The Statesman. — London, England, 1815-01-20 00:00:00

is Ndk lELLIGENCE. J.►v. 19 —Arrived the Prudent, ei . and the Hope, Ihrrington, fromWaterford ; t aid Resolution colliers, from the —The Dageoraadt, RaMder, from London, for the Ilrazi's, else into harbour.—Sailed the Surly c w t ., for Val oinuth Roads. J 124. B.—Came in the Edward, 1 0 ,;., from Newcastle, for Unurdeaus.—Arrived the j' j :10.-tp of war, from Cork. •:' • .:Inrrir, JA N. 1 9.—The Mary Ann, lffendrey, t;:1, for London, with oats, was driven on sh % e, , eulty morning at Winterton, and unfortu e, ,t• tar w':nie of the crew perished. The vessel ;, wreck. . tr 4 fforn, Mellinan, from ibmburgh to Lon a„,!. i s 1,4,11 s !nit on the coast of Jutland. . 1 he Lihn Levy, Bozman, from Rouen to Lisbon, put Guernsey, and is condemned as unworthy. DRURY- LAN E THEATRE. 111 r. Kr . - re•appearance last night was received animated plaudits. Ile seemed perfectly r ,:inered, end has seldom exei it'd himself to higher advantage. Ilk voice gave occasional symptoms of his law feebleness; but his action seconded his con cejiiii,it with as much power, skill, and spirit as ever. “Biehard k the first character of this great per bis Macbeth probably takes the second place: ceitainly yields to no other among those which 1,1114' •01 ,, Veled ou iliM such unbounded public favour, o:at vi4provis and di. tintt delineation of character makes his le ding merit ; and to judge from t! ,• feel"ig: of the audience, dramatic I:l••asure could scarcely be raisM to a higher pitch than in some of sccnes csf last night. If .1/trel•tik had less of the peri.a,ural, was less raised &burl. the impressions mer.• man, it might find in this actor his perfect representative. perfertrrei Lady "acbefla. Her regal costume was super;;. ;LAE was the of Fro; his exertions NVlar' ll'e:':Ved with r-cli favour; and t.,:s general spirit or . his pl.rying Isac manly nod toutling. lie is a ; . aiii;eft:l and pro r • actor. C c xr, I Not fek, (Lxiineil the tnr.st i.f his Lonstit 2ents to Fittplion Aieetit.g, to tate ( -o; l 4l t ire;ion poilieticy pf a peiition to NCI !t ti• pre.otit tuitions agriculteto thioit,;hout the Calked hq.,..1.• Tu. Cr': 1.: Las publiel) de.h.r. red, as t 3i.as4-: tor tlait. refusal, that the King': Ministers arc '.!11 po•lsek•icsn of his sentiments on this queztioa, reL;attlless of what ally Country G::;:ftc»tetti milla a h. on Ole sub:,eet ; that, in his Ihvy %%ill not Lelieve him thougn " one rove f , •tn the twa , l'."—(3/unting• itTidd.) We Lovy the f,•lluwitig front the Herald of this moi :—A correspondence between Mr. Wit rrna cAn an d' a person who conceals his name un thr -Olature of Nleoptces. has been published. Nloc.nicus ssaf's that hts waited ou Mr. IVNIT xas , it South-W. to inform him of ins having ssitfo t rd prit ooment iu Ft mice, under an a.. "anion (.1 th.:11;;,. cu:.cerised in the plot of Picticotto a-.f! 1 0- r tid to solicit l.'s"; advice on his case; thtt 11 tit ranc.An replied, " I do cot know v uu," and rout, i s l,l his servant to show the visiter down 'tales.' I:oeviclis then gives the copy of a letter which he y.:•, , e to Mr. W. ivottevn from the Swan Inn, at iii t ,,gies wade, to which Mr. WiliTaltEAD gives a very cal reply, of which the following han extract : " lou cat, e t • me without ally previous intimation of y our intentions, and without introduction, to ask me opinion upon a subject ou which it could be given immediately, and in two words. You arrived at the time when I was engaged in very important business, • to I had before devoted the hours of that motnieg. I broke oil' as soon as I could to wait upon I on, and I was - eager to return to what I had lett untinishe.t. la such citcumstances I may have been, and I dart' say was, very abrupt, for which I sno sorrt , anti that I gave you offence." 'the Itish.•ll letters, which were delivered the day • Wore yetiteic!ay, c3ino down to the 30th of last pa-Let left the Tagus on the Ist in. s::vit. The letters are quite buten of news, heing • pliocipaily tilled with cot 'plaints of the commercial jer.ims..) c l iteriviited nersittA the English, and the di tolations comicitted off the coast by American privateers. One of these, called the Ancricrynoutit. jog tweio; .1, or guns, owl, of course, inure than proportit tta!y. in-tined, has f' t• sosste time infested the coast ••ff and abOnt CTe St. Viticent. It was reported tcat a desperate coedit. occu red between her and one (1!