The Statesman. — London, England, 1815-02-21 00:00:00

c! . 41 . 'I'IIE STATI4:SM.CV. ~;:.~~, find; d, a cheering prospect at the termination of a Mr. TIERNEY and the CHANCELLOR of the xtiar, that the taxes were to 1w more Isurthensome EXCHEQUER mutually 'explained. titan they had been during the war! The peace vs-1 Sir W. GEARY considered the present to be an tablishnient was to be nineteen and a half millions, exceeding wrong scheme. No scheme lie had ever which, with the interest of the debt, was 54 millions. heard brought forward in that House, appeared to It would be well to compare this expence with the him to be so fundamentally wrong. Never had he expenditure in 1786, three years after the termina- seen it proposed to impose a tax, even to the t' of the American war. The interest of the debt, smallest extent, without an estimate of the sum and the whole peace establishment together was but required being laid before the House. The sum 14.500,0001. while the expenditure at present would which the House were now called on to vote, was 14 be nearer 60 than 50 millions, as the unfunded debt, or 15 millions; because though nominally only aad the loans to be raised, were not included in the about five millions were to be provided, to make up Chancellor of the Exchequer's calculations. It had a supposed deficiency, arising from the failure of been said the amount of peace expenditure could not the Property 'Fax, yet, as the other Taxes proposed at present be calculated, as we were at present on a to be continued were NVar 'Faxes ns well as the net establishment. Why, he would ask, were we Property Tax, they, as well as that Tax, ought at still on a war establishment ? We had been at once to have been taken off with the return of peace. peace for nine months, and had a right to ex- He was prepared, therefore, to oppose this and every 'sect a reduction in our expenditure, proportioned other Tax, imposed merely as a War Tax, esteem to the change in our situation. By the Treaty ing it, as he did, to be an essential principle of jus of Chaumont sve were told that we were to keep lice to the country, that all such taxes should end the up our war establishment until the Congress at moment the war ceased. It was on this principle Vienna should hare settled the affairs of Europe, and that he (Sir W. G.) consented to open the pockets we were in consequence, though in perfect peace of the country; but the same necessity not now ex with Europe, keeping up an army larger thin that of ;sting, he did not sits that the same burden could Marborough and all his ; or than that which with any consistency be continued. He considered the country maintained in the arduous war with the proposition of the Right Honorable Gentleman as America. 11 should therefore object to the Resolu- unconstitutional; and, as such, he could not con floes as loading the people at the end of the war with sent to vote the money of the people without on esti taxes, of which they knew not the application. It mate. A Right lion. Gent. opposite (Mr. fluskis. Is as trim that some supplies bad beets voted, but not son) talked as if the House had already granted sup the whole; they had only been voted on account, plies which the preposition of the present night was arta the House would be called on to vote more. To intended to rover. He (Sir W. G.) knew that 12 adopt the Iterolutions, ignorant as they were of the million had been borrowed during the present Session ; grounds on which they hail beets called for, would he but (lid he call this a supply ? When he saw 19 to ablution the people instead of protecting them.— millions of money granted for four successive years, Th people had bonne the burtheus of the war with was it not his duty to look upon such a circumstance ustesampled patience and good humour, and they had with suspicion ? Did Ministers really know that in bestowed fin boon on thorn but eleven millions of . four years we were to be again at war? Ile, for permanent taxes, though it was true another boon one, did not see any thing to involve us in war, if hail been held out to the people—to fix at a per- there was only something like wisdom its our Go patiently high pace the staple article of their sub. vernmen t. Wh y then should we anticipate being at sineeee. As no measure of economy hail beets taken, • war ? He could not view such a thing anticipated, as the militia was not yet disembodied, and as the without feeling suspicion arise in his mind; neither Ministers had come to Parliament with a propo- could he consent to vote 14 or 13 millions annually sition for lay lug out 800,0001. of the public money to without an estimate. erect a new Pest-0t1ic..., and hail, on all occasions, After a pretty long conversation, the resolutions were agreed alive ts thernselses lavish and inconsiderate, he should ; to. and the repor t , ordered to be received in morrow. Mr. PONSON BY expressed y wii.h that thes.