The Sun. — London, England, 1825-03-01 00:00:00

-Seaman society which leads one nation to open its arms to an- eluding the te Army l Extraordinaries, the Commissariat, and 'lt is n• O't reasonable 'is t h ita other-a principle which leads to the fostering of new connec- a t IdshSocuolttfl t i ti Militia. I take at 7,911,7511. cone, creating mutual wants betwixt nation and nation, and the netted with the increase of the milita c ry uss fo th ee!'"'itTi=r,:;: desire of tasting new enjoyments-all of which a benevolent I N a : t b w le e F ei r t i . en b d ut wr e le c l have . had will opportunity of doing this matter, as it really forms no i n t o o t f e y e ec ,, t u n b j ie ee t t o t d m is t f e u t s.s .o th n e Providence has ordained for the improvement of the human be impeded by s , iie e rat ( s.; r n i The House has already voted the Navy Estimates. cendition.-(Hear, hear !)--This principle may - 2 1 , . , 3 00,00 za w n i c i f eb I 44 take t a i t ian l,37 - 6,6it . 11. ; 4.1 r last 31iscelianenets war ; its course may be diverted from itr, natural channel ; it ohgst i t n h to e r e e i s re t, iney be checked, and we in this country have been destined to pated. One or two circumstan in ce y s e tr i . m ye ate co o ntrili utli:teiontiteyartoatt'itiiicsi:: calling i n their the placeniserable Irish tokens, and a p n u i tt mg wieness examples in proof of it, by injudicious legislation.- • (Hear, hear, beade--Buteas to the :principle itself, that is I.he realm. This I expect will costso,t(h)tem.stahic,loarlicsoimnoostt" l-ways alive-it bases tendency to increase and confer be- be be added to a larger sum of 200,0001. or , 300,001., which we shell obliged pay to the united States of America by vir . - netts all over the world ; and therefore it is that any suc- tue of the Treaty of Ghent. By this Treaty it was provided -eve or advancement founded, upon it cannot be attributed !;e should make pecuni a ry amen d.. for certain slaves who, (W lr a As th war, had had deserted from their masters to our protec -- to .Magee or the oper ation of accidental causes, but must rest the y were private property it was thought that the awn a basis.ot to be shaken. And if I add to this cause that c i l i a n i s m . was a good one ; and a third party, the Emperor of wcederful discovery which has acted like a lever upon the done on tli was e most t ointed y to estimate l their value. This was powers of prod uction -I mean the steam engine-ewill any one, to not less than 250,04?0/. 'a But i Ne n s c e ip a e r s e , two sums would no a t ri l l i o i Lir l i y t b eke n g all these things into consideration, suppose that I take to occur , again. Thus we are to arrive at a surplus for the year 1825, of 443,5281. But-I shall request the House to al '' sanguine a yew of our condition, when I maintain that our low me, as they did last Session, to carry them forward, and , ieeer e a sed intercourse with foreign nations is not the result of ac- see how we can apply the funds of the two succeeding years.- cident, but of that wise system of Legislation which Parliament Last o S t f t s e s i g o a n rn l e. brought I R t i h: bt Hlr o s n e n. GentlemanlB27 , an thenand now I propose proceeded has seen the propriety ofadopting inlatter years; and that may to detail his calculations of the probable amount of die diffe feirly hold out to the Committee this increased produce of. the tentbranches of Revenue for the two ensuing years, drawing comparisons with the past and present. The following will revenue as arising from causes which may be assumed as the basis lon. Gentleman :- present a comprehensive view of the calculations of the Right veon which to calculate the produce of the revenue for years to 1 cLace ?--.( Hear, hear !)-The next point to which I shall call the INCOME AND EXPENDITURE. - attention of the Committee, is one of the greatest moment, leas- .3 to 'ere ..-3 z fel en much as it tends in many ways to affect the domestic situation and 0 wr4:gg:= general comforts of the nation. I allude to the Excise. And here ... 3 2 = ~.., .5 .eog co tr. again. / have the satisfaction of stating that the produce of this C = • ,::, =e; . 4 , 'lg -, 8 a I b reech of the Revenue for lastyear, exceeds not only the produce of U. a• n ee • a.. --, e• any former year,butwhat I had estimated it at in the views which .5 „............ at the commencement of the Session I communicated to the House. i e e l r u e F,,,q_ g ee 7, The estimate I made did not go beyond the amount of the pre- . ...-----..„----, ceding year, viz. 25,625,0001., whereas the actual amount is e.: ....eo ce e.. .1.1 . 1 13 2t.768,0001., being 1,143,0001. beyond my estimate.-(Hear, - ce IN: 4 . - 1 , 10 I 7 0 6.M.1....W 1... C.: . hear !)--This I consider to be matter of congratulation to every -; - c ,t . -ge:-Z - ca s- ' " ..`' "' Pe i''' c "' ..- t-p, marl who cares for the interests and comfort of those around .t 2 Zi l • C s .4 g t 47 ; 0 e., 2 him ; and when lam addressing the Legislature of the country, :et,. e. ee - =7. e.-- -4,e..m- et 0.,- .-c eel -- -- 1. • e- ,it is impossible I should hesitate to ascribe a desire for the wel- c 4.. -a -4 c. ----; cc, a' =:-..- - 1 ... (z.. ? =.....=d0s ..,= ... fare and 'happiness of the people whom they represent-( Hear !) T E r ee : ifg SSig' s = I ''' l z . P , I have in my hands a paper which I need not trouble the House Q =e, c=c. = © ... e. e, - to read at length, chewing the increase which has taken place . tv F.: , p 0 .t . ; F' s '.' r . .7%. , .7.1 Y; = upon every individual article of Excise Revenues, and indica- ee 25 . e. .- e• : at 251 i',..5-t - =1 , ....... ~, .. . .Fere •: , ,eo ee . .F. a a fe: .% _ • _ tin t : beyond the possibility of a doubt that the course of policy .e. e'. -e. C ".? = g - c , c - 6 c):::, cra ..„_ _. ..„„ c , = 0 . 1900=0 l . g . g7J - 4 _olfa.= OG o=oo=o which we have pursued is conductive to the ease, the comfort, 0 74 " a .4% — ...p: .... „..-• _ and the happiness of the people.-(Hear le-el do not know -1- sg' 1-14 7= 40 m - e.t 7:41- 4: - Z - e - whether I ought - he trouble the House with such minute details cga.-=. at asr. gavgs.ll.. 5..,F.. t -..-*. ',-"= --=-=-•,-,=,-;-= ' ..-1 -hut, at all events, it would rot be a mere waste of time.- *,,,, 1 -•-•: • , it tits tat- -S oo3cz co c-.. ' • e: , -- csc=ccce 7 (Hear, hear !)- This paper shews the proportion in which the -4-• ...CV.';' cr,...ntr-, erticles of Excise exceed in the amount of duty paid for the year ...,_, ,e- .:1 P ee. - 7 =. P 1 , : .