The Statesman. — London, England, 1822-07-03 00:00:00

sad he oherefore twisted they would pause before they gave their sanction to it. Mr. H. DAVIS defended the Bill. Mr. JAMBS said he should take the sense of the tow on the wend reading of the Bill. He thought it timid sanction a rearm to everlasting plymests Is 17RWENWpettists Honiara , le Pelona ilk me ft. - Ito was billrladl the *pia poolareeiyort leirel4. Mr. CALCRAIPT goalie in ravine of 1104111. The bossy then divioled.wbeh there appgared-••• Per the second Reading 47—Against it 4—Majority fei the woad reading 43. The Bill was then read a second time. Kr. LBNWARD presented a petition front Ipswich, wornplaining of an Aet passed in the present Session, hiersine as additional duty spun Malt Liceeses.— Ordered to He on the table,. Si/JAMES MACKINTOSH presented • petition hem an Attorary at Knareshorough, statlatt that Le bad hera•opolated an Attorney of the lasolvent Cwt. tbat a. was desired to return his appolutmeM4 it order to its being gealilied I and that it was then /envied to Mm, limiting his practice to iblerill• itough. Ile contended that the Court bad no power cis limit his prarice ; though it mlgitt strike blm off 914 Run if he were guilty of mal-praetire. Ths petition was ordered to Ile om the table and be !misted. SALT TAX. •.. Mr. CURWEN wished le knew Itltothor the Right Res. Oentletnee opposite. was determined to oppom We (Mr. We) proposal for the total repeal , of the Salt Tax et the end of two rears. • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER mitt be was happy to say, that on account of the probably ;esteeming stem of the Teresa, he though he might etfely mattet to the repeal at the end tot the time men *Weed by the lion. Member.—(Hear. hear.) 'Mr. BENNET presented a petition from the Mutual Itienrenee Office. praying that they might be protected iriw the effect of %Written!, Duties Bill. After a few weeds from the CBANCELLOR of the Ex esmaren, Mr Hevener, and Mr. CALCILATT, the petition was onieeed to he rioted. • Mr. WODEHOUSE called the lineation of the Hesse fp the duty imposed on Malt Licenses. The dealers *ere, ender a new regolation.compelled, in many mem, to take out separate licences for separate buildings. This last regulation bad, he thought, been smuggled titlark the hoes', without any notice witateeer. The pemenisoffering under this grievance bad been advised to memorlal the Treas. re ; het this was, *teem best. au M. movosieet temedv. As for his individual seppeet to Ululate's, be could not suppose that they eared meek relent it; bet be must be permitted to observe. that that !Wideman towards the complaists a.theitt altering tinder !stadia, of which he was Mow stating an la stance, could set fail is create a dimes*. which. when it was too late. Ministen mania be very glad to remove. He mead fee leave to 'slog in a Bill to repeal the lest otindeael Duty on MaitLieensm. .Ile. W. SMITH eseaded the motion. Mr. BRIGHT said that when the Bill is question was brought forward, he (Mr. Bright) had been gives to on l demoted that it metalloid merely a trifling alteration in tits rid Bill. lie thought the imam ought to cashier Oposneplesore. olltaataHAßT spoke is favour of oho modem He shale sent Bessie, move that a Standtsg Order be ad fee the priodeg of all Bilk Motivate Tseation. ;C_ a CHANCELLOR of * ggCIiZQUER Wit when so math of the tinee'ef the House wee takes agile 'streamss dismission. it wait net a Matter of eur p4a !bat inane Bills passed the base in illesee. The llMlhapinined of was brought le ea the Ist of April, all did not receive 'the Royal Assent until the middle of"Mayt but as it had been so mach condemned, he was perfectly willing to have the particular clause le it re pealed.-:-(llear, hear 1).1le ought, however, to state to the krone, that the custom of making Lie-cams local as pall: as personal, was by no means a new practice. He found at once a case of ibis kind, which occurred in Mr. WESTERN coodeated the Act imposing a tax of 41. las. upon each handing in which a Waster bad his malt. It was. .quite thee it should be repealed. and he was glad a mot ion for that pupae had hoes bra& forward. . •. Mr. R. SMITH said, that this was an IsMasee of the many Bills and clauses originating with. eke Treasury which were passed through that base without the know ledge of the parties interested. He dld net ratan to de fad the inattention of one side of the base ' hot he remplained of the great attentio n which exist ed en the other side to take advantage of that inatteation. iIItr.LUSHINGTON said, that there never was an °t avola in which observation. such as those which bad jai Miles frees the Hoe. Member opposite. were lea applicable. Ile begged to retort