The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-03-14 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS. Wawa, that these two propositivo. were totally unfounded in point of erect; and that the measures which had been dons would show meat conelealvely that then's.' no foundation whatever to earthet Govontraeot bad not doge 'sough to relieve in an essential dame the blitallas of the country. *hen he said this. however, he gina not mean to Imply that they ought to stop is the wort of allevi. sting thou burdens: far from it; but what he intended to say was, 'that there was no foundatign for the assertion, that Government hod not been dolt anything to relieve the country since the Image; on th e y, without making those further re elections demanded by some persons, Parliament had been ohle to do much essential service to the country. (Neon, beer.) But ip ceder for the Committee to know the real amount of retloction , In the taxation since the peace, it was necessary that they should go beck to the year 1918. lie would state the progress et this redaction, the items on which the reduction was made, and the petneiples by which they were rejoiced ; and he thought it would he seen by thew statements that Porliinicnt had rot been guilty of any remissness In the duty they owed w the country ; tor lie .tansidered that It was an indispensable duty iioth of Government sod of Parliament to exert an unwearied watchfulness over the re. Karen of the empire, and to avail themselves of every C.TCUM. stance by which to reduce the annual bunters of the people. (theme.) The year 1816 was the first year in which any reduction of the taxes took place. The first thing shone ass the coral of Oh. Property Tax. He was aware that that repeal was eEected contrary to the opinion and recommendation of Oorernment. . Government were desirous that the Property 'fax should be fir - *Wed two years longer; but Parliament thnu;:lit otherwise, end It was therefore repealed. Whether the Guvcrtimerit was riglir. or the House was right, was immaterial as rilsti!ed the country ; 'the people, at all events, enjoyed all the reivatang.: from a reprel. of tllat tax to the amount of CI 4,3Z0,000 In the same year there was a redaction of duty on lllalt of 'On ‘Var Custom,, Tonnage. Coasting. &c . Berretta and Window Taxes in Ireland - Malt and Spirits ditto 2.70 0 .060 1.1211.0011 35,01 N) 313,000 Making a total of tax., rerlueed in that year of 1d,248,u0tt in the year 11117 there leas a polltial relit f noon the A +same' Taxes, as to Shop IVintlarors, llusbaary Ilona, etc. 2t0,000 )n the sear IBIS Assessed Taxes of TarOus kl.Als in Ireland 2343,11 Ca In the year 10111, the policy of the Ons•emment was tlilTerent, and a very considerable addition was made to the vises. amounting to upwards of three millions; which he 'mull .I , ls , zr: to presently. In J?_'o. there was no change in the amount of taxes. In the duty on agricul:ur3l hnrses, to the amount M . 4:10,00111. was re ducal. It 2:/, • further reduet!on of duty on Malt was made. to the amount of - On Stilt ft - The duty on Rides - Tonnage Mitt licsrtlis and Windows in Ireland Makings Total of Taxes repealed in the year 1822 of In the year 1823 there wan a reduction of Assessed Taxes in England of v,trious kinds, of - D:tin in Ireland, the whale - - - On Spirits In Ireland and Scotland Eranchca of Customs - Slaking a Total in 1323, of In Ple. a reduction of duty cn nom, amounting to On Coals - On Law Stamps - (J 1 lVonl - - Produce of an Export Duty 1.41?0,0e0 1,1:95 OW 31)0,001) 1611010 3 2 2.;0.1110 100.091) Itoo 50,000 3.2W,000 50.0410 21i11. £00,06t1 410.690 70,CM On Si;k The Union Detica Item 102:1 350.0100 17.000 3V0.l Making in an the reduction In 1824 amount to In the Tear 1825, the reminder of tax on Salt was re pealed to the amount et . - Beni', - - - . Cofer, & - - -e. - - Bridah Spirits and Rum - - - Wine - - . - Cider - -- - - 1.727.H00 Asseo.eti Taxv.—Small Houses Customs—Small Branches 200.000 IWO* 1,2A0.000 .10410.000 20,01:11 276M00 230,000 Making a total reduction of Tares in 1625, of 3,144.090 The total amount of taxation reduced in Cie course of these seven years, was no less a s•tai than 30.712,0001. From this sum there wu undoubtedly to be deducted the cum of 3.190.000/. being the amount of taxes imposed in the year 1019 ; but after this deduc tion was made, there remaincti no less a reduction since the year 1816 in the burthens of the country than 27,520.000/. (Cheers.) now, he would say that this was a great and substantial relief to the country. (Hear, hear, bear.) No man in his senses could argue that that relief was cot contributed mainly by the situation of the finances of the country, to which he he.d on former occasions alluded. (Hear.) It was true in 1816 measures affecting the value of the currency, if estimated by the amount of kr!ion creitangee, were adopted, by which a derrec'ation was produced in Coe treble of the currency In that yew to the amount of be: per cert.; end it might be said that the wtiel.• reduction ou!;Itt net to be zonsidered as a reduction positively cf...c , etl, friaanitten as tat was n tax sub. saquently, by the valuer( money being rai.acd, i rl:.,se also the amount of the depreciation, as comparing the year 1:22.1 nith the ye:-.r 11116; but the depreciation was rot more than 5 per cent. and an allow:- Int:sof three millions would be sufficient for the purpose of mak. log up the difference ; for the taxes of that period were actually no less than 61,000,0001. Deducting then these three minions min the 47,520.000/. there remained i.o less a sum 'than 24,N111,0(8.1/. of tarn reduced since the war, which were imposed far carer. lag on the affairs or the country, mil all of wh . ch were lrelispettsibly necessary for that purpose. (Heir, hear, hear.) When he said that this reduction had ten.ded to promote the pros perity of the country, he would not weer into the argument that ill flu Hon it must be so. But this was a practical prof' of it f— ir they were to deduct the , e 24.00(1,000/. fr e t : - .3.000,00et. which ours the amount the taxes would bare hen if nu c et hicii,n had taken place, the taxes would produce no more than 3 (.030,003/. ; but the actual produce of the revenue for the year 1325 was L ,, t lees than 82.000.0006; therefore it was