--= ..Z CI r.""...M •—' Pr - -:. -: F'; n 1?.14, the average of the three foregoing years. The first article "A ^ f.e.s' l 'egg.:_; r..-.1 - bzogg F, nm m=,....mg. is the Auction Duty, which is calculated upon the quantity a h- - ''' - :: -' e° • • t'tf' ..1 4, f. g o - - .7: :re= '2• • a >e• oh 1 ' charged :-this chews an increase of 12 per cent. above the three 10 5 24 = n = = Pr_ e ") 'V ?- 1 • g. • n• f1.cp.8,2 preceding years.--(Heer !)-The others are as follow :- U. . . . . 2 . ,w -.... "-, Strong Beer - - - 15 per Cent. a ,-3 CI 47 w ,' E e e t . Table Beer - • 20 II • s . = 5 5 5 :=1 =., Bricks - - . - 40 ss . Tiles - 1" ,7 • I e • e 15 o. g nin cd. Candles . - . 91 -v s.= -4 -.. .., Wax Candles - - - a ~c... - *.) Coffee. - - - - 3i En • f "- ..- Cocoa - ' - - 6i >e: 'C. - - 20 C. Glass - to - ag' ..2.! -4- • 47 - 4 Cider and Perry - - 12 Atre - . - 41 -- 1 ,- --1 ,1.p,4 !!). Itil tel Leather - - - 10 § '3 "e. 4--it-na - .2 - hg?....ti t.... Skins - - - - 15 ce-te 1. .Ff 47- P s•-• .F..F.F..-P...'" lt Ei. - 5 "* Linens - - - 7 a ~.. ct*G -4, M .. alt - - ' 12 . .... „. . 8 z... -.tB ..2 rp_R - sw F - ..4 .1 .. - - - - 7 .-3: 1- i ''' ,... " r*- ~' - . ..1 1 :li ....5...1 =II ,I 1 Soap .. - - - 7' gr.- t La - gti - i- - ..e. - P -- Soft Snap - - V 12 1 S e co .e....c.=V2 1 4 6. 4 3 , •••-" 0' be ,r. 2 (1 British Spirits . - 66 5-, « --,...-... ~1 - 0.-7.- . . - P Foreign- ditto - - - 24 M 28? . = 1 ,3..?..1t 2 =;g 14 m 2 Sweets - - - - 45 se , e , ee 1 , 3 Tea - - - - li , ...-- 7 :- c,.1 -4 ti.tsts 0, = ...... -,14 - =-4en In 1-1 - m Ole Wrought Plate - 15 .... = ce..-.e.= ...e ....,...„.., 5 'a .?, P.PP's , ':.= ‘P == . -7 , 0t.s ‘s Upon Salt, continued the Right Hon. Gentleman, there has - (.4 .ggsgg n 71-^=::.'v, I 19,-,:i souse diminution, owing to the expectation confidently , F r. 6- oE . oo 4- i'..'S)3B-it 0 0 1.41 l' - '" . 10 - 4' -. J...1. 10 13 0 001.4. W b 0 M MR__ . .1.- ... :.' .1 .41 '- 4 . t., I. 0 p.,1 IND a .- ..CA ...,,,. I' '' "ri ... 04m=4 , - COl w -J. G. 0 t,..... =pa J... ,- . ...4,1,3m.. tr.' o.c. - 1-1.0 .41. - . - - - . ...T. Gs. ".4 . -1 c ,, 0 -, 00t , ,,,. C) ..p.., 1.4 -. t . e..a =, C -. M 0 .--, 0 i .. .. z - E - . --. = =o o C CO, n 61:0 00 0000..0 0 C 01 0 m .1..... ...;-. .0,.. t. 4 ' ...W.. W I-- C3l - .P . n • 2 . 5 - ,... • ccilt 6-74 savgash 2 FfC .. .. _. .. .... .. p, ;., iOO Cc C. , ==.=.o . 1.6 g, 1 1 4: 4 2 Zg szesEls w = . .1 .1 0 0 0 0. 3,3 ...• C 2 ng C' C) 0.- t..., ph....1 ~.1•••• ''''.. ,-- --.1... -.0 ........-1_,.., 0 C) -• ... ~ oo ::,:-, o C""--I0 0 C 4, 0 0 "- 0 0 ~0 -P -. 5"...trt., S , .. == ^ = - C ' o Cl K.".. ..g. ooSoz= .., ~, CCD 4....0 0-. csc=cc c) I Class - Cider and Perry Leather Skins - Linens Malt Paper Soap - Soft Soap British Spirits Foreign- ditto Sweets Tea - Wrought Plate Goon Salt, continued the Right Hon. Gentleman, there has been some diminution, owing to the expectation confidently entertained that the duties upon that article were about to ex pire. But in every other article there has been an increase.— (Hear, hear !)—The next branch of the Revenue to .which I 3/4411 advert, is the Stamps. The House will recollect that in the course of last year, after the first statement which I made to the House relative to the duty on Law Stamps,'l thought my self bound to propose the repeal of that duty, and I anticipated that it would cost the Revenue 200,0001. The amount of the -produce of Stamps for the last year I had estimated at aad I considered that one-fourth only of the reduc tom of duty would actually be lost since the repeal was not to be operative before October. 1 expected, therefore, the praduce of this part of the Revenue to be 6,750,0001. but the ataiial amount is 7,244,0001.—(11ear, hear !)—Thus we have the advantages of cheap justice and no sacrifice of Revenue— we have gained a good, and sustained no loss. The Post Office r-tarn I had estimated at 1,460,0001.—the real produce is 1,5ii'0,0001. an increase naturally to be expected, from the tr, , :reased activity in the various departments of national lostry, as seen in the other parts of the Revenue. Although tberc were some individuals who thought that I was too san guine in the view which I took of the resources of the coun try„ and feared that 1 should expose the Revenue to risk, when last year I proposed these reductions, every one, 1 hope, will now admit, that so far from exceeding the limits of my subj.ct - , I was in reality within- bounds. And no one, Sir, viii blame me, I think, if I offer to apply the same principles to the legislative financial enactments of this year, assuming the same progressive improvement which I made, the basis of that system of policy which I last year recommended to Parharnent.—( Hear, hear, hear !)—Having, therefore, explain ed to the Committee the state of the Revenue of last year, as compared with the Estimate which I ventured to submit to tir. House, I will now unfold the Estimate which I have formed for the present year, and explain the grounds upon which 1 fooad it. In the first place, I will detail the figures, and then explain the ground upon which I make the calculation. I 'take then the whole receipt for 1825 at 56,445,3701. The total - expenditure I take at 56,001,842/. giving a surplus of 443,5281. Upon each of these items I will say a word or two. I take the Customs at 11,340,0001. a sum, which, the Committee will ob. serve exceeds the actual produce of last year, the grounds of which I will explain. I think I have said enough to satisfy the Hause that there is nothing unreasonable in taking the financial results of 1824 as the basis of calculation, deducting those taxes which will come into operation this year. Taking therefore 11,327,7411, I add 50,0001. as the first benefit, to be derived from the reduction of certain bounties, which upon the system ' . lately adopted Parliament has agreed to cut down. Then I add 460,0001. being the amount paid last year upon the stock i of silk in hand. These being casual are not likely to occur again this year. A total is thus gained of 11.837;741/. From this, however, I think myself bound to deduct 410,0001. for that portion of takes which was remitted last year, and came into operation this year. The total probable Re venue therefore is 11,427,7411. ; but in order to be within bounds I take it at 11,350,0001., leaving as a sort of allowance 77,0001. The Excise estimate at 26,400,000/. ;• last year it wits 26,768,000 ; but I deduct from this 237,0001: for the re mission of the Salt duty, and the duty on