• resolutions opytse the Reseltiti t.is in every stage. I should be printed. Mr. HUSKISSON said, that the lion. Gentleman The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER conceived this who had just sat down had been 4xtremely warm, tobe: rn in c u in , e ua t * l He certainly wished that Members have s. time to consider them, bat it would be very ie. and had exhibited that warmth on a most delicate convenient to make any unnecesaary delay in passing taxes is hich point. Did he really wish to tell the people out of were to replace those that would expire on the sth of April doors, that the only boon for them was increased n p e ri x o t t . ed He after e t ; i i e ld it o po w rt e v w e . r u , s r a e v c e e no ve d There objection w to ou ti ll ie be be t4 n en g taxes and expences of life ? When the Resolutions time for sufficient consideration. came to be debated, he should be glad to hear his : The Freehold Estate Hill was read a second time, and com r.sastins for those assertions. This was, in some mitted for to-morrow.—Adjourned. ______ points, the most extrao r dinary discession on finance __ that he had ever heard. Nlativ would he led to sup. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS pose from the manner in which some Gentlemen had S ila per Cent. Red. 64}11 slated the question, that the Minister had proposed percent. cons. MO the Way s and Aleans before the question of Supply 4 eer Cents. Mil per Cent. Navy 94} had been voted, and that ne was proposiog taxes sv hich were to last four sears, without being exposed to any revision from Parliament. As for the Chan. t veor of the Exchequer not being immediately pre pared to present estinettes, it was evident that its the present circumstances it was impossible. If peace wits film's , established, every paper end 'every esti. mire that Gentlentatt could desire would certainly be laid before the House. llis Right lion. Friend hail been asked, what diminution of the produce of the taxes would probably take place. lie, for his part, did not apprehend a great dimittutien. lie th,eight also, that the remission of nine millions of taxes this evening would give to many the meats of en increased expenditure and consumption of ar ticles paying taxes. OAT AT ticiii• $1 rLOCK Long. Ann. 16 5-16 India Bond* 11 p Excite—ter UIIs 4 p par °minim 2 d C•miais Up- Arc. 65 41i TWE STA TFSMAN. LONDON: TLtS9AY, FEBRUARY 21, 1/415. Mr. 1:01tBe:S made some observations on the ' , resent state of communication by letter with India, which we understood him to state was very uncer tain and espensive, by which means the privates of the Indian Army were often precluded from receiving newi from their friends. Mr. BEN N E'r . r and Lord MI uroN wished some DIISIAPI to be kiven to the question respecting the appointments of the Govornor of the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. PEELE said, the salary of the Civil Governor %as 1'2,0001. a-year, as far as he remembered. The Military G oce:iment W 39 an ()nice distinct from the Civil Government, and lo the person holding that ollee the usual allowances wme made. In answer to another question by Lord MILTON, Mr. PEELE , aid, the Cape revenues defrayed the salary of the Civil Governor, and, he believed the evence of the Cape regiment. The Military Go• vernor's appointment was 9 or 101. a-day. Lord MILTON observed, it was the same whe ther the salary was paid from the Cape revenue or by this country, as the Cape revenue, if not thus expendpd, would be applicable to the other expences a the Colony. Did the same person enjoy both sa ? Air. PEELE answered in the affirmative. It was immaterial, in the way the argument was framed, whe ther the salary was raid out of the Exchequer, or the Cairo revenue. Nlr. BARING repeated the manner in which he hod introduced the subject, and observed, that it made no difference as to the argument, whether the enormous salary were paid from the Cape Revenue, or from t u be Exchequer. He should say no more on the subject, as he hoped the abuse would be done away —[a laugh]--or if not, he should make a mo tion on the subject. He wished to know, from the Chancellor of the Exchequr, in the first place, whe ther the interest of the debt to be contracted was pro. !tided for by the taxes voted that night ? and, secondly, Arliether the dividends payable on stock in July would he subject to deduction for the Property Tax? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that he considered the Ways and Means which he had brought forward to be applicable to the Loan of the year, unless other taxes were novided. As to the July dividend, it would be subject to no deduc. Coo for Property Tax. From the dividend payable In April, a half year's tax would be deducted. The r cern ption of the July disidend bad been determined by reference to the commencement of the tax, when it was found, that though the tax commenced only in April, a half sear was deducted from the JO) di. v4lend. By a parity of reasoning, the next July di. iideorl would be entirely exempted : a disidend being con , i , !ered at law an entire thing, not divisible. I Look at the Budget, patient Reader, look at the Budget of new and old Taxes brought forward last night in the House of Commons by the CHANCEL- Lon of the EXCHEQUER. We charge you, summon all your patience, for if you have been among the number of the dreamers that at