quite cle-a: that this di:Ve nom of 18,080,000/. had been ratsze!, bezause the people had a greeter power of consumption of those articles on which the taxi were levied. (Cheers.) If they were CO prove this by the test of the feelings of those who paid three tones, he should be coati/era of des sense result, lie saw the Honourable Me:nbar lur Wareham opposite, who took so active a part in the reduction - of the duty on salt. That Honourable Me•aber stated at the time, that that they pressed hard upon etc TeßOU:all of the poor man ; he (the Cha::cellor of the .11 eh-finer) would ask the Hon. Member now, whether he did not tcUeve that the poor man felt a little ease when he came to stun up the amount of his comforts, and whether, in fact, lie was not grateful . to the lion. I/limber for bls exertions its obtaining the repeal of that duty ? He should like to appeal to the 171,000 persons rho, in the course of the last year, had been released from tl:c whether they did not feel that some benefit hod resulted to them by :lie repeal of that tax? lle should like to a.lc the persons who had been released from the pressure of the window tax whether they had ex perienced any practical benefit fain] the roped of that tax? And whether they agreed with the Hon. !Mintier for be rdeen ( Mr. flume) when Ott said that nothing had beta dote for eh,' people; that their wants and wishes. were act at nought by the House; (hear, Lear, hear) and all iisr the sae of unbeldirg an emtrava gent and unjust control in that house, and for the sake of some paltry patronage the maintenance of W'hess Of%Cell rive to Government? lie (the ( ham eilor of the Exchequer) declared to God that he entirely set at neat,..tht the considerai i,nt of that ma,. eery patronage whenever he contemplated any measure Ad, he thought would tend ti the pu!,lie go4lsl. (Cheers.) It never had in any one instance crossed Lis mind to ask himself what would be the consceuence if flavernment acre to lase this patronage, which the existence of such an ofEre gave them, by its abolition. New did he reflect that by keeping up such an oti:ort, be Might have obliged some friend, to whom lie might have been exceedingly glad to have given the appointment. (Cheers.) had never felt the least repugnance to dreier, to any who might have applied to him for sack an appointment, " I am sorry for it, but 1 have nothing to give you. We have estt every thing down to the lowest possible point, and we hay: re °fitters in any situation but these who are competent to fill them." (Cheers.) He had felt no hesitation in giving such an answer to any pawn who bad ever applied to him ; and he would declare, that there wee no ofßee retained by Uovernmeatt fur the purpose of osalotatain the paltry petronag4 it was purposed to confer, sad that the diciest stores of the country was never mote comp* [Qum at the present moment. (Hear, bear.) The eetnrnittee would allow him to state, that during the period of time which he had been reviewing, the permanent burdens of the country—he meant those connected with the public debt—had been very mate rially reduced. But, before lie touched upon that point, it Pit haps would not be unsatisfactory to the t ommittee to know a little in what ratio, since the year 1816. the power of consumption in the country had increased, because he thought such a statement would show, li, rind die passibility of doubt, that all those prog nostications, which delared that the country could not go on with out some andel - pied and incomprehensible change took place. were entirely and altogether visionary. Ile bad an recount of the con sumption of all the articles on which a duty was paid, giving a comparison of the consumption in the year 1816 and the year 1825. Theettancellor of the Exchequer then rend the following compare , tive statement : Ib26.—Consumption per Centum of Increase beyond that of MI& I liereabe per (:1. I hareem per Ct. . . :It. - . V 2-6 . 114 HI . DO: 317 Auctionot Iher. Small Wick% . CantllCX Lellethlef Paper I'. GOMIS Soap, Ila , ll so!t Tea . Ilrltlrh Spirits . Foreign Spins • • Butter . . • Sugar . . . Tallow . . Tinikr . • Deals . . ift'•-• and Cocoa . Hemp . . . lion) . • • • Silk, RIM • • • - Thrown Toburcu . • . Wire . . . Wool. S. , - C. 19 . 201 . 196 1182 1.3 . 672-3 . 1101 ▪ 114 • 1214 . 21,4 (iimsm. C. fircen Cl3•e 951 101 -, Platt I e3ther 3141 t . . lOU 14 n4i . 11W 131 ... 88 . 443 . 119 It might be asked whether he me tat to say that the permanent Increase of consumption was to be taken at that epprigant ratio. Certninly bedid not mean to assume any such thing; but he still would contend that this statement, however extravagant tt might appear, was enough to show the progressive power of consumption possessed by the people ; it was sufficient to show the inherent strength and vier, of this country, vfbielf enabled her, and had always done an, to meet difficulticw of the mom trying and appalling kind ; and which made him rely most confidently upon her power and resources for the futare.—(Cheers.).— But lie would now advert to the reduction of expenses conneenel with the National Debt. ►'hilst they lad reduced twenty-seven millions of taxes since the year 1818, eight millions of which were reduced within the last three years, what. he would ask. had been done in reducing the national debt ? This he would proceed to show. 1 7 0 to the sth January, 1323, the amount of the funded debt was 796.630,040/. Or. the sth January, 1826, ;his debt had been reduced to 778,128,000 L, being a reduction in the course of those years of no less a sum than 13.402.0001.. being at the rate of about 8.139,0001. per annum. Up to January 5, 1823, the unfundedeleht amounted to 36,281,0001. On January r., 1626, the unfunded debt was reduced to 31,704,0001. !icing a reduction in the three years of 4.577,h00/. The total reduc tion of the charge (which was the true way to estimate tile thing, and not to reduce by figures, or to calculate the capital that was standing, the real question was, what had been paid for it?) the total charge, then, on the sth January, 1823, inch :Mg the manage ment of the funded debt, was 28,123,900/. (1❑ the sth January, 1826, the charge, including the management, was 27,117,0001., being a reduction of 1,006 0001. in the course of the three years. The to al