Rum, which was re duced last year. This will give us 26,531,000/. ; hot I prefer, for the sake of caution, taking it at 26,400001., the more mo derate. sum.. The Stamps I put down at 7,100,000, allowing for the completion of the reduction of Law Stampt 150,0001. The Assessed and Land Taxes 1 estimate at 4,875,0001. which it founded upon the most accurate calculation made at the Stamp Office. The Post Office I take at 1,500,0001. and Miscellaneous Revenue at 750,000. I ought to state, that the Miscellaneous is mere this year than it is .likely to be again, to a payment of 100,0001. to be made by the Ne therlands, under a late Treat y relatin g to the East Indies. I add also a sum due by the Trustees of the Bank - . These various it e ms make the total Revenue for the present year 56,445,3701. With regard to the probable Expenditure, the first Estimate I have to state is-for the Consolidated Fund, which I pot down at 37,610,0001., derived in the following manner : Interest of Debt - - £27,233,670 Do. Exchequer Bills "' - 40,000 • Civil List. - - - - 2,050,000 Half-pay Annuity - - 2,800,000 Sin.. Icing FUnd - - 5,486,654 "Pelt the-Sinking Fund there iS a g reater charge, owing to the ant made to the non-assenting to the conversion of the 4 7 est i m ....,`" 2l ta- The interest on Exchequer for t his p ur p ose is "M AK The next item a the army, which, in- He should now explain why he calculated upon this difference between the produce of 1826 and 1827. Ile expected it to arise from an increase in the Customs, to be produced by a measure he had in contemplation to submitl to the House, and which he should shortly state. The House was aware, from the repeated discussion which had taken place within the last two years, of the question of the duties charged upon the im portation of sugar. Upon the exportation of that article to foreign countries, a. bounty was now allowed, which exceeded the amount of duty paid by three shillings per cwt. In 1866 it was proposed to raise the duty upon this article, from twenty seven to thirty shillings per hundred-weight, and it was then objected, that when the price of sugar was so low, it would be hard to impose an increased import duty. It was then agreed that the high duty should attach to the high prices only, and a scale was adopted, by which sugar was made to pay an import duty of twenty-seven, twenty-eight, and twenty-nine shillings, according to the price of the article in the market. Now from that it appeared to him that the drawback was calculated upon the high duty, whereas, in point of fact, the revenue received a duty of twenty-seven shillings, and paid a drawback of thirty. This could be founded on no true principle, and could be favourable to none of the interests of this country. It could not be expected that Foreign Powers, who were always quicksighted enough to see opportunities for heaping all sorts of restrictions on our commerce, should not perceive that this difference of three shillings per cwt. be tween the duty and the drawback, would come into their trea sury. And the fact was that it did so ; for they imposed a higher duty upon sugars imported from this country than upon any others, or than it was reasonable they should pay. He was sure that the House and the country were convinced, that these affairs, could not stand until they were placed upon a sound, intelligible, and plain principle.—(Hear, hear !)—Elc would therefore put this matter on its legs-4 Hear ! )—lt would not be right to make the alteration abruptly, and he therefore proposed that the drawback should continue to July 1828, and then cease. Ile had no objection, at the same time, that the scale of ascending duties should end altogether, and the import be fixed at twenty-aeyen shillings. They should thus get rid of the anomaly of putting an increased duty upon an article of prime necessity in all stations of life, like sugar, when it became dear. Ile flattered himself th a t although this measure might for a time affect particular interests, it could be opposed by no practical or solid objections; especially as he considered it practicable to give those interests an equi , valent, by a reduction of duty upon some other articles of their produce, which must fully relieve them from any well-founded apprehensions. The result of these calculations,_ founded upon the estimates he h a d ven t ure d t o su b m i t t o the House, was, then, that in the year 11124, they should have a surplus of re venue over expenditure amounting to 1,437,7441. ; in 1825 it would amount to 443,5281. ; in 1826, to 884,6761.; and in 1812 7, Ito 1,254,676/. ; the tot a l o f w hi c h wou ld b e 4,000,6241 Having shewn that they should have this surplus, he should do as he did last year. He then took the liberty of asking the House, what they should do with it? He now asked the same ques tion, ,and meet it with the same answer. He thought they could do a great deal of good with it, and that it was their duty to do as much as they could : and he thought he could satisfy the House, that the course he should propose for dealing with this surplus, notwithstanding that it might affect particular - views and stand in the way of particular interests, yet, that looking at all the great interests of the country, upon an en larged and liberal view, he thought it would be found calcu lated to extend a permanent and solid benefit totall parts of the world with which we had the most remote connection. The relief which he proposed for the country by the reduction of taxation would have three objects.—First, the extension of our ..commerce, and the inereasine.. of our facility to corn aume foreign produce. The • second, was that of carrying further the attempts-whi c h had already been made for the ex he was not dispos e d to overlool: the relie f tinction of that m onstrous evil, smugg li ng .—(Cheers)—Thirdli, d er ivable from the removal of dir ec t t axat i on, and of which so much had been said by some Hon. Members. He was prepared to acquiesce in what they assert e d, prov id ed that by suc h an acquiescence he was not driven to t h e abandonment of those two other objects which, in his conscience, he believed were a thousand times, nay, ten thousand times more important to the substantial and IHe• permanent relief of the country. was well aware to what he exposed himself by this declaration. He should be told, as he had been that evening, that if he wanted to forward the popularity of the Government, he ought to proceedin: this • course. But he did not wish to forward the popularity of the Government at the expence of what he believed to be the real and substantial interests of the country ; and he thought the Government would not deserve that popularity, if for its sake alone they abandoned the principles which had already worked so much good, and from which, if followed up, they fully be lieved the country would still derive incalculable benefits.