•i; Nlajesty's nol.e unknown. The conirtilat:ott and i:sue mete ansioudy looktAl fur. I..xexvATtov.—.l nur,ber of woihmeri are em pit yi , rl cutting a canal or sewer, to extend fir.:ni the Regent's Park to the Thames. The r.y.c.iv.ltintr was commenced in Sectland.ynd. rt Ix re th sewer will bill into the River. In throe cr f u.• place, it is ready 15 feet deep, all] tirc.ut irr wide. The soil, -shich has not been cut during many In..lrerl years, presents a curious appearance. Viithin live or six fret of the surface, there are strata of different sorts, such as gravel, chalk, black and yellow r.rould, &e. ..leepor dots n there is fine blue t l ty. The . direction it lakes at present is through Scotland-yard a line with the Admiralty. This extensive work will afford emplovment for an immense number of labourers. Coast-EXCNANGet JAN. 40.—The 11 t:atle hri•her thait it Iris been for some time, and fine ,:iteples pa:int:Cr; Mau pricei; but there is littledetimati far iar•riot sot per quarter low er.—Oars of the ordinary kiud luster. er articles remota the swop. Wheat (English) 4O 6i Dino (Foreign) 4O 70 R‘e 34 36 lair!ey 46 30 Beans Old ditto Tick do. Old .. Oat- , Fine ditto Poland d. Feed ditto Fine Flour ..... 60 Seconds -•• .. SJ 55 94 3S 1%;%s di!to 66 70 White Peas 4O 44 Acts ditto — Di:to ItoileN 44 4R 34 34 tiro l'elb :".26 SC 2S WAIT !FIELD MARKET.—JAY. 20. To Aga do- Offal per stone of oit . Beet ... Ss. 04. to 62. PC Heed of Cottle Oslo day: Mutt= . 5,. Lit. to 8 4 Ot. Beasts 88) Veal ~.. 7c Od. to. 82. U!. Stomp I Park ... 6s. 0 1 . to 7r. 01 Calves Lan. • ...Oh Od. to Ot. Od. Pip •• S2O • I'HE STATFSMAIV. PI:OP:7II.7'Y 71X, LIVERPOOL MEETING. repeat what has been said a thousand times, and which I believe has seldom been denied; but, Sir, I there are one or two of its operations to which On the 17th inst. a most numerous and respectable 11 wi'll particularly to draw the attention of the Meet- Meeting of the Inh a bit an t s o f I • verpool was held at ' log. There are many hundreds of persons who A the Exchange, for the perpose of entering into Re. i have paid this tax, and who at the time of p a y in g solutions against the r e newa l o f the Property Tax it were insolvent ! From whence then, Sir, has this the Right Worshipful the Mayor in the Chair. The 'Town Clerk having read the Requisition call- i thing, Sir, v , money been taken' Certainly out of the pockets !of their honest but credulous creditors ! Cait any be canceived more unjust? But this is i log the Meeting, I Counsellor VetsAnhes made an able and eloquent 1 not the most objectionable part of the tax. It is not uncommon in the survey ors to continue to add speech upon the subject, and concluded with movine a series of Resolutions against the renewal, of the to the assessments of many individuals, and that tax, either in whole or in part. i pretty generally, till they are obliged to appeal ; the Mr. Fheecuen seconded the motion in an able and Commissioners then, Sir, from the nature of their eloquent speech. . office, are obliged to be inquisitors; they are obliged to empire into the losses, the gains, and into the pri- ' Mr. Sneenettn, iu a most ani ma ted s pe ec h, ca ll e d on Mr. Gladstone to come fo r w ar d an d j us tif y , if he ' vats' ro! :earns of the appellants: although I must could, the letter which he h a d a dd resse d t o the notice here, Sir, that I feel great satisfaction in say.' inn (I speak from ray own knowledge as well as 1 Editor of the Morning Chronicle, denying his cote i • from the report of others), Ido not believe there is 1 respondence with the Earl of Liverpool, on the soh a place In the kingdom where the Commissioners ;,feet of this tnost obnoxious tax. Mr. Shepherd said, in order that Mr. Gladstone mi g ht n ot pl ea d i,,- 111%e acted with more moderation and propriety than in this city—with more delicacy to the wounded Dormice of his intention of thus calling upon him in feelings of those persons who have been obliged to public, lie (Mr. Shepherd) had the preceding c'slit, nspeal. I admit, Sir, that the people of this coon• i given him !raise 'to that effect. Tito fast cf ‘:/. Glatlstotie's having boasted of this secret i n te leo ur a , 4".,-y. possess more practical liberty than perhaps in . other country in Europe. On this ground, with the Minister, was