a - the Hon. Member for Bristol. that hi was the caul' of this Bill passing without notice; for at his express request, be bad a tally postponed the third reading for a math. la c ordee that he might have as opportunity of ex almeleg it. if there was any thing Improper in it. therefore, be ought to have informed the house of it; bit to his Ob. Lusbiegton's) sorprisit, it passed In com plete silence. Mr. BRIGHT explained. Mr. HUME spoke in favour of the repeal of the duty, as levied oader the provisions of the exlstlog Act. After a few words from Mr. Banner and Mr. Para Moons, leave was give' to bring in the Bill. r. NONNI awn WINDOW TAX. ' Mr. HOBIIGUSE said, that in moving for a large redaction of taxation, - he bad not come down to the liyritse with a mere meagre statement of figere. ; but he bad thought the nowt proper course would be, to prepese it in the shape of Resolutions tending to the repeal of the Hos.. and Window Tax. These were very short and very simple. The firm was—" That thy present anoint of taxation is so burdensome aad ypressive. that it Is incumbent on the house by every Means not detrimental to the State, to endeavour to re deem it." H. Item , that every wish to reduce tixatioahad for some time bees ascribed to stupidity, ignorance. and impatience ; bet he would not go far ther into that subject, because his Ilonourable and Lartted Fared near his had, Ia the beginning of the Sessioa, very ably exploded the idea that taxation WWI nect.sary to the prosperity of the nation. it had since been admitted that the nation tuigy flourish Cider a reduction of taxes. in 1840 the Hoa: Mem ber for Comherlaed (Aft. Curwen) made the first tete ties for the repeal of tales. He moved fur and oh tamed the repeal of the Horn Tax eotwithstanding al. that was said by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Noble Marquees opposite—the ea declaring that O finance Meitner could go on If such a system were . opeased. and the other, that he would resign if it wet. perorated in. Next tame the mulles fur the repeal et the Malt Tax, upon which question these thing• were repeated. notwithstanding which the Nolo: Mentes' afterwards came down to the Hoes med galled for a coatinnana of their confidence bj i . ~~r . _ It not* shout the principles of resurrection restoring the de portedd in' t is of the country to . forowe prosperity ; that the distress of the enamel wet to be attribotad se 'Ai Operations of nature. and Providence to be looked II is the soiree of hope sod relief. Extraordinary as "Ms language was. be hegged to say that he did not Attribute it to in a bility in the person using it; for he knew`that Hut.!.., had said of a celebrated character in `be history of this couatry, that by splendid talents he had risen from the lowest station to be the head of ifte State, orithont having attained the power of es. grousing himself In language which venal(' not dis grace the meanest peasant in the country. He believed the confie.lan of langutge he km! 'quoted rather ato l l frees time critical sheath's of the speaker than from. his inability, unshackled, to chid:, his thought, is other lords. He has, however, since that period adosithed . that laxities; het beloaglog to the cantos of natal. might have a share in operating the .listres, ; of the *try,- for he bad himself projsosed a redaction of 0001. of taxes. by a calculation which he had be found that from the year L 794. to 18111. a in. of mosey in direct treed hail he., everted feels Ike Pattie equal to • 1.404,360,7941. TA is was an lininsensi unto. of which it was scarcely possiblonto have it distinct concepties. except that, like the Ro nne Emperor Caligula. they were to wish to wallow is gold. By this continued draining from 'taxation the capital of the productive classes was taker away, Ina gives to those who were not connected *MI their: No one. le believed. amid now he toned who did not admit slat this debt was a great *aliens) or !enmity. He knew that persons might answer Mill by pointing to certain signs of wealth. But he should say, these were equivocal, and often the WM: cation of great evils arising from the demolition if rts pital, which was the necessary eosseqoeree of tazatioi: rot his own part he did wet think that agrieskseal distress arose from any thing but low prices. 