-- First, then, with regard to extending our intercourse with the world, and our own consumption of the products of foreign nations. The House had gone along with him--or perhaps he was taking too much .credit to himself when he said that— ( Hear !)—but the House had seen the good sense of gettin!; rid of the prohibitory system with which our commerce had been shackled. In that work much had been done, but much re mained to do. He hoped that no great length of time would elapse before his Right Honourable Friend (Mr. Hus kisson) would submit a proposition to the House for reduc ing to something like a moderate compass all these prohibitory restrictions, which went to exclude foreign produce without the slightest necessity tor any such exclusion. For although articles of that description might find their way here to a cer tain extent, yet not so as to injure the interests of our great manutactories as they were now established. He should not interfere with the intentions of his Right lion. Friend, further than by adverting to one particular article of peculiar import ance, he meant the duty on foreign iron. He hoped that there were none interested in the production of iron in this country who would think it incompatible with their interests, that sonic alteration should be made in this duty. Look at the state in which the iron trade now was, within a short time the price of iron had risen to a wonderful extent, so much hnleed, as to shew that the demand was beyond the supply produced by this coun try. Ile did not think that this was attributable to any casual request for the article, such as the making of rail-roads. He did not believe that all the iron was to be taken from the bowels of the earth to cover its surface in that way—(A laugh.)—lie believed it to arise from the increase of prosperity all over the world, plainly exhibited in this largely increased demand for articles which entered so essentially into the coinforta and necessities of private familes. He understood that orders•for hardware were continually received by the manufacturers of Birmingham and Sheffield, which they were wholly un able to execute from the Want of the material, which was at too high a price for the parties to pay. These orders then found their way to other countries where the work was in ferior, but where the cheapness of the article enabled them to supersede our manufactures. He was bound to say that' he did not think the proprietors of iron works in this country would be actuated by any narrow views or alarm at the of a few thousands, or that they would have any jealously at the importation of three or four hundred tons of foreign iron. The import duty which was now at 31. he meant to reduce to about 11. 10s. This reduction would cost the Revenue nothing at all. On the contrary, as it was a reduction of a duty al most prohibitory, he believed that it would yield an increase to the Customs. With respect to the reduction of this particular duty he thought they ought to proceedswith caution, and•that it should not be applied at once to all foreign countries indiscri minately. One of his great objects had always been to make it appear to be the interest of foreign nations to adopt our prin. ciplex. But .we must set the example. We had long been in the trammels ourselves, and it must be wondered at if they did not follow our,footxteps so fast as abstract reasoning might lead us to expect. But there were some S tates w h o followed our example, and were ready to give free admission to our produce and manufactures, it we allowed them the same privileges and advantages. There were, indeed, others who chose to keep up the prohibitory system, and rather heaped restric tion upon restriction, than agreed to their removal. Towards those he • confessed he thought we were not bound to yield an advantage without receiving some equivalent. He should, therefore, propose to accompany this measure with some re aerations as to particular countries. Not that he believed this ;indisposition to acquiesce in our principles would be more than temporary. Ile had no doubt they would be followed by all the world, provided we followed them up.—(hear !). But they must prove themselves in earnest, and not do one thing in one year and another in the next.—(Cheers.)—Therefore it was that he would apply the present surplus in the same manner, and consistently with the same policy in which it applied in the last—notwithstanding the prayers of the petitioners, and the opinions which some Honourable Members had stated in that House. Ile should now proceed to state the reductions which he proposed with regard to other foreign articles upon which the duty did not amount to a prohibition , but either pr prevented their consumption altogether, or 'rise first of these wasessed with great weight upon those who consumed them. the Duty on Hemp, which, though not a matter which greatly concerned the whole country, yet was of vast importance to one of its ereatest interests _ -- ie meant its shipping. This duty was exceedingly high, anti it was manifestly . desirable to afford t every protection and a d van t a ge to our shipping, and to ena bl e it to maintain that wonderful superiority, .which, after all, was the real bulwark of our strength. The loss to the re venue lie should calcolate at one half, as he meant to reduce the duty SO per cent. It was now one penny per pound, and he proposed to make 'it one halfpenny ; this reduction would cost the revenue 100,000/. The next item was one of gre at importance as connected with the produce of the West Indies; he meant the article of Coffee, which paid a duty of one shil. ling per pound—at least this was the duty upon West India Coffee. Though he did not mean to say that this was a duty which pressed heavy upon the inferior classes, who were not the majority of its consumers, yet he found it true that the con sumption of this article had not kept pace with that of other ar. ticks of a like nature, Therefore he had a right to assume that the increased duty of 1819 had curtailed its consumption. lie likewise considered it advantageous to give encouragement