so notorious, that th e s pl. t .ir_ once of his letter in the London Prints, tletislia die ieeefore, I feel proud that I am an Englishman; 1 fact, struck every inhabitant of Liverpool uith-so• 1 feel proud, Sir, that I can come boldly forward • in the face of my fellow-citizens, and freely express • i ' prize. It was well kitoon that lie had boasted not i ils sentiments on this obnoxious tax without any I only of ono letter on the subject fron t :he Minister, fear but of two , and he had even communicat e d an extract . of the consequences. lam also proud in say but ing, that whenever the people of this country speak . from one of them in his own hand-xritin ff, in exeeu- out, their complaints are not only heard, but they 1 tion of his officious submission to the Treasury re : quisition. The tenor of his unit% er in the first letter are attended to. I therefore trust, Sir, that it %ill be echoed and re-echoed from every corner of the was also well known in Liverpool, a, he had boasted kingdom—' No renewal of the Property Tax under of it, in which answer he had sipprove , l of the Mi. . any modification whatever.' I now beg leave to ' nester's desire to continue the tax-for noodles year. Mr. Shepherd challenged him to dens these facts, if read the Resolutions which I hold in my hand and , they were untrue; but ice was sure that he would not which from their moderation, I trust will be unani they mously adopted." have the confideitce to do it in that Assembly. Th s indignation against Mr. Cladst ea. was so uni- Resolved, That the Property Tex was resorted to under cir i vessel :aid so loud, that he could iiht for a time be cumstauces of peculiar national difilculty, as a War Tax on; g, and its enactment accompanied with the most solemn provisions that it should finally cease at a limited period after the termina . heard. Ail. Casey reltuested that the Gentleman . Lion of the war. might be heard. It u auld be curious to learn how Resolved, That there is strong reason to apprehead.that his he could account for the letters he had written to tureen; 's Ministers will attempt the renewal of the said Tax after its legal expiration on . the Gth of April next. . the London Editors, after the underhand but well- That the continuanee . of such a system, of which known practices tie had had recourse to, in ' obedience the p ri nc ip le is unjust, the operation unequal, and the etfeets to the mission to procure the consent of some chosen otssr p es r sive, would violate the faith of a solemu pledge, and the i inhabitants of Liverpool, to assist in rivet ting this j ust a x e . i rl 'el lo ii v i a o l ii ii be P p i r e esen;ed to the House of Com most iiifamous tax on toe necks of their fellow-sub- mews pi:lying them to reject any proposition that may be in jects. The evidence of his activity was i n so Mil y n trzi:t:e . ; l i t o 'o u r th th e e p s l i i i rtior ro of r e t ouji a n x uing or renewing, i illid.rf any hands, that, as r.- a mat' 'r of curiosity, it would be It.solved, That the N:etrber y s for this City be instructed to au:using to hear his explanation of his conduct. tire- :al and support the prayer of the Petition, l I , .. t ed e . Ch at a Committee be appointed to obtain signa a rs:r. J tuts l':cit also begged that be might be tur i o•s 1, h P etition. 1:0,..., declating, that after the I, , ,ie.tte.d (coasts Of On the second Resolution being pot, hi; l=ei •g the person chosen for th,s .lficial end ho- i Mr. Fuent said, that he considered it objection- eeuritote defy, it would Le instauctive to hear him able, inasmuch as it might be thought to forestal the on ties °Lss:on. intention of Ministers with regard ' to the .'S in ills called Mr. GLAnsTONE up.—The clamours, i questou. It was advisable that nothing sho uld ' be (cases, a..d grc,:ns were renewed. Th 'Mayor begged said which could give-offence in the body to which (hut he might he heard. He intreated the attention of th eir Petition was to be addressed, it was also ad. the Mottling, that their resolutions r ~;ht trot be sub. visable, that no Resolution should be proposed ject to misinterpretation. At length Mr. CLADS- which would be likely to disturb the unanimity of settee was it-ird.