1116 landed gentlemen would not alto* them to keep lowa down as low as I , would go, and the only metherC therefore, of relieving the otreatry. was by re ducing taxation. High tazei Prodigal high One* tied the reason that we sow bad high taxes Mill low priors. was in conesquence of the existing glut of Ism produce. He Imes very well that great 'Misery bust totems is the restoration of things to their peeper tteodard.. The poor !aids mast go oat of cattivader and the last layer Of capital mast in fact be taken eit the whete of the land. It was with a view to the per motion of this misery that he now came forwskd to preps, some mods of relief, and for that purpose be PrepOired his fret resolution. He knew that them were malty argassonte for opposing the reduction of sweeties; In time of war they were tad that they emuttaottithe slay the means of contending aguish a pottot trolly; and in time of peace the maxim was vestal to them. aria perms, pare Whims; mid thus with these who so reasoned they mast have taxes to perpetuity. He knew. however, that he alaeold be asked fir hie mesas of roducieg taxes. and mkt thht point, he would read his second resolatio*....TlVooh. Member then read—" That the A bettelinttad. he derived from the Sinking Food are that to impose or castles, any additio's& bill:1140m epos the people fir the support of it, wield be unwise and isexpedient." This was the proper Fund to ap. ply to for this purpose. Is a Small State such a mode of Ilquidaling a palm& debt 'Wight avail, but in a state like this, it could never easier the end proposed. The Sinking Fend was awful te.Hinisters, by aiding them to fond. He beilesfed all the . sonatas* about compound Witted had been long sloes exploded, and with it ought deo to have goad time system of a Mak' lug Find. The thirty trillions to be taken for this penmen In a certain sandier of years had notch better remain lo the pockets of the people, the best treasury of thi Direen: lie contended, they had a richt to the repeal if taiadoi to the amount of 3.00000/. at loam. Which Wail the amount at which the Sinklog Fend was rated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Be sides this, they had a fight to • a diminution of taxation to thi sates, of Ire or six millions, is consideration of the rife in the vales airmail from the &Premien of the currency. The moderate amount which he asked, therefore, ought certainly to be granted. He knew it might he urged by the Noble Marquess opposite, that this was Very ingenious after the taxes they bad al ready coaceded. and that it would interfere with the Isaac, plan of the Government. This he could sot help it was his business to perform laii duty in obedience tv the directions of his constituents. With regard. a the choice of this particular tax for repeal be believed it bad long been desired by the country. It was 'a species of property tax, and had certainly origineAy been held by Mr. Pitt in the light of a war tax. It win lest levied in commutation for a tax upon tea, which was taken off. Shortly after this • shop tax was proposed, bat frets the outcry winos .. It wag soon obliged to be given up. when the iin4stee orit was agile lick.' upon wisdom. The operatioi of the tax was %espial, for by a calculation' be bad made it appeared that upon low rented houses It was at a higher rate than upon the higher noted. . Thus it pressed hardest on the lower order of housekeepers, and was at an average of 36 per cent. on all that kind of property In the country. Such was the nature of it, that it was impossible an individual could escape this tax. Many houses bad been built before the bill of assessment was resorted to, and these contained more windows than would have been thought Deco. eery if they bad been Wit subsequently. They cow sapiently paid much more in proportion than others' which bad been more recently erected. The evil ef fects of this tax might be traced in every direction. Numbers of windows were blocked up. and thus house. were wade uncomfortable mad unwholesome ; or to building. from the efforts made to avoid paying largely to this *bine:one tax, houses were rendered damp or exposed to tiadryrot. Many houses which had been inhabited by persona in genteel circumstances weir handoned Goat:count of the wiadow tat. He knew acme where a person had a house, the rent of which was 361 pentangle, which was sugunoted to 60/. by the vision I tax. rite coasequeoce of this was, that nobody womb: take the house. Part Oche property was stoles throat. s being left unoccupied. A pers.. was then put it .o take careof it. hut the tax-gathererconsing mead t. collect the Window Duty, the proprietor, rather that ' palling the hoes* lowa. into lint. The basso, i yea: considered worth Pon/. Polle:i sold.ale for bat 8001. awl thus. *posh ..x, the proprietor had in one year Iwo 4411.11 or 1200/. inany'disadvantages gtew ont of this tix. A house that was considered cheap as to rent. bud remain untenanted on account of the taxes. Its ' inequality was grievous, sad this inequality bad ben Omitted by Mr. Pitt in 1797. Two houses standing next door to each other, paying the same rent. oral „I oestribitte in very different proportions to t • e Nemo/ Tax. The Chancellor of the Exchequer knew that twenty houses in Tuthill-street would pay as much no i certain somber of 'endows as twenty hones le Imo barol-street ; yet me there was no comparison betweeso. 