charge of' the onfuntied debt on sth January, 1823, was 1.1C0,000/. Ott the sth January, 1326, it was reduced to 920,000/., being a reduction of 280,000/. in the three years. The total charge, including the management of the funded and unfunded debt, was on the sth January, 1823, 29,285,0001. ; and on die sth Jaruary, 1826, 27,948,000/. being a reduction of 1,339,0001. of an nual charge in the eourse of the three last years. (Cheers.) It was no thing at all in his view of the case whether this reduction was produced by a sinking fund or by a surplus revenue. It was not the name ol•the thing bat the substance to which his attention was directed. If the people had to pay less upon the debt now than at a former Period, and If at the same time Government was enabled to pro. vide adequately for all the necessities of the State, and had suffi cient for the maintenarce of the honour, dignity, and security of the country ; If at the same time they had been able to do much towards the extension of religious instruction, and much for the imprcr.•etnent of the country in the erection of bridges, the repair. ing of habeuts and of the public highways ; and it' they had at the same time been able to bestow on the country the benefit of a re. mission of taxes to the amount of eight millions, and the re duction also of the interest on the national debt by no less a sum than a million, then he would say that Parliament had done some. thing (cheers) of which they need not be ashamed; and with the statement of which the'y might meet their constituents, in what ever parts of the country they might be called upon to do an. (Cheers). lie hail just alluded to that portion of tee expenditure that was saved by the reduction of the national debt. There was, however, another part of their expenditure against which he had always felt inclined to wage the mot unrelenting war; and that was the expense of the collection of the revenue. (Cheers.) This was an object which had always attracted his attention, and which he had elvays considered to be a fit subject for the most rigid exercise of economy. lie wits bold to say that Government had nut been idly inattentive or inell'cient in that particular. In the year 1313, the expense of collection of the taxes for the United Kingdom was 4.353,003/. A large sum he would admit. In the year 1825, the expense of this department was reduced to three miltione, eight hundred and thirty-two thousand pounds, being a diminution of et:l,OW. ; this arts a geitat thing to accomplish. The reduction of a half a million in this one branch of expendi ture. in the short period of seven years, was at least prima facie evidence that the Government had endeavoured to do their duty in that respect. It was not a very easy measure to effect. They had many prejudices, many Interests, and many deep-rooted notions to overcome in the execution of this task. ille could tint give a better proof of the great tl:ing that had been done in executing this part of their duty, than by adverting to what hail been pnblished recently in the more northern parts of the em pire. It seemed that the extinction of the Boards of Customs and Excise in Scotland and Ireland, lard their amalgamation into a central board in England was to be considered by every trite Scut as derogatory (cheers eel laughter) to his natural dignity, offensive to his national pride, and, good God ! subversive of his prescriptive rights. Moue cheers.) This reminded him of the lurgusge of our immortal Shakspeare, used by .lark Antony, while lookingon the dead body of Orme— " 0 what a fall was there, my countrymen; Then I, 0111 you. aid all of us fell down s • Whilst bloody treason fleurielte.: over us." The eppeal of Hark Antony was not more vehemently made, I his TeSElltraCat of Cresar's death was not more pointedly directed against those who ceased it, than the resentment of the Sent was against the aatitor of that measure, which had for its object the t ransfer of two miserable and insignificant fiscal departments from one part of the United Kitigtiom to another. (Wear, hear, hear.) He felhllike mine guilty dung, epprosett by n weight of some un defined pain, when first heard of this charge, jand h e cou ld hardly dare to 10 0 is friend the Lord Commi sioner of the Board in the face at the first ; but at last it °centre! to him that he had sonic same good Scottish bh - n):1 within hint (and good he hoped ft was). lie did not L'cl he had ken insensible to the honour of that part of his Majesty's dominions. (Cheers ) Really when he reflected on the stinal triumphs whiteli Scotland hail achieved in ail that dignified and ennobled huraan nature, when lie looked on the origioaltry and the great end brill' it'd genius of her poets— the (Intim:nee, eccuracy, end rcsear..!l of her historians—the elabo tare discoveries and profontal of her philosophers, otile watching over the dflighth,i r:gisms of litncy, or penetrating into the depths of natuvt and to scitirce, he never thought that the interests of Scotland woof! Le tlalangered by the transfer of her seat or Custoo s. When, tro years ago, it fell to his lot to intro duce that nitasure, he never thought that the honour of Scotland would he rarnished,because tl c great !toast of Customs was removes from the north of Berwick to London. lie thotitpt the genius of that country would have still shone writ perennial light, although tha Excise had never meddled with her whisky; and he hoped that their greatest genius would long live to atlcen and shed lustre upon hi, country, although these two petty Boards had been lost to them. But who woad have thought that the honour and dignity of Sootland was st stake, because its Board of Customs had been swallowed up, oh ! what a catastrophe! in the vortex of an Eng lish uniformity. (Cheers and laughter.) lie thought, If he were a real Scotchman, he should be too proud to admit that the honour of his ancient lineage was endangered because Government had 'Ens patronage to of and the Aristocracy of hia country less necessity to covet it. (Cheers.) This necessary reform Hoe so it appeared to him), was so fist from being in his judgment injurious, that It would tend to promote the happiness of the peo ple ; and he should tbaofore look without terror upon the flourish of the claymore, that'll invoked front