— rle said, that . u " paragraph the Meeting then assembled. With regard to the charged him eith iesiog a devoted sit 1 expectant Property Tax, he was decidedly of opinion that its friend of the Treasury ; he rept.led ;) a amputation principle was bad, and consequently it was such a —he was as independent as any Gent , ....1 in that burden as no Government ought to impose upon a room • and as to tht insinuations hr. u4lit against him • people. Under the pressure o f a war, great ex that day, he should t e :tent himse:i -, ith sayieg, that pences were necessary, and consequently heavy his ccusers bad no evidencs of Ale facts they al- taxes must be levied to meetlhose expellees ; but feed. 'leis most unsatisfa , i , .y explanation drew from n . o necessity could justify the imposition of so till- Mr. Casey one ot the most pointed and animated just and unequal an assessment as the Property Tax--a tax by which the feelings of the community , speeches ever heard in that town, in which he ex. were harrowed up, by being dragged before a Board , posed Mr. Gladstone's conduct wisha force and spirit that drew bursts of approbation from the mul- ' of Commissioners . secrets of trade, and' who were to search into the 1 e compel a disclosure of every , titode. source of income and expenditure. if it were said An extract (in the handwriting of Mr. Gladstone) that in this city Commissioners had acted with feel. , from Lord Liverpool's letter, was banded op to the ing and humanity, instances in abundance of o.: ' . 1 1 4 Mayor to be publicly read as evidence of the fact of press i on cou ld b e c i te d i n ot h er pl ace s, a t which ! the' his having boasted of such a correspondence. Mr. soul revolted. A tax was like a surgical operation, Gladstone protested against the reading of this pre- ' ti. painful evil, but necessary' for the general health cious proof dills veracity—but only eight or ten per- of the patient ; but in this case the operation was ! sous out of the crowded assembly supported him in performed with a rough and bungling instrument, ] his demand of suppressing it. The Mayor said it and used by an unskilful operator. After these', was his duty to read a paper handed up to him in general observations, Mr. Firth repeated his wish support of an assertion made in the course of debate, that the second Resolution should either be with and which had been denied. Accordingly the fatal - ' drawn, or so altered as to be less objectionable. extract was read, and verified to be in the actual Mr. Wet. SMITH said, that he had heard with great ' hand-writing of Mr. Gladstone. pleasure what had fallen from the Learned Centle : '!'here noes was triumph more complete. man, and he heartily concurred in almost every The motion on the subject of theaax was as follows : word he altered; but after what had passed in the t' That the Tux upon Income, commonly, but House of Commons on the subject, he thought there erroneously, called the Property Tax, is in itself so . could be no reasonable ground to doubt the intention unjust aetl inquisitorial, that nothing but the dangers ofA • m • !isters to renew the tax. He, therefore, . of tile tumors , and the indispensible obligations of the Government, could justify a free people in deli- ! I • thought there was fair ground for the adoption of the tesolutum. 1 owing themselves up, or in submitting even for a: M r. C . II ARVEY agreed with Mr. Smith, that moment to its hateful operation." This eas carried in the affirmative almost unani- I Ministers had made no disclaimer of their intention to continue the tax ; but still he thought thst as mously. I peace was now concluded with America, they could ! Mr. CA•LY n !-:0 moved a Resolution touching the have no reason to renew it, and as it appeared more tliscri ‘iitable absence of Mr. Canning from his Par- likely to preserve the unanimity of the Meeting, liathentary ssaty• he thought it would be as well to omit th. Re- This motion also produced bursts of applause ; % solution. but— Mr. Ehw this TAYLOR said, he considered the Resolution in question as a most essential one.