length the long-de. •sired period of relief was come, you will be awaken 'edto a sad- reality indeed. Not merely the dread ful, soul depressing load of old Taxes are to be con ; tinued (the Property Tax excepted, the abolition of which will odd but little to your relief, unless you I are a man of property), but a new batch, to the amount of five millions, are to be added to the annual burthens of the nation ; and the further' I comfortable prospect of four years more of struggling and groaning is humanely contemplated as neces sary to wind up the expences of the " just and ne. cessary war" which has so long drained our national resources, and ended in the aggrandisement of foreign Powers, who are rioting amidst the effects of our fatal profusion and beating down with our departed strength every principle and symbol of liberty and justice under their feet. 0 for a Job like patience, for nothing but an antediluvian indifference will do now. At the end of seven years servitude in the good old pastoral ages, which the Corn Bills are no doubt intended fo restore, an honest man got a wife for his pains— after the lapse of .four-aml.tatersts years of hard labour, perhaps of fighting, hard fighting, people now a-days get nothing—but stripes perhaps, if they complain! the Minister's plan will be best explained by the Mowing correct analysis : ttltte. Produce. Customs—Tobacco, ?id. per lb. tisci4e—Tobacco, 6d, per lb 150,001 Licenset —Double fixed -Rates, 50 per cent. proge.sive 900,000 Wine, 01. per tun 300,000 ASSESSED TAXES, viz. Inhabited House Duty. 30 per cent. ...... 396,500 Progressive Servants' Tax, 8o to 90 per cent 308,500 Under Gardeners, &e. various....... 101.500 Trade Servants, and Servants for Hire, ditto 148,000 Carriages, about 75 per cent 363,000 • ilor , es fo► Pleasure, about 80 ditto 632.500 Trade Horses, ahont 40 ditto .. 85,509 Dogs, about ito 11)3.500 Game Certificates, ditto... ... NEW DUTIES. Windows in Wate!iouses and Hothouses, 31. (d, per Window 50,000 Rent of Warehouses, same as !louses .150,000 'Whelan-50 rr cent. additional on Ser vauts, Carriages, and Horses .120,000 ---2,64000 Post-Office—ld. an each Newspaper 50.000 E.Ol India and Foteign Postage Regulation 75.000 125.000 One million three hundred thousand yet remains f l int without money, however) the rich p ro d uce o f therefore to be raised, but the amount yet to be their soils; and pay a trifling addition of 201. duty provided may be expected to be considerably above upon the ton of wine, as well as 30 per cent. addi. this sum ; for Sir Jona Nras PORT declared it utterly tion to the Assessed Taxes, and a corresponding inf. impossible to raise Two MILLIONS on the Irish Este- sauce on the price of all the other necessaries of lif e , befori not yet deemed high enough ! this is the re not something rather visionary in ail blishment, as proposed by the CHANCELLOR of the ties : A n d is it not acting -by contraries to try to Excnuotica, the Sister Kingdom being incompetent to meet her own engagements, which are greatly in prevent importation by raising the price of the inier. dieted article to a temptation? And would not an arrear. A fresh assessment of taxes must therefore be levied to make up this defalcation. Act of Parliament be necessary to .regulate the cli. We cannot speak of the new duty on warehouses, mate, and change from rocky. and barren to f ert i le ; and arable, the great proportion of the soil of N I shop-windows, and the articles of commerceoshether of ! country which comes under this description we should voluntarily set at nought the cheap an d luxury or of necessity, and above all of the additional postage of one-perm!) on Newspapers, without anti. I certain products of other countries, and make anti. cipating the baneful consequences which must result ' selves more insulated than nature has mad e us ' 1 from such impositions on the trade and means of in- 1 Passing over the injustice of such an act of usurped formation, already so highly taxed and barred in this 1 authority as we suppose might be conceived to tits. racterise the conduct of twelve out of a hundreil . men, placed on a desert island, who having som st l t i ttg. country. Knowledge is wealth and power to a : community. It is well known, that the commercial to dispose of, should take upon themselvea to pa ss a i ni i interests of this country are greatly advantaged by the .! to prevent the others from obtaining any thing but from diffusion of Newspapers abroad as well as at home—it ! then: and at their prices—passing, we say, over is also but too greatly felt that the public Journals of i the palpable iujustice of such a proceeding no th l i this country are taxed to such ,an extent as not ; p art of a few, against the many, whose liv e s may b a merely to make the press, so valuable in a commer- ,placed in danger by it, would it be - politic? i s t ; . such a measure as is likely to increase the pop u l at i o . cal as well as in a political point of view, in most arid prosperity of the island! The question is self cases a ruinous speculation, but to prevent, like the I answered. The most fruitful spot under the sun, i Edicts of