its acabbod by the Incanta tions of the first magician of ten age. (Cheers.) What then were she eircomataniesninder which they were now called upon to look at the situation of the fin was of the country ? He had stated the extent to which the times had been rethavd, and he had sta ted the benefits which the country 'was Sun to derive from that measure; and he would now state that oat of that, very diminution, would arise a Poeta 10 carry them on still further. (Hear, hear.) Ile would state to the Bohm list ke anticipated would be the unmet of revenue for the present year. First, however, he would mention the charges of the coontry for the cur rent year and secondly the means to meet them. The amount ed' the expenditure, a very considerable portion of which the House .having already sanctioned, made it unnecessary for him to trouble the Committee with any comments. The first item was for the interest and management of the public revenue, amounting to 27,11702'g Then the interest, which was described as ths deficiency bill., 60,0001. ; the Ci vil List 2.065.00014 pelf-pay Annuity, 2,000,0001. ; the Sinking Fund, 5,581‘,2351. ; making a total amuse of Charge of 37,617,4211. There then came the annual supplies: the army, which had already been voted for, 7,747,0004; the navy,13,135,000/. I ordnance, 1,764,000/4 miscellaneous, 2.223,0001. ; the interest on Exchequer bills, 860,0001. Adding all these and the former permanent charges together, they formed a total of 66,520,4211. The revenue which he calculated to realise was, first, a small item of ear. plus of the year 1825 beyond the amount paid to the Sink ing Fund, which he considered himself perfectly entitled to deem available, amounting to 167,0001. The next was the Cuts. toms and Excise, which be was under the necessity of taking together , because, on the set pf transference of Customs last year, a very large pramiet . was originally collected by the Excise, and It therefitirflebeame haposdble to separate them. They amounted to 37,1141,1101. 'Stamps 7.400,0001. Taxes (including the assessed and hind tax) 4,800,0001. Poet-office 1,550,0001. Miscellaneous 1.36041001.,making a total of 52.7M,0004 to which was to be added the email of half.pay and pensions re ceived from the Trustee*. bean; 4.320,0001. making together 27,043,000/., from which, if 56,320,4214 be deducted, there would be left a surplus (with which Parliament would deal as it thought fit) of 714 0791. after providing for all the expenws of this year. It was, however, fit that he should state to the Honse what were the grounds upon which he calculated to realise this amount of revenue; because undoubtedly it might appear from what had re cently occurred,' hat he had calculated upon receipts more highly than could be realised. He wouhl state the estimate ftorn the :eceipts of the year just past, making afterwards such apportionments of the amount of the receipt as circumstances appeared to require. The Customs and Excise of 1825 was 17,144,000/. But it so happened lust year that this part of the revenue was affected by circumstances which operated to reduce it .0 a great extent; he meant the refund that was made in reduction of the duty on wine to holders of stock in hand, amounting to 1,050,000/. But this would not occur again' and he was entitled to assume, In the groundwork of his esti mate, that supposing no other ehrumstances intervened to re. duce the amount of the receipt of Customs and Excise, that that 1,050,000/. would be available in 1626 ; that was to say, it would not be abstracted in Bee as in 1025. He calculated a small sum paid for getting rid of boonties to the amount of 50,0001. The House was aware that last year an extensive alteration was made in condensing the laws of Customs, from a multiplicity of in tricate statutes, into six Acts of Parliament. Some minor errors had escaped the House at the moment, and amongst these was certainly one of a venial nature, still it affected the revenue. The duty on tobacco was at the beginning of last year 4s. per lb., but by a clause in one of these Bills, that duty was reduced from last July to 3s. per lb. occasiooing a losaotresenue to the amount of 460,0001. Therefore if he should take the sums he before alluded to, viz. 50,000 L which was paid for Leming rid of the bounties, 1.050.0001. repaid in consequence of the alteration in the duties, and 450,000!. lost last year by the accidental reduction of the duty of Is. a lb. on tobacco, together they would mate a sum total of 1,550.000/. to be added to the actual-receipt of the Customs and Excise for last year, which, as before stated, asnounVCo 37,1.46,0001. This would make the total amount dr*eillieWifie sietteent year 39,096,0001. if the . receipts of the prueng. tom. *au to betaken at the same amount as the receipts of 105; but he admitted that it would be quite preposterous to make such a ealcolation under present chasm stances. If he were to hold out such expectations, in all pro bability those expectations would not be realised. It must be considered, therefore, what kind of reduction we should I anticipate in the revenue of the present year. He calculated that a further loss would be incurred this year by the reduction of taxes last year, and this loss he estimated at 350,000/. As soon as it had been known in the last year that it was the intention of Government to make a reduction of the ditties on certain articles, this contemplated reduction began to affect the Revenue. Three fourths of what he maculated would be the entire amount of lose by the reduction, was lust during the last year; and he only and. cipated a loss of the remaining one-fourth in the present year, This, as he had just said, would amount to 350,000/. To avoid misconception, he would state that he estimated the entire amoun t of lout by reduction last year at 3,146.0004 ; but he would explain I why he now only talked of' 350,0001. as the one-fourth of that loss. 3,146,0004 was the grosaamount of loss by the reduction, compared with the receipts of the preceding year. But in esti mating the loss at this sum, the increased consumption to which the reduction would leattwas not taken into amount. Taking the increased consumption into account, the loss by the re duction would only amount to 1,400,0001. ; 350,0001, therefore, was a