— They were not assembled to ask for a repeal of the Act, for it was now at the point of death ; they were met to Petition against a renewal of it, and if they did not believe that Ministers meant to re new the tax, they had better adjourn the Meeting, as that belief constituted the very ground of their NORWICH, JAN. 18. Petition. On Friday last, a Meeting, both numerous and 1 The second Resolution then passed unanimously. rests stable, took place at the Guildhall in this City. 1 Mr. J. IlAttarey said, he did not agree in opi- At 10 o'clock, J. W. Rouumtes, Esq. Mayor, was nion with the worthy supporters of the Resolutions. called to the Chair, and stated to the Meeting, that He thought that a measure of finance, like the one in Consequence of a Requisition, signed by a number in question, which had proved so main a prop to the of respectable inhabitants, they were then assembled credit end strength of this country, in those difficul. to consider of the propriety of petitioning Parlia- ties and. dangers now so happily overcome, did not ment against the renewal of the Property Tax. merit the abuse that had been lavished upon it.— Mr. Alderman Bora Siaeltelth then rose, and spoke Nor should he, tnerefore, if the state of the public to the following effect : means for a while require it, object to its be in g con " Mr. Mayor—Sir, unaccustomed to speak in 'blued in a modified form —or, in other words, public, I should have felt :Duch embarrassed in ad. (though contrary to the adage) to " see an old friend dressing myself to this Meeting, • were I not eon- . with a new face." %Lice(' that the operations of the Property Tax are i After the third Resolution had been put from the • so well understood, and s o g enerall y re p robated, Chair, that my task on that account is m ade easy. To say, I Mr. C. HARVEY rose to express his assei t to it.- Sir, that the Property :lax i s in it s o m perations par. He had always disapproved of the Property Tax , and inqu isitorial, is only to from the time it was first introduced by* Mr. Pitt, WI, oppressive ) unjust; The MAYOR requested it might be withdrawn, for that day at least, as it did not come within the terms of the Requisition. With this Mr. Casey complied ; otherwise it would hate been carried with a great majority, for be has tut:illy lust his influence in Liverpool. down to the present moment, atid if he had then beert in Parliament, lie should most decidedly have op posed it. If any tax could Lea devised which could draw from the pockets of the people e portlier of their income in exact proportion to their abi!ity to pay it, such a tax would he the most perfect mede of assessment that could be devised; but tieder this present Income Tax we cannot get the geed because we cannot bear the evil ; it took the same sum front the man whose income was derived ft oni the preca rious fluctuating aouree of trade and profession, art from him who derived a similar income from real rer manent property. It woe a tax In:it upon gen;us, ;tr dustry, and enterprise; it was Imposed upon those who ought rather to b.. rewarded by the Slate tlarii to he drained by it. There was an her peleable 'justice in its operation, that foreigners were exempted from it. Now it was evident That they either placed their money in the English funds on necount of greater Security, or because they received higher in- • terest. Was it not perfectly fair then that they should pay towards that security which they .en joyed? But being now exempted from the operation • of the Act, the very money which our Government paid to them over and above sr hat was paid to the natives and residents in this country, might he used hostilely against us.. Mr. [Jersey pointed out other instances of the uneqeal operation of the tax, and concluded by giving his cordial assent to the Re solution. Mr. Wreetere SMITH then rose, and in a long and animated speech, of which we regret our limits will permit only a short outline, combated the areumehts in favour of the Property Tax. The Worthy Alder man (J. Harvey), he said, had appeared anxious that we should not speak ill of an old friend, or (as he trusted would very soon be the case with the tax in question) that we should not say any thing disrespect. ' ful of the dead. His main argument appeared to he, that it had materially contributed to the liberatiett of Europe. Now, admitting for a moment Gat the sums raised bud effected that purpose, he cored sue no charm in this particular mule of raising the money, for the same sum raised in any other way would have produced the same effect. He (Mr. Smith) had always considered this tax as a most blundering way of raising money, and so far from regarding it as a friend, he looked upon it as the greatest enemy the country ever had; for (among other objections) no scheme of taxation had ever been invented which so completely tereled.eo break down the seilit of the middling classes of society, and to check that. feeling of honest independence which every man ought to possess. Most men were apt to reflect with peculiar satisfaction on some particular part of their conflict; this errs his case viii regard to the line he had taken in Parliament respecting the Property Tar.