the worthy FERDINAND of Spain, any i such partial and destructive policy were to be adopt thing like the actual state of the country from being J would become an uninhabited waste, or merely known abroad through that medium. This is another I land of slaves and tyrants. of the resources looked to, which we confidently prog. People of all classes will admit the propri e ty nosticate will fail. Newspapers are already taxed , giving domestic agriculture a just and reasotiabls de gree of encouragement ; but the quantity is Oleo's more than they can bear. A diminution of Public ! s u bject of dispute. The landed interests think i Journals would have,and has, been a consequence of should be very great, and the . mercantile and W the peace—such additional restrains upon their cif-. ! bouling classes, by far the mos t nomeroue, can set culation must diminish the number still more. A' no good reason, particularly at the present t i me, when the Property Tax is to be taken off .the pro_ lesson from the book of ATTIL4 may supply their pertied men, and all ranks hare been cherishing th place. Certainly, to blot out information is the true 1 pleasing hope of enjoying some coMpensation fo r 41 way to retrograde. I l great privations which they so long suffered, whys It will be some consolation to the public to know, J provisions and every thing governed by the priced that there is some prospect held out of a reduction i bread should be raised to the exorbitant r a t e o f t h e in the price of porter. The CHAN C ELL O R of the I war prices; and thus interests are di v id e d w hi ch I should be held inseparable, and animosity is. created.EXCHEQUER took occasion to allude to the present I where none should subsist. high price of that article, and disclaimed all partici- 1 Such restrictions as receive the sanction of the potion in the continuance of that price, although he , Legislature should embrace the interests of all. The : British Government has generally been te n d er i n tax . attcan observed, that the Brewers had waited to had originally assented to the ri se . M r . WHlT ing those absolute necessities of life on w hi c h t h e existence of the poor depends. Nothing but the know what theltight Hon. Gentleman's intentions' , most absolute necessity should induc e th em t o t h row were; and now that they found no additional tax `obstacles in the way of the people obtai n i ng c h ea p , was to be put on malt, they would carry into effect a 1 food. lluman imagination shudders at the conse. determination which they had previously formed, ! quences of an opposite proceeding on the part of the Executive. Of the quantity of co r n a t p resent , i n t h e for diminishing the price of this article. —So far , countr we of coseu infored,s good; but if the new regulations in regard to Corn, but ho w stand cannot s the la ur w, arid he acc what is th ratel y e seietive m de.. shall have the effect of raising the price of grain to ' gree of disadvantage which the home farmer labours. the extent to which it may be feared they wl.tp; - thiqunder .when compared with the foreigel the duty; reduction in the price of porter may bo only tempo- on wheat imported is 245. and 3d.ger,guarter as the rary. ` law stands at present, and the. charges en imports., As to the proposed measure to add t o the-relief of .lion are about 2ffs..giaing the donsestic /rower of, .4ar . 'thellitifttiolaiii. by further burthening and testi - tete - L *4 ' e " . a preference over. the &veto ta. Ins. s per quarter when the market priat does not ing the rest of the community, we think it ext r emely : e xceed 31.• 3s. With such a preference, it may dangerous and impolitic.. It ii obvious to every one ' be thought there was no great nece s sity f or h e i eg acquainted with the state ot the Country and the lin a hurry to enact new regulations. The mate history of the Corn taws, that these laws have not 1 ket, it is tbq; provenl y le already protected from. had all the extraordinary effects which are frequently I the u nto. o foreign torn nearly up to the lea proves 1 (pima price. .SOMething beyond this must therefore ascribed to them. Their successive enactment -) be contemplated. But certainly nothing can he so their inefficiency. Will the plan now proposeff, ...Impolitic as thus continually stretching the power be attended with better effects than any ' former of the Executive and the strength of tee people to measere I We doubt it. We are not without fears their extremest -tension,. We have seen that plenty i that it is calculated to produce infinite . mischief of corn does not make cheap b r e a d. Th e coon - v to the farmers a n d la n d- o wners th emse l ves , th oug h at this instaur is glutted with Fre n ch corn , ye t b rea d i cannot be called cheap. The expectation of some we are given to understand, that it i s th e ma t ure d offspring of the united wisdom of all the interested' such measure as is now p r op os ed, h as prevented its bei brought to the market. Thin; the ver me. (and who are not interested in the measure?) heads tion of compelling a high price . of anjr. articl y e is•irtn in the Legislature. We shall give reasons