'the importance of the trade carried on in the two placer, it was not to be supposed the inhabitants were equally able to pay. The same amount being charged on houses differiee in value, took from the'owner of one, io a case which he stated, a seventeenth part of his income, while from the owner of the other it took but a seven bemired' Part of his means. Is the me tropolis the holders of houses, to enable them 'to pay obis tax, let oat part of their houses to !Odgers. and wrested themselves into dark back rooms. Therms Isititene• of being this stilled up was disease, and of ten premature death. In Ireland this tax INad been so injurious that it had been called the fever tax.-- Minister, had thought it tight to give it up in 'reload. He approved of their condvet in this tutelage, and felt •nevinced that no greeter relief meld be afforded to the people of ibis country than that which *Debi be derived from a repeal of the window tax. The tax ,prevented improvements bring made which were no-1 misery for the comfort of the peop:e. A poor mom wished to build a warehouse. which he could hole done for ten poneds, her he was prevented Hai doing so, because had he Unlit one. Innen mitt, *it shillings for this hoses of six windows, be most have paid tweet) , shillings to this tax, from the addition of the warehouse window.— The tax he regarded as premier very heavily on shopkeepers. Whatever the state of th• it trade they were compelled to pay this impost. The shopkeepers id this country from the manner in which the demand for all consumable articles varied and declined osier the pressure of calamity could be sure of a* retina. bat the return of the ra-ptherer.— Tie house had the meant of relieving the country frees this impost. It would be asked what he would subeti tato for it ? This be maintained, it was not for him to de, and be might leave that task to the Chancellor et the Exchequer. He would; however, recommend. that the amount of the Window Tax should be taken from the Sinking Peed. If this were not door, lie wee of Opinion that a reduction might he made in the expos*. tore of the comity, which would admit of being takes of. Won in den of peace we bad an Anny and a Nary which cost the annual sum of lb millions or mow where thereabouts, he thought he had a right to wain not very considerable redactions were practleabie. The Chancellor of the Exchequer seemed to ***km AM there were so limits to the pewee of the people tops MOM —lt reminded him of an ancient story told of Themes tattoo, he believed, whg going to an island where the people were not more partial to reactions than we wore sow, told them to enforce his demands, that he brought with him, two this, who must be obeyed—Force and Necessity. To thin the people replied. that they akin bad two Ueda who most he opposed to itij—Wnt and Impossibility. The .propla eit this notary had sub mitted to greater harden than' had ever been i on any other nation; bat he thought he saw no= duns of a determination not to coatings to endure tax. sties to the seam extent. It was felt both in that house and in the country, that Ministers had set don. in the course of the provost Snake, what they nett to have done to relieve the people. For the late scheme which Ministers had brought forward, with respect to the Naval and Military Pensions, be regarded it as a mere juggle, and as being wholly at variance with then prin ciples to which they bad ansesuced it to be their deter mination to adhere. To what be had already said, Is favour of the repeal of the Window Tax, he begged to add a quotation from a noon made by the Noble Mar (Fess. The Noble Lord on the 3d of April, Hal, had said, " if he thought it possible. which be did not, to repeal taxes to the amount of two millions, he would prefer repealing the Window Tax to repealing the Malt Tax." The Malt Tax being given up, it was now, per haps. hardly 'fair to call for the Window Taz to be gives up too: het if be bad obeys, as be thought be had dose, that the unseat which was 2,3115,27b1. might advastageously be takes hove *nether fund, he thought the country ought to ban the relief for which he contested. He cescisded by moving three resolutions, the int of which inland it to be the duty of the House to repeal all taxes that could be taken off without detriment to the public interest; the second: declared the Siakiag Peed to be Blaney and useless& ; and the third. declared the Window Tex to be oppressive, and that it ought to be forthwith and im mediately repealed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was not his inteotion to follow the Hon, Gentleman throogb the variety of topics which his speech em braced. He would address himself to those points which be considered as hewing au immediate cessat ion with the subject before the House. The Hon. Gent. set out with observing that it was open the con vimiott that the Slohieg Pend ought sot to be anise talned, that he proposed the repeal of the Window Tax—there be (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) commenced his opposition. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) was of opinion that not only upon grounds of public policy, but inasmuch as the Hose* had settled, by repeated decisions, that the Sinking Fund was to he maintained. be would not consent to diminish the means of maintaining that fend. Upon these grosseds lie would rest his opposition—upon the first Resolution he would move the peeving question The second Resolution he should meet by a decided negative. He was not disposed to desy that the Window Tax was heavily felt by the public. In Ire laird the Window Tax was taken of. Ireland was not subjected to the Property Tax. She, in fact. never laboured under any heavy direct taxation; she was not, therefore, sensible to any relief as consequent apes the remission of taxes, at the retire of , peace it was right. however, to have relieved her as soon ar !be opportne.ity arrived from that which most op pressed her; anal this was an indulgence more pree iarly called for under the preseat clreamstaeces of that country. It certainly was one of the malts of 'he Union of the two countries to remove from the metropolis of !island that class of peewits whose re .idesee there had kept op the value of houses. The' iepreciation in their value, which followed. resisted he Window Tax of coarse heavier. May of the arger houses were to -venal lobo lag's'', and the ambitions, to to great number of isstinces, had re- THE firepaiec the reOlial :of floaCtail; Ho:Motile' thieve I litZemerme. - es thiaiS in to stew thilit alaiiiroaei <the T ia i ota o f alma. ho carried 1 gethied resolutely raised their voice to obtain they before, had been errs irQ4- nsv GO hi. They had all herirel delivereti le ' 4416 Ole aesitiale that HOW, on a farther eteeselpo.,The.atolinr•st nritiene 'heeelth this tax , the I A- time dir 1200/. Maw . ~.. .w~.M:~y-~,,,.. •••• ~~~ -. . - 1" . . . i,-. . ...*•? i I I i \ .....) • .% •,t I . ~ .. t . 4 - * : . s,. . , i . .-. course to the expedient of stopping up the window, rather then pay the tax. le England the case situ quite different. There were no instances of practical evil of tide nature resulting from the continuance od the tax. The ability of the public to par this tax, as well as every ether duty, was proved by the fast. that there was an increase in the Excise hrosseydiettioe, with the exception of three distrietsolehent the Wets was confined to the duty on hops. .ikooottetied that no considerable reduction of inseams was to be look ed for in , he preset t' e sloe of Parßeims. Whom it was conai.lered that so much three Maltose and $ half load been remitted is this Session% the was not that more blooonid mot be reolacet4 but that so muck should have been remitted..." Ro-dnee year maidisionsents," was rerta'nly in the months of the iientlemen nopos'te lie would salt them to point eat what estaltlislimews there were in which a redoetlem eortld safely be made. To the statement of the Wahl thy of the Coin ry to continue the psyment of the taxes. be Would oppose the feet of the increase in the receour, and ti e vast dissipation of all compulsory processes for enforcing the paysiont of the Enclose. Ho Admitted that 'be Window Tax pressed most asyseely in the country parts oof the empire. But then the House Tax anti the Window Tax balanced each other. The Window Tax was high ; but for many memo the House Tax was rated at sa low amount. Timis/ then the whole of the ease sabositted by tte Hos. Member, he could not agree either to his aresmooto or conclusions. Mr. MA lIERLEY repelled the insisnatiort shot the (I..ttlenten os that side of the honer were in the habit of attacking the politic creditor. They, isto the COM tram. gate Om preference to the public crolitoe.