quarter of the true loss, and to this degree he thought the revenue of the present year would be affected by the reduction of taxation which took place last year. He was sensible, that under recent circumstances, considering the pecuniary embarras.l menus under which numbers at present suffered, and the sudden 11 stagnation which had taken place in the commerce and industry of the country, it would be unsafe to estimate chat there would be no loss in the present year, especially in the amount of revenue derived from the Excise and Customs. Ile had endeavoured to form some estimate as to the amount of the loss that may be expected. . Of coulee there would be a variety of contradictory opinions on this ;Lint. It was probable that on such a question every one would come to a different conclusion, even if all had the same materials upon which to found an opinion. Ibis estimate was, that 1,300,0001. should be taken as the probable loss in the receipts of the storm and Excise, besides the 350.0001. which be Ii M I es the leas -lowered in the revenue of this year b the reduction of taxation made in the last year. Ile knew it luso difficult to form any precise cal. culation as to the leas which may be reckoned upon in those branches of the revenue; but' he did not think he was wrong in estimating it at 1.300,000/r. The receipts during whit had pest of the preset,' year, afforded seine criterion upon which an estimate may be made as to the probable low. He particularly referred to the Excise revenuq, and during the first month of the present year, which, it would be recollected, was a month of gna t pressure,—so great, that hi! Majesty's Government thought it their duty to order the offiecting olEters to abstain front pressing upon the public in cases where such pressure would produce inconvenience; Meat, hear, hear,)—ln that month, a s compa:ed with the came month during the lest year, there was no material lots in theigroas amount of the receipts of all branches of the Excise. T 4 loss is that month upon all that part 1 of the receipts wh;e's the lteratioes of last year did not althct, i s amounted tit no greater sum an 2.30/. (lieu, hear.) The gross amount of those branches of the Excise which the alterations and 1 reductions did not affect, aMonnted in the first month of the l ast year l 000) to , 2.21 A. trait. 'the gross receipts of the same branches in the first purifh of the present year amounted to 2,257.250/ ; so that, as he h a d harem state), tho loss in the receipts of the month was only 2.T . ..it., whieffocat of no importatfce. In these branches. of the Excise t whir!: the (eduction extended, there inns of course a falling oft: The rettuctioi chiefly affected the duties norm cider, glass, licences, sweets, vin ar, and some other articles. Upon these the receipts, during t ie first month of the present year, was less by 102,1001. than the yeeeipts during the same month in the last year. Thc.meas amouat of these branches fur the first month of 11325 was 292,9131. In tho same month of 18211, the amount was only 190.tn:7/. - ConseqUen there was a diminution in this batoch of the revenue of nearly 1I t ail. But this falling ow in the re. ceipts of the revenue did mai arise front a diminished consumption of the arti:Es. With the eiteeption of 2,0001., the decrease in this breach of the revenue was eritolly to be attributed to alterations of an extensive nature which bad taken plant The duty on licence in Ireland was subjected to the most absurd and Inconsistent Mee. It was unequal in various parts of the country, and varied In a most whimsical manner. In some parts of the country, he under stood, the duty on licences was axed accord:ng to the number of Members which that district sent to Parliament. (Hear, and a laugh.) This absurdity had been got rid of, and the periods at which the duty was payable were altered. The duties were for merly payable M the early part of the year, bat this was altered ; and, as much as may be, assimilated with the practice in England. It was fixed that the licence duty in Ireland should not be paid until after the sth of July, instead of early in the year. The loss of this arrangement in the month's revenue may be calculated at 1110,000/., but of course this would take nothing front the total amount of the revenue for the year. The gross loss on the articles affected by the reduction amounted to 102,0001., but the actual loss on the month did not exceed 40001. He thought therefore he was warranted In estimating the total loss to the Excise for the year,— he meant from diminished consumption;—at no greater sum than 1,300,00 W. There were some other branches on which he calcu lated there would be some lass, but it was scarcely necessary for him Ito enter in detail into those items. On stamps he assumed that there would be a loss of 47,94.3/. in the present year, the produce of 1825 was 7,447.9431., and die estimate for BM was only 7,400,0001. In the Post-ctfice he also calcu lated that there would be some falling off. The Post-office last year: produced 1,595,4511; this year it was calculated it would produce no more than 1,:.110,000/.; assuming a liar, during the year, of 45,4611. There was another lose which he contemplated would accrue in the amount of the assessed taxes. This 'seamed loss would arise from the reductions e'1825, and he estimated it at 190,13111. ; the produce of the assessed taxes in 11'.25 being 4,999,13/U., whilst the estimate for the present year was 4,1;00.0001. In the miscellaneous items of the revenue he anticipated no loss. In ra s a the estimate under this head was larger than had entered into his mind, because several items would arid to it which he had scarcely reckoned upon. These was a sum of 100.0001. whleft the Government of Holland was bound by treaty to pay its 11125, but which payment was not realised in the last year. and it would consequently form a part of the receipts of 1826. There was also a auto from what he feared vane Gentlemen would term the never-ending lotteries. When the last contract was made he really was not aware that, front the manner in which the drawings were conducted, the lottery would form any part of the revenue of the present year. Tire drawings, however, were conti nued to a much longer period titan he had expected, and in conse quence