for our jirious s to thousands. B u t the f act i s , t h e pa 'opinion, and shall be glad t o find th a t th ere are no ' pulation of the country now far exceeds the pro. grounds for our apprehensions ; but w e k now thi s ! deer of the land—a n y p ro d uc t th a t i t can b e made subject too well to be mistaken. Wh a t ! th e Ito yield, notwithsta n di ng th e grea t imp rovements i n. agriculture which have taken place. Th e s e , i n t aany collective body of British a gr i cu lt ura list s , assisted' • _ itos tanc . es, have been carried . to their ut mos t at t es t. with the aids which Governme n t can an d 'hit S IIt i s time to give up raising structures on foseda.e shown its readiness to supply towards carrying !lions that will not support them. A sober system their object, fall into errors injurious to them,' is now necessary. The corn laws are acknow ledged to have bec ome o f no effect, It it in vain, selves, and bungle their own business! Imp o s s ible. Softly. Men are never so likely t o err as w h en therefore, now to.attempt to raise.lsuperstrecture their interest is concerned. So that now the " piping of things, on that foundati o n. Th ere is .a nature( order which no artificial arrangements can time of peace" is come, and there is g re a t danger alter. It was by th e d uro , cum , parce eo l ona, that commerce will open her thousand marts for the I viro, that the agriculture of . epoient Rome was the fruits of our Industry, and the ba r ks o f all conducted in the best days o f the Republic.-- It has been by people of the same character why nations of the world, fraught with the wealth o f frugality, and pe rsons o f some sense and experience, " Ormus or of Ind," are likely to pou r th e i r treasures into our exhausted coffers, which, -G o d k nows , we that the foundation of agricultural impr o v emen t h as been laid in all countries—not by eeercive laws of have much reason to wish they Would ! we most not the Government. Neither harmony for prosperity think of keeping up a communication with to- are the effects of force. , - --4..... ~.,4,...,.... .:., .1 reigners—we must be more isolated than ever. The . importation of a single carg o o f f res h grain,. under A Dutch Mail arrived this f or e noon . It Ikois 80. per quarter, however necessary, might be de- merely a confirmation of the statement that: our Belgic army is to be withdrawn from the Netherlands structive to the whole agricultural interests of the' on the Proclamation of the new Government, which country; therefore, if people mean to be rich acid is expected to take place soon. All was quiet in the happy, they must return .to primitive manners Low Comstries; Lord CASTLEREActi is expected to —they most unlearn all that three thousand come by tine way of Holland, fur divers weighty rea years have taught them.--O! there is nothing about t. , sous; a ,will, it is suppdsed, arrive in this c o untry ... of the preeent week. There is do nee . :.' like the Arcadian life—St a t esmen w ith croo k s, from Yu ma's. Chancellors and Lord Chancellors with the true It was reported Iliatlfew Orletios bad fallen bit the 15th San sheepish look, and with heads a-wool-gathering Am t er l ic r a Al o ni s l o ni n n ti c i t e t i hn ee t air 3 11e rn On li t ar ariu, id wan enco ne unte r with ‘mveitoll the ail day long, without the danger of incurring " the on world's dread laugh." 'Then, after the ports are feat . e s ti u t r e e egeln 4 e n otiass In hand ; it is added, that the Amer,. ordered p. r n, t e h i e n i t i i r ie it e pe o c f k tu r d to be raised mie assiits, which I , shut and hermetically sealed against foreign grain,- The Loan Ala You insi Y ir . cted ihe-klealweigher'S ref it 9 t ot and all hands employed in its production here, what committed st.-. 11. s ihe 9th inst. a . most fortunes would be made by the farmer! What re- shocking murder siqs venues would accrue to the State ! How well the .;ear- of ar o4 e l ,:r n e n tid i i n o r g gil iv re i t t if "h ne er . ' ,at y li n e u r ng iii i ir l'i n ro n i n g r e b ii n i %h i t! consumers, when sufficiently placed under the pro- township of nr)m h o , near Wreah tm , North Wales. i t nio ran , that volinaer hin•Sher's return ip. me from hii work, abo t tecting and protected power of the growers, Would ~,,,e o', lock in the evening, he found kir sister weltering_ in I' How t i Llo i , sa t:i. w , tt4 u , ;ze ti titt.r . i nn otr• L i t tir iir oga y res an o s the brad. rr i t lbi C i, or f i r a . l o .: , be able to bear the increase of taxation! easily, after the paired trade in merehandiSe to the the rvid., ce, billing upon 11 young man of ;he amine of amilet , Humphreys, he was t.iken into custod ) and, it is said. he I , ' grain countries, Ge r many, th e Baltic North Arne- •ohce confessed the gui lde r . ' 3 s l eS ' 729 'C l e. titc * was properly crippled, we cou ld resort to Additional Taxes will be hereafter proposed, t o the amount of vita, about Xl, 00,000 i the vintages of Spahr and Portugal ) and bring home ~ .01111)014 Parsed and Pub'Jibed by D. [Amnia, at f;t SIATIIIIMAII OFFICE, 87, Fleet -street. ~ ~ ~. 1 • • • F'~' ;~ '1