to the other produce of the West Indies besides sugar. It was well known that the cultivation of C o ff ee required less labour than the cultivation of sugar ; and if they encouraged the consump tion of their coffee, the proprietors might be induced to apply their negroes to that work, in which they would have to en counter far less severe hardships than in their present occupa titra. He therefore proposed a reduction of 50 per cent. upon West India Coffee, and he calculated that the loss of the Re venue would be 150,0001. The next article of this description of which the consumption appeared to him to be materially affected by the amount of duty, was one to which his attention had been often drawn, and which had been often noticed in that House. For the last two Sessions he lied been regularly asked whether any thing was to be done with the duty on wine; he had always said that he was not, at those particular times, in a situation to interfere with the question; but he had said, at the same time, that it was one of great moment, and well deserv ing the attention of Parliamene. He had never argued against the principle, because he could not shut his eyes to the fact, that the consumption had slever increased with the duty, but on the contrary, that since the last advance it had sensibly dimi nished. He would not have it supposed that wine was altoge ther, and merely, an article of luxury. That would be going too t t' i tt e r t for sirable it t a h medical t.oc such pu qualities ri,ose were s i t shouldliighly bvealpulaabcedle, moreand it was within the reach of the poor. To a large class of the people not indeed the lowest, but one entitled to all the considera tion and relief which could he afforded them, this reduction would a great and practical benefit. To the higher classes, it was perhaps not necessary for bins to allude to them, for it was not upon that ground that he made the proposition—but undoubtedly they would experience a relief from it, which lie hoped nobody would grudge them. Yet he desired that no one would believe the reduction to be made on their account. Since the duties had been made so high, the consumption had dimi nished, and with it the consequent power of the foreign nations who supplied us, to consume our produce and our manufac tures. u uris r i e sitoo.o many Nothing, ladnuytyb (c:nu wine.c t i l ee branches e offo r ol e un , r w t aies trademy e o ta r hr e as c n a l l ti c i3l u oc 1 1 c a ,c t d e l d 7 t ot l o, g n i a t o • n e fd a t t il i sB n eo n i n 3 -: whenywgasrelacstesc, thanh efo a t t ind the the escoenntantinmlen.io'Tthoe have been cons the i d i r t a it b y l ave rage yearly consumption of F rench wine, taken upon the, years 1801, 1802, and 1803, was 2' - 44,559 g a ll ons. Th at o f a ll t h e ot h er sorts, the wines of Portugal, Spain, and Germany, amounted to 7,396,165 gallons. And he tbund the consumption of the year 1824, when nearly a quarter of a century notwithstanding all the increase of the population and wealth of the country during that p er i od, he found it a positive fact, that of French wine the consumption was 254,268 gallons, while that of the other foreign wines amounted to no inore than 4,847,976 gallons. How, then, were they to account for this ? Was lie to be told that the rnahners of the country had changed, and that people did not drink so much as formerly ? He did not know whether this might not be the case or not ; hut there was another explanationssvhich was, that wine was so dear, they could not get it.—(A l augh.)--And it appeared to him to be a good plan to make it cheaper, and place it within their reach. The present duty upon French wines was per gallon, or 1441. 7s. tid. per tun ; h t at upon the wines of Portugal, 7s. 7d. per gallon, or 951. llss per tun. The duties in the years to which he had b e f ore alluded, namely,-1801, 1802, and .1803,. were—upon French wines Bs. N. and Bs. 19d._; upon Por tuguese,• 63. sd. an d 6s. 6S. If N. he reduced the duty to that amount, he had a re righ t anticipate a sorrespondinf re storationof the consumption of that period. But he alum d go further.and it Such a reduction would not answer the pnspoSe , -was useless to make the did it eomelete experiment unless they ly. The present duty upon French wines being - 11s. 4Pergal lon, he meant to reduce to six -shillings and that Upon ithe wines of Portugal, the Rhine and Spain he should :redu ce from 7s. 7d. to four e more t an ' one half. The Ho use would find that they e duty would be a -reduction of from one shillin g t o proposed w bottle on French one and three- pence a . . as wine, and nearly, a P ese. going, • I tng upon - ortugu he thus did, to a lowe r dui , t ha nof 1801, and lie thought aythat he made' no extravagantex c calculation th attaken wben he expected the future consump t i on to u pon the average of the years he had mentioned. In Ireland, the difference of the e consumption, slice the sol sal i ceme nt of the duties, was a .tll more striking. And he must confess that he was not sorry to find that the ancient spirit and conviviality of that country had been so abridged. Ile liked that hearty, open, honest hespi -1 tality which was a part of her national character, and wished to see it maintained. Ile did not see (recollecting always that she had no assessed taxes) he did not see why they should not en deavour to raise the consumption of wine in Ireland also ; and he should thtrefore propose not to go so far, but to bring it up to two-thirds of what it was, by reducing a correspondent por . tions of the duty. lie .should not state in detail, but in round numbers, his estimate of the loss which the Revenue would incur by this reduction. Including Scotland (which was also a hospitable country, and deserved the relief) he supposed that the whole deficiencies would amount to 230,000/. The next branch of Revenue which he meant to bring under the con sideration of the House was one of very peculiar importance, as it referred not only to the principle of relief to the consumer of the article, but would most essentially and with peculiar force apply to the extinction ofsmuggling. Smuggling was, he averred, without exception, the greatest evil which the country endured ; it surrounded our coasts, and penetrated alike the splendid palace of the Noble, and the humble cottage of the peasant. It carried temptation every where, and almost every where its seduction was complete. What was the conse quence? Why, they were compelled to impose penalties for the protection of the law. Then, he would say, as the evil was in the law, let them alter the law.