a sum of 189,0001. would be added to the revenue this year. It was now done, and too late to mend what had been done; but lie had certainly been mistaken with respect to the con tinuance of lotteries, which had met with the reprobation, and he would add, justly met with the reprobation, of that House. (Hear.) He said justly reprobated, because, however speciously it might be glossed over, or whatever ingenious arguments might be ad duced in defence of such a system, he had held and should ever hold that it was iticonsistent with the principles of gond govern ment, for a great sdate to derive any portion of its revenue from what, after all, could only be designated a species of gambling. (Hear, hear.) There was another item which would add to the miscellaneous revenue of the present year. He alluded to the pro- I duce from Ireland of silver coinage. The supply of silver coin for Ireland cost the country, last year, a sum little short of 500,090/., and the value of the old coin which will be returned would of comae become applicable during the present year. He calculated that this would produce 400,0001. There was another small item estimated at 60,0001., arising out of an arrangement between the Admiralty and the East India Company. It was found neces, try to increase the naval force for the protection of a part of the East India Com pany's 'marries, and the Company had undertaken as they ought, lie said an they ought, but he should add as they read.fy did undertake, to pay 110,0001. towards the increased expense, in consideration of the benefit which they derived from the protection given them by this local augmentation of the naval force. Those various items in. creased the miscellaneous estimate, which amounted last year to 619,06111.; hut which it was calculated would amount in the present year to 1,360,000/. He had now gore through the various details which he thought it necessary to lay before Parliament. The total amount of the year's revenue he estimated at 57,043,000/., ar.d this lie calculated would meet the expenditure, and leave a surplus re venue of 714,5791. This he admitted was not a very large sum; but he thought it was worth having, (Hear, hear,) and that it may avail to some useful purpose. No doubt there were many purposes to which a steeples revenue of such an amount may be advantage- Misty appropriated, and yet he thought that the choice of appli cation was rather limited in the present year. The continuance of the reduction of one shilling in the duty on tobacco, which he had before alluded to as occurring last year by accident, seemed most desirable. When it was ascertained that the accidental reduction had taken place, applications were made to his Majesty's Govern ment to learn whether the 1.. duty would be revived on the bah J y last. The reply of his Majesty's Ministers to this inquiry had been, that the ditty should not he informd until the opinion of Parliament was taken upon the subject. He now meant to continue the reduction on tobacco. lie thought it was most desirable that the reduction of last year should continue; but he did not thiek it would be expedient to carry the redue•ien further at present. Ile I understood that great advantage was derived front what he should call the accidental reduction. It had been found to give a check to smuggling in Ireland, which nothing before had done. The inge nuity of the human mind, he believed, hail never been exercised more actively than In the smuggling of tobacco is Ireland. Could he enter into detail upon t h is subject, honourable Gentle- men would scarcely credit the extent to nhich ingenuity was stretched, were it not that the number of smuggled articles which were to be seen in this country proved the devices which were re sorted to in the exercise of this illicit traffic. However he-under stood the reduction of the Is. duty hid been productive of the most beneficial effects, and from a continuance of the reduction he wee warranted in expecting a continuance of the benefits. Ile esti. mated the loss of this remission to the revenue at six hundred thou sand pounds. Ile had now concluded his statement with regard to the revenue and expenditure of the year. Ile did not profess to be a prophet, and felt it was foolish to deal in predictions, without stating the precise grounds on which his anticipations were founded, but 14 he had the glatifying duty of coming down, and within the last three years proposing the repeal of eight millions of taxes, it was not asking of the House too much, when he called upon it to believe that, when the proper occasion offered, lie would not be slow in carrying the system more extensively into erect. (Cheers.) There was another subject to which be should saw call the ettett. tion of the House. He had endeavoured to slaw the grounds upon which he calculated that the revenue for the present yoir would not only meet all demands, but that a small surplus revenue remained, which he propertied to apply, as before tieweribeel e .ta an. ads vantageous retriesion of duty. But there was another point connected with the finance of the country whith it twos ne emery the House should be aware of. Gentlemen had learned, 'during the late disewissions concerning the Bank of England, that the Bank at different periods had made advances to Government, and much was Said by lion. Gentlemen as to the great increase of the advances of the Bank of liegland. Now although lie (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) bad defended the Government in calling upon the Bank for advances, and had con tended that the conduct of the Government with respect to the un funded debt wax governed by wisdom and propriety, yet he had never contended that it was not desirable to effect a diminution of the advances and of the unfunded debt. This he was always ready to admit, nitliough he could rot DHOW that Government was justly chargeable with blame for not carrying into effect a system of re. (Medan which circumstances would not permit. Ile repeated, how ever, that he wits always ready to admit that a reilue ion of the advances made by the Bank was most desirable. 