-- They would maintain public faith at any ere ; bur r as for the expenses of carrying oa the Movement, they were preptred to show that too much was at . madded from the people. The Right Honesrable Heideman observed that the e were so complaints of this tax en the part of the people. The people could not complain. The tax-gatherer would sot liars to their complaint% The people psi,: the taxes only be cause they could not help it. Considering then, se be did, that too math was exacted from the peeled* of the public. be would vote for every reduction. instil the expenditure was reduced to what he considered to be the fair amount. Ile would attempt to Mei down the expenses of the tiocernmest to what they were in 1;92. ellowieg for the " dead weight" es the country. • Mr. WYNN said he could not help feeling a Metre si.ios to smile when he heard the lies.Oentlessas who moved the Resolutions state, that threugheut the country rest was paid exclusively frost, capital. It might be the- case is that particular district when the Hon. Headmen' might have made his inquiry. bet it was certaisly not tree if stated of the country its rural. Thom was scarcely any person connected with the country that was not acquainted with facto incossistent with this atatemen*. It was well known that in certain parts of the country when farms, let at almost a rack rest, became t. the eostepedtioa of tenants was very great. With respect to what was stated by the Hop. Member for Abingdon. he -wool& say, that be (Mc. W.) wee always anxious that the military eatabliiinneest of the cottony aheuld be sve. doted, as far as that arse consistent with the chug* of eircumetasees, to the standard of 17,11. Vas the lionosnisle Modems prepared to propose tl4 lower ing of the pay of the military? He (Mr. W.) wasof °piston that the pay of the @military sla•eki have ben raised sootier than it was—and he sow cossidtred t at it could at be lowered with safety. Mr. MABERLEY explained. Air. ROBERTSON opposed the repeal of the ter. The Hon. Member thought that oar ancestors carried too far the principle of relieving themselves at the ex pense of Miele posterity. It was to this mohair as rangewtept Mot the esersiosts amount of dor debt was owing. the effect of as hich was sew felt through every department of trade. agriculture, aid mesas- faetoires. - HUMR did not take the gloomy view of oar situation which had been taken of it by the Hosea:- able Headsman who bad just sat down. He believed the resources of tire coaatry were 'Wiriest to make it are superior to all its dillealties. Let those retinues be properly managed, sod this might become the hap pleat canary is the civilised world. But with this statement be most ample the declaration, that oar affairs were sot se ad mi ni stered as to promise to coo dect us to each a result. The system acted op*s for the last twenty-five or thirty years bad brought the country to its pretest situation. Ile complained of the meow in which its Gammas were managed. The confusion which prevailed with respect to them, was *takingly exemplified is the preceding night, sates three or four Hentientea, who spoke on the Budget, had all taken different views of that which ought to have been so plain that so men who had leaned the common roles of arithmetic should be able to differ shoat it. He however coagratalated the Hesse that next year the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to pat an end to the sham Sinking Faud, as he called it.—(llear, hear.)—Hitherto a sham Sinking Fend bad been kept op. and it was °sly in the present year' that it was admitted, a real Sielcieg Feed was only that sum by which the income of the cocotry exceeded its expenditure. The system acted upon through the last thirty years was a complete humbug open the country. As the President of the Board of Coatroni had contradicted the assertion of his Honourable Friend, that looking at the country genre ally no actual seat was paid, bat that which was gives as rent was in truth • deduction fro capital, be (1•lr. Home) wondered he had set combated the state* meet made by the Agrirultaral Committee oa this sub ject. Either his Ham. Friend was right in what he hail advanced, or the Committee was wrong. Ile contended that the Right lion. lleutleman had made an unfair statement when he said that four millions of taxes had been reduced. The fact wa., that two millions of them would mot be repealed until January neat. The r which were laid oa in 1819 were not taken off. The Hon. Member for Abingdon bad justly sail that Miais ,ers were always takieg of upholding public credit. whereas they , were the first to pull it down. It was true, as the Hon. Member for Penryn had said, that sot one of their acts bad done any thing bet help to destroy piblic credit. It often appeared that the greatest Os ser wished to appear the greatest saint. This was the case with the Right lion. the Chanoellor of the Exche iner epos this subject. lie was always cryiag out against injuring public credit, while be had been the zreatest sinner against it that ever sat span the Tres mry Uench. The lion. Member then proceeded tootle- t 1