--(Cheers.)—l.et them look to the results of this course, as it had been told, when he proposed to reduce the duty on Spirits in those countries, that he Should do incalculable mischief, and make all the people drunk.—(.>. Laugh.)—No such thing. On the-contrary, the people had been restored to order and peace. When the experiment had been thus made with such triumphant success, why should they refuse to es:tend it to this country ? Every feel ing of duty and humanity—every view of interest required it. He would not say that they should do it all at once, because he was unable to turn his attention to evuy thing. When he had been pressed hard, , iie had said—" Don't press a willing horse." —(Cheers.)—They were upon the course, and if time were given him, he'lloped to run the goal in triumph. He was al ,luti ing to the effects produced in Ireland by the duties being taken -off Spirits. Now it was quite obvious, that if the reduction of those duties.in Scotland and Ireland had been attended with such bene fits there, it had been attended by something of a corresponding evil here. Although they had driven smuggling out of Scotland, get, with their, (he was going to make a hasty reflection)—(A laugh)—hut he would say they had exercised considerable sagacity, and transferred their operations in such a way that large quantities of Scotch spirits were smuggled across the border. From these practices the morals of the people were contaminated, and the most serious evils to the community at large engendered. It was impossible, therefore, that they could long abstain from putting an end to an evil so alarm ing. What he proposed was this : —he would say it was ab solutely necessary, and they never could effect their purpose unless they applied to England some system like that which had been introduced in Scotland and Ireland. Every body knew, that as the law now stood in England, though the distiller might make a raw spirit, yet he could not sell it until it had passed through the hands of the rectifier, who mixed it with other compounds, and then sent it forth to the consumer. The first spirit made by the distiller was what was called whiskey, and was not allowed to be sold in this coun try. He could not take upon himself to say whether the peo ple would like whiskey better than gin, or vice versa but he was sure they never could have the duties on their right foot ing until some measures were adopted such as he meant to pro pose. It would not be applied to the extinction of gin, because the rectifier would still have the power of manutacturing his article. But it would enable the distiller to see his without subjecting it to that process. Among its other advantages, this would be a measure of relief to the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, who, amongst his many unfortunate acts of smug gling, had announced to them that he was always in possession of some excellent Scotch whiskey.—He therefore congratulated the Hon. Member upon his approaching exemption from these penalties. But this was not to be accomplished without a reduction of the duty, and it was objected by many that they ought not to render ardent spirits too easy of acquirement. This was quite true ; but they already had them so, through the means of the smuggling from Holland and France. Th us th e y should not only make spirits cheaper, but by shutting out the smuggled article, they would bring a large quantity into the Excise which now did not find its way there. He should not advise that the alteration be effected all at once. What he pro posed was, that the duty on Spirits, which was now 10s. 6d. per gallon, should be hereafter reduced to ss. on that distilled from malt, and 6s. on such as was distilled from raw grain. Ile also proposed to extend the reduction to colonial spirits manufac tured from grain, with this difference, that the reduction should be from 10s. 6d. to Bs. lie made this distinction, because he thought it would not be dealing fairly with the inte rests of the manufacturers in this country if some advantage were not given to them in consideration of the artificial price of grain which the Corn Laws created. One effect would also arise out of this measure to the distiller of rum in the Colonies. He could send his spirit here to be converted into gin by the rectifiers, or he could sell it as whiskey. Without troubling the House with the details, he would assume the loss to the Revenue arising from this change of system and duties to be 750,0001. There was another article, which, although of small amount and of local consumption, had always appeared to him of great importance—the duty on cyder. Hon. Gentle men might think it of no great importance, but when lie told them that die jails of the counties in which this article was pro duced, were continually filled with persons who evaded the law, he was sure the House would not think it inconsistent with its duty to remove the cause of so much evil. Ile meant to reduce this duty 50 per cent. which would cost hut 15,0001. to the re venue, the whole produce of the duty being 30,0001. He heard an Honourable Member say, " reduce it to 10,000." He was not nice upon the matter, and it might stand at that. Ile had fixed it at 1... UM. because the parties themselves asked but for that. From the number of petitions which had been presented vi h7enyoen t acc o rpoies.ot e ttdrott u.l the iuninip:tteest Irlio;:tyr case a l ,arehdn i snreai e o osidlln u tfaot otsift that i e uotrfi , ennst dhhgtchtsoee persons mbeeiwserAphfensaceoloeemral extinguishnuwfiet i benefit di wrapped uoert ipha. t incumbent ghohrpi arnetpepeiniewawekeldvtaatielaussihtrnfoipayotdoartninkai v:ntnleihdne u leelgaiti p vsevhnl ei o twi 011 n aisiwauepwssea l pi which o i riogl i teefnnhnawrejoitt the appealed without i o eeetf . c sw t a m tsiisc m cfhyo t n i tt nity at large. It was impossible to extend the com mercetibelonged them,losnuge conferring; ea d f sp a ti true principles upon which he was acting, he would ask them whether they would suffer their own personal interests to weigh in the scale. If there were such persons, he blushed for them, as belonging to that rank and station of which he was an humble member— " Incipit ilisorum contra to stare perenturn " Nobilitus , claramque facem profeare pudendis. He would say the same to the middling classes of society ; and they must not assume that he was doing nothing for their