'I he amount o' the advance* made by the Bark of England he should shortiy state. On the sth of January, 1826, the Exchequer bills held by the Dank amounted to six millions. These were in the shape Of advances to Government, and not purchased in the market. Thi• was the amount of Exchequer bills held by the Bank at the com mencement of the present your, but it was well known that in February last the Bank consented to purchase two millions of Ex chequer Bills that wore outstanding, which the Government thought n most desirable measure, as it was calculated to relieve the pressure which then existed by the diffusion of money. But the Bank could only undertake to purchase upon being assured by the Government that the amount of their purchases maid be re paid in the course of the present year. The period tixeh on for repayment was the month of June. At a period subsequent, how ever, to the purchase of Exchequer bills, as was very generally known, the Bank agreed to make advances on goods to a limited , amount, in order to meet the exigencies of the commercial comely. nity. • It therefore became mere desirable that means should be placed in the hands of the Government and of the Bank, In ostler that the latter should be able to meet the demands, and that d ie former should be ably to repay the advances. He now propowd , in the courae of the present year to repay to the Bank the tit rut, lions or Exchequer bills which they held. lie had already caw that the Bank held in Exchequer Bills-- Six mirions, purcbasett before the sth of January ; Two Millions, purchased in February; and .. , . Three millions, advanced to pay off the 4 per dint. diesentiente The last-mentioned sum was already provided foe. Provision ma made for it out of the Sinking Fund. Eight millions remained, 0 which he proposed to pay off six millions of the advances as early se the cohvehience of the country would admit. He thought it desirable also to effect the reduction of Exchequer bills in the hands of the psb. lice to the amount of two or three millions. It was therefore pro. bablethat, in the course of the present session, he should hate., propose the funding of eight or rifle millions. He should also le glad to see the unfunded debt reduced in a still greater i ropore e . (Hear, hear.) But he deemed it more advisable to proceed red caution, Rapidity in the proceedings of Government might in the case produce the greatest contusion. He saw no reason, after the proposed measures had been carried into effect, and when the hint. ing Fund was relieved of a proportion of the unfunded del,t with which it was now charged, why it should not be made applicabl e When the Sinking Fund was disencumbered of five minims it was quite consistent to apply it to the reduction of one specie 4 d debt as well as another. By this means the actual amount brought into the Stock Market would be considerably diminished.,` Such were the conseauence% which would result from haer bg the means of reducing the unfunded debt. For thee te a . sons he thought the Sinking Fund might be applied to the endof diminishing the unfunded debt. Thus he had endeavoured to state the proceedings which were now contemplated, as well as these principles which were already sited upon. The course pursued by Government, and sanctioned by Parliament, during the last ) p r, were the grounds which warranted him in proceeding a s h e wen to do during the present year, and which • caused him to look foe, ward to rand rely on a prosperous future. Ile was not ashamed nee afraid to use the word " prosperous," when he viewed the national i power and resources, and saw the Government an I the Legislatu re anxious to develope that power and those resources. When he saw them uniting in their endeavours to correct abuses, to remove tab. structions, and to give life and scope to the active energies of the na . ion—when he observed our foreign policy, exterding that pre.eminence which the fair dealing, the prudence, and the honesty of England, had entitled her to assert—when he saw, too, y ear after year, the improvement made in the administration and co, solidation or our laws, which rendered them more intelligible to those to whom they were dispensed, and more satisfactory to those who dispensed them—when he saw our finances; bearing due pro. i portion to the honour, the safety, and the dignity of the country ; I and yet a due circumscription used in curtailing unnecessary palm. nege and restraining unnecessary taxation—when he saw this course of policy enforced by the Government and sanctioned by Parliament;—above all, when he beheld the people allured by the light or knowledge, and alive to the progress of in,. provement, which wasdispelling the mitts of prejudice from armed them, and opening their minds to the truth, that it was theit is. terest as well as their duty to follow the advice of those who wen charged with the administration of their affairs—wirers he beheld all these things, he repeated, it we . not overconfidence in him to say, that the affairs of this country were in a right and prosperens course. (Hear, hear.) We may have many difficulties to emu. ter, as had recently happened—we may have to abide the sudden violence of an unexpected tempest—we may have "to beat the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune ;"—but, if consistent, et should " take up arms against the sea of troubles, and by mos. ing, end them." Let us only persevere, and those dangers and d.F. ficulties which impeded our progress would disappear, and a, should ultimately advance with systematic regularity to the end ' and object of all good governtnent—the welfare and happiness of the people. (The Right Hon. Gentleman here sat down, anids loud cheers from all sides of the House, which continued for acre. ral minutes.) Itlr. 31ABERLY then rose, but was inaudible for wool minutes, in consequence of the confusion which prevailed in the House, wising from the departure of many or the members. When we could catch the tenour of the lion. Gentlen..na ob. nervations, we understood him to say, that the speech of the Right lion. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Excheqtrer) abounded with fallacies. He would otter his objsctions to what had fallen from the Right Hon. Geothkrmine•ln the order in which the Right Hon. Gentleman had placed them beforiths How. He hoped fir the iedidgence of the Iloat,e in the ohsereetione he was about to make : he knew it was a dry subject, but ft was ace of great importance. rhe fiat great fallacy which appeared 4 the Right lion. Gentleman's statement, was in t.lat.cn to his quotation as to the dimioution taWillifege of the National Debt s. The Right lion. Gentleman quigi# tq' have gone back to MI6, for the purpose of comparing threat - ORa and charge ; instead of shah, he only went back to 180. tr.Mks7au not the Right lion. (Gentleman gone back to 1318 or lin ?Lisel'ause lie knew full well that, :a 1822, 2.9ni1,0(kt1. was added to the debt, and if he !,..d gone back to a period a.lecetlent to 1822, this audition trust have been brought into his calculation. The Right: Hon. Gentle.nen stated that there h.al been a reduction since 1823 : this was true, bat there was an increase of 2,8011,01:0l. since 1:119. The rent of the Right Hon. Gentleman's tallacies wkis as to the amount of ela carnal. In the same manner the Ili gh t lion. Ger.:lemon had Moe got rid of the previous years, which came in the way of ;In celculations. As to reducing the unfunded debt, by paying tf Escheqner Bills, it was A grew: delusion. for what was it but getting to debt again ? It was paying off so ninny millions by borrowing the genie stun. It was a grnss fallacy to say this es paying cfi'a debt. 11'ith respect to the estimate as to the mount rat the present year, he hoped the result would peeve the Melt Mont. Gen:lt man right : but he thought an estimate of the re. ccipts of this year, founded upon the last, very fallacious. If 11 : the Right lion. Gentleman had 1 !wildly, he would not hare stated the amount of the recei ' the first month of the pr:sent vet.r. but she amount u resent time. Last year the Right Hon. Gsntlentan mat t be expected a stop reeenue of gat.ow. . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER here intimated across the table. that the lion. Gentleman Not misunderstood him, continued.—The Right Honourable limits man said that tour millions would be saved in tour years, and that 1,409,0001. Tile CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER begged to be 1. lowed so explain. The, Hon. Gentleman was noise wrong in tiss statement. Ile (the Chancellor of the Exchequetlhasi said ilia! be it staving of four millions if the saxes were not reduced; antl it was upon cal:whiting that such a surplus would resaain over, that he came down to propose a reduction of taxie:on. Mr. MABEE V resumed.—What had just fallen from the Chancellor of tilt:Exchequer certainly took away from his arguraert He loped eince•rely that the flight Hoc. Gentleman's estimate would be rcaliwal ; hut he greatly fared it would turn out dehaire. He was glad to see the policy continued of applying the Snking Fund in the manner pointed out by the Right lion. Gentleasa. 'Flue Government had thought proper to redure the f: - .ur a.o :as per eent•‘. ; and he haw no reason why, at a sutAequent prri.4 l . :he unfunded debt might not he reduced. The 6anger of Eleacqut bills and such tccurities were great; but, at all vim , . , P. 3 hoped that the statement the House ihtd heard would be teal sed. Mr. 111331 E was oppeebewaina *tar the House had,been kd aing by the eloquence of the Right Honourable Gentleman. fietlioacht the Right Honourable Gentleman had nut acted fairly in Ott u h ' Inn one period as the date for all his calculations. There was C Ce period for the reduction of taxation, another period for the incrusci and _another for the amount of the national debt. The wh'ic scope of the Right Honourable Gthtleman's intention seems' to persuade the people to think they were inner oil than at any gi` tecedent period. Judging by the increased consumption. 'feu , ret tainly. was a fallacious line of argument. Ile (Mr. H ume) had now only risen in consequence of a stateni,:nt made by him on a Ennui' coming, and which the Right Honourable Secretary for fortilil Affairs was pledged to pr,ive erroneous. llis (Mr. !lamest tur ning wan, that although taxes were reduced to a considnablr amount—it was said 27 millions, and it ma:tered net haw many millions were assorted, that although the mode of retsina was changed, t`ie amount taken from the people had DO! (Mint ed since 1817. The ('hancellor of the Exchequer said he would prove that there were ten millions reduced. altholiiih there wt., ea the table of the House a direct contradiction to that staterneat• The Right Ron. Gentleimm was not justified in taking ti e year 1816 IS acriterion, for the reduction of the Property Tax, toga her with the at! er reductions of that year, had nothing to du with the question. What he (Mr. Hume) meant to contend was, that dur ' ing the last three years. th a t i s , i n t h e y ears 1823, 24, and 2 5, amount of taxes abstracted from the p o ckets of the peep gender by more than a million in earnyear than It had been i n 1 ?"' 18, and 19. In toe eleventh year of ponce, the public had a righ t to expect relief from taxation, inme l d o f w hi c h the hurdles • came greater than it woe In the third and fourth ) , ear . afte I dle ter • mina ion. of the war. Ag a in, he r e p eate d t h a t 1816 could ants. n o l criterion, for the surplus of that year was owing to the esloh h4 the arrears of the Property Tax. Upon the whole, the statement of the Right Honourable Gentleman was to ban (31r. Magi quite unkatistictory. There was to be no reduction of tatatten, and an enormous army and navy estab,inliment was to be kept uP at an expense to the country of 17 milli o ns, which was much greater than what it had been in the years to which he had alluded. the tax tin tobacco only w a s t o be partially taken off. w hich of i'"'" would he comparatively no re li e f at a lt. s w t h a t it a ppeared 11 ' 3 _ 4 after a period of seven years , an atliliii nil tm millions wit, 10 . 0! added to the funded deht of the co.) try, fie charge for wh i c h would he mete th an i n 1819, as WWI 111, ed by his lion . F ri end as Moberly) in the paper s which were lyour upon the t bit 0. the House. 'file Hight Honourable Gentleman, in order to sul ,- a port his position, t h a t t h e country lIIT.II capable of hearing ti er quantity of taxation which it was his intention t o ceniintr, 6144 die eamP lean ; wei r )8111, ha of Om AS b i rtirer. • &OWN 0111k9 em faro ski° ouvo ow" boy 'bare spitaall ait Adam a *dm is 0 ircaki. if hew Wit m l ti3l ' ' effi fir ii. il k•