Agricultural branch. With that feeling, he Ailed leave the house tax to remain as at preen'. He might appeal to both sites of the house, and to all the various interests of the country to bear him out as to the nature of the pressure arising from that part of :he A.. sessed Taxes (hear, hear!). With respect to the tither portions of these 'faxes, he was dives. d to abolish all those which were vexatious in other ways besides the di rect pressen e—vexatious in the surcharges and in the col , lection; and, therefore, productive of a double 'neon , venience. he should propose, therefore, to abolish alt.: gether the Tax on Male servants, occasionally employed io husbandry and trade. That remission would amount to 37,2001, There was another industrious claws compre hended within the present -avation, which hen islied to re lieve, adescription of persons, unsai table to the opera:ion of direet taxation, lie meant occasional gardeners fletre was another class of individuals to wham a reduction of the ssses sed taxes was peculiarly appicable; and he was Orsueile.i . 1 1 the house would agree with him on that point—he meal the class of persons called occasional gardeners. At Kee sent if any individual were employed for a single week as a gardener the employer became liable to tie amnial tax, and although the anoint was not very great, being only 10s.. yet it operated very injuriously, for be was 1 free to confess that it was unpleasant to be compelled, for so sheet a service, to fill up an aedition II lie e in that 1 paper which lie could not deny no man very each I lied to see enter his house (a lanzh.) The consequence was, that many poor persons who from motives perhaps of charity would be otherwise c iip'oyed as occasional g tr tletters, were not so enspluyed ; ant he had peculiar plea- sure therefore in proposing the repeal of this tax ; the amount of which was 19.7001. The next reduction which he meant to propose was the tax on the lower class of taxed carts. A petition bad been presented to the house against this tax, and he believed the ilon. Mem ber for Aberdeen load a notice standing for Mummy of a motion for accounts respecting it ; of which notice he would advise the lionourahle Member to avail h'inself, as it would probably be the last time he wonlil have tle opportunity of calling the attention of the house to tip., subject (a laugh). The amount of this reduction woold be 9,3001. There was another dety very etiimport ant as to its amount but which he could see na reason tinier elicp-essrit circumstances to continue; he meant the die; of the shillings on ponies uuhr t'iirteen bo o ns 1.1.. it . When the coun try was in want of every shilling th tit could i eoPect n the shape of Taxaion, there might be ex):1 reason for the imposition of this Tax; hut now that re ductions of our Taxation were gradually taking place, he really could see no navel' why these poor little ponies. should not be relieved from the burden, however trifling, which had been laid upon them. The amount of this re duction would be 4,4b01. The amount of the last reduc tion of this nature which he should propose, was 6,3 M. It was the duty of tbrie sloti:euga on horses employed by small farmers who were also engaged in ir The per sons on wbom that duty was at present leek!, most ne cessarily be poor; and although the Tax was not very heavy, it might be inconvenient to a cl use ef indivi mats. whose intesest every one must he desirous to convder (hear, hear!). Having stated thus much, he would pro ceed to a reduction of Fifty per Cent. on the rem Assessed. Taxes on Horses. Carriages, rend Servants It certainly could not be denied that this part of t h e AFStS• sed sees operated with the greatest severity on I shies of individuals generally considered as the lest eto bear it. Still,howeser, he considered himself justilieh:e in the proposition ; a• d that it 'meld not he WA - derai -1 able on him that he was dispos od to aptly tom eduction of Taxation to the rich rather than to tile par i altileugh it was a principle pretty wt II estahlis led, ilea the reduc tion of Taxation, salt dtever class it immediately h. neiitred, soon became missile advantageous as f.r a it went, to the whets cournueitv. Tee reduction :Alla" il - 'Of