good, because lie did not adopt exactly the course which they pointed out. These observations would tell with peculiar weight if they applied to Ireland. The evils of Ireland were of long growth, they were deeply seated, and had many roots. Much had been done for her, and much remained to be done. He knew no part of the world to which commercial freedom would be of so much use as to Ireland. She possessed peculiar advantages, and in his opinion was, that part of the British dominions which was most open to the favourable employment of British capital. To this portion of the empire, therefore, it became the Legislature to direct their particular attention. It was in cumbent upon them to grant to Ireland every boon in their power. Upon this point he appealed from the interest of individuals to their justice and sympathy. Was it not more gratifying and just to see Ireland rising in the scale of nations, and taking her seat beside us, than to leave her to take the chance of any subsequent opportunities.—(Hear, hear !)—He contended they ought to begin at that end. The population of Ireland was seven millions ; her revenue only three millions and a half. What could be the cause of this but her unhappy condition ?—(Hear !)—Let them but foster her resources, and draw the streams of capital in the country, and lie would wager his existence that before long three millions and a half would be doubled--(llear !)—They ought to begin with their new system there and {,o on with it steadily, otherwise they did m i sc hi e f. He thought if they agreed to what he proposed, r good would be effected to Ireland. He was not able, however, to.comply with all the wishes of Hon. Members, although he thanked God, there were resources to meet some of them. Ile had been much pressed to do something towards a reduction of the Assessed Taxes, and something he would do although it might reach the wealthier classes. The Hon. Member for Read ing, .(31r. Monck), the Honourable Member for Surrey oppo site-(3lr. Denison), and the Honourable Member for Surrey near him (Mr. H. Sumner), had all pressed him on the sub ject. He should be able to comply with one part of their prayer, viz. to give some relief to the poorer people.— Amongst the many objections to the Assessed Taxes, none was greater than the vexation they created ;— ( Hear !)—and he thought they could not do bett er than remove the pressure from the sore places. He did not kn ow t h at it was worth while to trouble the House with a detail of the small items which formed part of his scheme upon this head. The catalogue of them was long, and no great deal of money involved in the removal of them, and they were so small that perhaps the House would smile at his affecting importance with reard to them. They would at least do great good b y t h e removal, and if the House desired it, he would read them ( Nr.—(Heat, hear !)--The fol. lowing statement would chew the whole of the Reductions he proposed making, including those he had just adverted to :-- DUTIES PROPOSED TO BE REPEALED, ♦ND ESTIMATED ANNITAL LOSS. Hemp—Reduce to 4d. per lb. (half) .. - -rlOO,O OO Coffee--Half the duty of Is. per lb. - - 150,0f 10 %Vine—French, from lls. sid. per gallon to fis. } _ 2 30 , 000 Portugal from 7s. 7d. to 4s. British Spirits—from 103. lid. per gal. to ss. from malt 6s. from grain]. 750,000 - Rum—From 10s. 6d. per gallon to Bs. Cyder—From 30s. per hogshead to 15s. (a) • 15,000 Assessed Taxes - - - _ 270,000 Iron and other Prohibiting Duties (a) - __Nil X.1,513,00* --- Four-wheel carriages drawn by ponies . - - .C 857 Occasional Waiters, &c. - - Coachmakers' li censes - . - - Carriages sold by auct i on or on comm i ss i on - -- 31 , 13494 : Mules carrying ore, &c. - - - - In Persons quitting houses after the commencement of the year - - _ _ - 5,000 Houses left in the care of a person - - 4,00 One additional window allowed where there is a cheese-room or dairy - - - . 1,000 Farmhouses occupied by labourers - - 1,000 Husbandry servant, occasionally employed as groom 2,000 Farmers, letting husbandry horses to hire - 4,000 Taxed carts - - - - - 10,913 Houses and Windows--Whole of the duty on win dows, on houses not having more than 7. Inha bited house duty on houses under 10/. rent . 235,000. £276,984- By these means they would be enabled to give relief to those persons who stood most in need of it. The removal of the house tax, which he proposed, would relieve no fewer than 527,64 persona. The window tax repeal would relieve 635,06 pet sons.—(Hear, hear, hear !)—And he did believe that every one of those petitioners, whose cause the Honourable Member for Surrey had advocated, would feel pleasure in seeing his poor and indigent neighbour relieved from all vexation upon this. head, from pecuniary loss, and perhaps from a gaol in the end. Ile hoped in this respect he had engaged upon his side the best feelings of these petitioners. The taxes which he proposed to repeal for the greater extension of commerce and manu factures, he hoped would give a death-blow to the giant smuggler, and carry relief to those quarters which required*" it. The total loss likely to arise from these reductions between tile present period and 1827, would be about 3,630,0001. The difference betwixt this sum and four millions would be• kept to be applied to the payment of duties upon stock in hand of wine. " With these propositions in his hand he should not fear to go before any assembly of the people of England at any time, and under any circumstances, and appealing to their jus tice, candour, and reason, without a ny overween i ng presum p e tion, declare hat Imbed done the best lie could for their service, arid venture to claim their approbation.—(The Right Hon. Gene tleman then' sat down amidst the loud cheering of the House, which lasted for some time.) Mr. 1101iME SUMNER addressed the House, but was totally inaudible in the gallery, from the tumult occasioned l by Members leaving th e H ouse. Sir H. PARNELL, expressed his perfect satisfaction at what had fallen from the Right Hon. Gentleman respecting the financial situation of Ireland. Mr. MA BERM' hoped that the Committee would not, by admitting the propriety of many of the general principles upon • which the Right Hon. Gentleman had founded his able state ment, be considered as pledging themselves to his details, and particularly where his- practice was at variance with the system which he advocated. He begged also not to be considered as admitting that the Right Hon. Gentleman's disposal' of hiit surplus revenue was the best which could be assigned for it. This reservation must be adloweef to them, else they would be voting resolutions before inquiry and the necessary information to explain their nature. The increase of revenue he had always anticipated as the natural consequence of the introduction of the sound commercial principles which his Majesty's Govern ment had lately acted upon ; they had givers fairer play to the industry of the people, hence followed more comfort, and as st necessary consequence, an augmentation of the. national ree venue. Ile should reserve his further observatiteat until the' resolutions were printed. Mr. SYKES praised the reduction of the 'iron and hennae duties as favourable t o th e s hi pp i ng i nterest, an d t h ere b y be neficial to the prosperity of the country generally. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER requested' Honourable Gentlemen to bear in mind, that the resolutions could not be printed until after the report was brought up,. AU he proposed to urge in the Committee this- night, were the resolutions relating t o wines, coffee, hemp,. and such part or the Assessed Taxes as he had referred to ; this arrangement would facilitate the progress of the necessary Bills respecting these articles. Mr. MAIIERLY would have preferred, if equally Wm' nient, thut the whole of the subject should 'be kept together for future discussion. Mr. BRIGHT complained in the strongest terms of the com parative inattention afforded to the West Indian Interests . , anet the necessity of some further time for consideration, before the Committee decided upon the Right Honourable Gentleman's statement. Parliament had seriously interfered with the value . of West Indian property and interests, without giving the owners anything like a fair equivalent.—(Hear, hear !) BY the proposed reduction of bounties upon sugar, the great re fining trade would be infallibly lost; and by the reduction of the duty upon home-made spirits, rum would be removed at a. still greater distance from the British market. It was last year affected considerably by the introduction of Irish and Scotch whisky, and some hopes were held out that in the present year the West Indian interest would be better considered ; and what was now proposed ? merely to reduce the rum duty 2s. s gallon, while, at the same time, the reduction in home spirits was to be five shillings a gallon. When they wanted to re press the smuggling trade, why i:ot begin upon tea and tobacco,. the two great articles of notoriously contraband consumption ? If they reduced the tax upon tobacco one half, the revenue would not be diminished, but smuggling would, two-thirds of its present extent. It was said that in the coffee reduction 150,0001. was conceded to the colonial interests. Ile admitt-.4 the importance of this reduction to the negro population, but denied its being a proper equivalent for the injuries which .had been generally inflicted on the \Vest India trade. I Mr. WM. SMITH said, that he meant merely to put in his claim for a futu re hearing on this subject, as the House was.na at that moment properly prepared for the discussion. - - - Colonel DAVIS said, that the House would, to-rnorrovi week, have an opportunity of considering the tobacco and other duties, in the consideration of a motion of which he had given notice. He was not yet without hopes that the Chan cellor of the Exchequer would carry his admirable principles farther into practical operation, and still farther diminish, tte public taxation. Mr. HOBHOUSE said that he merely rose to touch upon one or two points. In the first place, he thought it would have been better to have equalized the wine duties, than make them in the proportion as 6 to 4 : and in the second, he was quite sure the country would not be satisfied with his inadequate reduction of the Assessed Taxes ; the effect of that upon win dows now proposed would be to induce people to deform their small houses to bring the number within the right Hon. Gen tleman's plan ; and by restricting the circulation of air, to impair the health of their families. The sinking fund on the present plan was, he thought, quite rediculous. , Mr. JOHN S3IITH thought the sinking fund essential to the maintenance of the national faith and honour. He thought the West India interests had been exceedingly oppressed, and that a reduction of the duties upon sugar would have ,a very beneficial operation. Mr. HART DAVIS complained strongly that the tobacco• duties were not reduced ; they now amounted to 1,200 per cent. upon the original value of the article ; lie had expected a re duction of one half at least of these duties. Notwithstanding die very great export troni America, and extensive consumption in Ireland, the revenue in this article was not improved. Mr. Alderman TIIOIIPSON concurred in the disappoint ment expressed at not finding tobacco and brandy duties still further reduced, for the better prevention of smuggling. He was glad at the reduction of duties on hemp and iron : though he did not anticipate so great a re d uct i on i n t h e d uty of thy' latter, yet he, who was largely interested in that trade, was not afraid of the foreign competition.—(Hear, hear !)--He was ready advocate of liberal commercial principles.--( Hear !) Mr. HUME could not but feel some surprise at the increase of the expence fbr the army, navy, and ordnance estimates. _The country had been always told that they were in a con stant state of progression towards a peace establishment, and now those three estimates were higher than they were during the two preceding years. The reductions on some articles were very desirable, but it was surprising that tobacco and brandy had not been noticed. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had begun to return to sounder principles of policy, and the House ought not to allow him to stop short before all the pos sible good had been effected. Smuggling would never be put down unless the d ut i es on to b acco and 'brandy were reduced -The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that some articles on which the duties were repealed last year had increased 12, 13, and 20 per cent. in consumption, but on malt and tobaccd the increase was only three per cent. The reason was that the duty on them exceeded what the articles would fairly bear If they were lessened 40 or 50 per cent. the increase in the revenue arising from them would be greatly augmented. Let the experiment be tried, and the advantage would be §OOll