---- When it was first introduced by Mr. Pitt, he had opposed it with his utmost force; and when ha found that it must pass, he had then applied him self, not without success to mitigate its :severity, with respect to some se y obnoxious provisions of the first Act; and he felt it due to Lord Sidrnouth and Mr. Vansittart to say, that their mod.fications had rendered it considerably less unpalatale, by allowing the returns of different species of property to be made separately, by which complete disclosure was avoided. He perfectly agreed with his Ho nourable Colleague in the truth of Adam Smith's observations, that a tax which should assess the population of any country in exact proportion to each individual's ability to bear it, would be the most perfect; but it should be remembered, that the same writer had also given it as his opinion, that such an apportionment could not be made, without resorting to means so inquisitorial and de structive of all private comfort as no free people could endure. it was not, indeed, to be supposed. if we got rid of this, tax, but that a large part of the money must he raised by come other method ; with idebt of 1000 millions, taxation must necessarily be heavy. But he was afraid that in proportion to the facility with which Motley was obtained from the people, would also be the facility with which Minis. lets (he did not particularly point at the present) would be apt to spend it. To the Resolutions he gave his cordial assent. :f he tax was unjust in its principle, for it assesses 10 per cent. upon every income alike ; it is unequal in its operation, for it takes the same sum from the industrious tradesman, the poor annuitant, the professional man, whose incomes are limited or precarious, as from the land-owner or great capi talist, who e property was fixed and certain, and rohs them of the vete money white• they would otherwise convert into property as a provision for their fami lies. Nor could any thine be more injudicious than that the skilful and enterprising manufacturer, who was rather entitled to reward fur the share lie took in contributing to the prosperity of the country, though at great individual risks should be taxed for his'precariires profits on these very exertions equally sc . l the drone, who only consumed the stock of the hive. !'hat the effect of the tax is oppressive, no one could for a moment doubt ; the very constitn. lion and 'form of it is inquisitorial, and the nits. rhinery user' , its enforeemeet Peeler:thee grinding. Ile was clad to hear, and del not at,'“ht, that the Commissioners in Norwich had acted Stith fainiess and feeling;; but this was merely the di-I:le . :en and temper of individtials; the pri.sisions and tendency of the measure itself was in a very different spirit ; and. if the instances of harshness alit oppression, which had occurred in different places, were to be detailed, the relation would scarcely lie futished he. fore the time when the Act expired. He would add a few worils on the subject of any modification of the tux. On this subject, he trusted the people would speak with firmness atel derision, for .if they consented to this, the, burden would be rendered perpetual. If it was reduced to two per cent. instead of ten, Ministers would urge. that the burden was so light as not to afford any fair complaint;tolevy the tit Ass e s sors It‘yi til rigo ur; v() it o b u e ld in- notg s s a trl i o d uuc , nif t d b d at of the money was raised either tritiin e s in n en c c o e of collection ; the m nstantuse,tlte peoplew a o ti l yr b e e • i s u v i r t i e ri , l;l be into secu rity; rity Ottid whenever Ministers wanted more money, they woulainstantly increase the per eenteee from lw to five, and so on to 10, and perhaps to la-;7lr certr.; then all the ori4inal severity would be nenin em ployed, and this detestible yoke would.be rivette4l p o i t t o o e u d r t n h e e ele ß s for esolu t e i v o e n r. w h l i lo ch therefore declared a ll , p; i - v (1 .. • • o'4 • RA e r , 4, • 7 • • 4 • A " !. S 1 J