The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-02-07 00:00:00

MR. DISRAELI AT AYLESBURY.

On Saturday, acconning to passions snnouncement, Mr.
Dimwit dined it the Farmers Ordinary at tit, Oeuree "
Motel. The right to,. g relemsn, who was aro is 'ante by
his seoretaly, tor. MoideuAli eery, was reretyi d by hit n.
porters, Said turoeged the Metier:place, with Me greatest
enthutissm there wsa an eager demand for Duets a
relmtaebui, but old, a limited number could sear,- plies. at
the tables, whit, tiled three r uima It was thsr .ioi• found
accts.,' to e, j-mrn iomo-cle el 7 • t !Mb, et tr, the ie ro-
Wiens% where heteien 2 COO kul 3,1110 were aceeneum
date i with staneAug ram; the satire., at each el d wire
ailed with ladles. Here me Dersell reedy. d • most cordier
veering. Me cheering h- Inc veer,. d swain sit again
Pratt pre al led. Mr Disraeli comma need his speech
y Hoeg the 0 ,see' m. nt on the oteersity of yew ren
they had riven Ve the .he oletlon, an'. reliuttee tee charm,
rawee A:1111.4t r,1:11 hy tee i'eent •rot havina cornhin ed with the
Irish Catholics to turn out the Government, and than retwe
eo wire aloe. Proceeding with his speech, Dr. Disraeli
sold
"j will recur to the cause of my appearing before y
to-day. Parliament is dirreolved, and the Prime Minister
hes widowed eh,. people of this country ins docnmeut
With which I doubt nut every one present is fameliar.
Miss very peculiar document, (A laugh.) It is a docu-
ment which avowedly offers to the people of this
country the moet extraordinary inducements to sup-
port a Minister that ever were unbluehisgly offered.
(Cheers.) There was a charge made soiled the late
Emperor of the French that before the Coup d'Etest he
bribed the army of France; but the English Miebeer
attempts to bribe the people of England after the Coop
trEtet. (Laughter and carers.) Gentlemen, we lithr
muck of the Ponem et Sestertinm—;he donative-a that
were given by the Emperors of Rome to the Pi astorian
Guards to buy the en vire uf the world, but I cannot Kay
that I think them a much grower case than the cage
we are now considering of the Prime Minister of Eton
land in bis electioneering address. (Cheer. and
laughter.) Indeed, so unblushingly are we now taught
as tI the means by which he thinks the Nektons of the
con-titueuces are to be influenced, that I observe the
Prime Minister abeolutely has made an electi neering
speech to his constituents, in which he has cold them
that if they return him to Parliameht he would intro-
duce some measure into the Here OF COMIIIOII4 that
would relieve them of a math ularly grevious toll of
which they comp'ain. (A laugh.) This is extra-
ordinary and Unuctiel conduct on the part of the
Chief :Minister of the Crown. (Centre) I read of
somi thing the whey day th was similar to it.
A person entered • jeweller's Mop and seared to look
at a costly trihket that was netore him ; and when the
respectable tradeemeen—one of the victims. I suppose,
of the cceopei a' Iv raise city (cheers and laughter)
—banded him the trinket. the customer threw a
quarter of an isince of enuff into his eye. (a laugh);
mud when the unfortunate trademian bad recovere I has
eight and his genets he fouad his cuotomer had cheap-
peered and the triblo t (cheers and laughter)
And so it it that Sir. Gladstone throws gold cum into
the eye, of the people of Eogimid, arid befoi e they
clearly ascertain what it is like or worth they find he
has disappeared wi:h a costly jewel as the price of his
dexterous management. (cheers.) Now, gentlemen, I
come to the consider:Amu of his great proposition, this
gteat remission of taxation of which tine principal
feature is the reheat ot the Ix come Tax. I will make
one remark first upon the pecular views which Mr.
Gladstone entertains upon the subject of the Income
Tax, because I have not observed that they have ,
ever yet been noticed, and they appear to me wormy
of the coneideration of the English ; epic. Mr.
Gladstone says in his address that the Income Tax I
is unquestionably a temporary tax; and then he
tells us that in dealing with the Income Tax
we must take care if we repeal it, that we
do not alter the due proportion that should 'Mutat in I
our permanent tinaniial svetem between direct and in- I
direct taxation. Well, but if the Income Tax is es-
sentially a temporary tax it Call have nothing to do
with the due proportion that' eubeiets between
direct and indirect taxation in our permanent
financia system. (Cheers.) How does the Income
Tax work recanting t the scheme of Mr. G a letone?
He rays the Income Tax ie essentially a temparary tax,
and ougut to be ltmited, with rare exceptions, to war
purposes. But there are exceptions, and one of the
exceptions is this—equal in importanice to a state of
war—l do not cinemas/1 the propriety of his op nion, to
which I shall refer hereaftei—uamely, where you have '
resource to the tamp. eery tax to relieve the cmPurver
from the burden of high duties which he is paying on
articles of coneumptiore, you put on the temporary
tax in order to reduce the burdensome amount of
luairect taxation on asticles of c insumption. Good;
and you keep on this temporary tax until the re-
venue, by the reduction of duties, and a conse-
quent increase of omeumptiou, has rallied and re-
covered its original state. Then logically you would have
to take rif the Income temporary Tax. (Cheerer.)
Mr. Gladet elle is prepared to take off the int:rums tern.
porary Tax : but he says it is manifest if you take, if
this temporwy direct tax you must take off an equal
amount of indirect taxee. He forgets that the equal
amount of indirect taxes has already been oaken off by
the Ter:amnion of high duties on articles of consumption,
to effect which this temporary direct tax was imposed.
(Cheers.) So that if a temporary direct tax is imposed
you are to take off a certain am. wit of indirect tax-
ation, bed then you are not to relieve the country from
the temporary direct tax without also reducing an
equal amount a f indirect taxation. Where is the logic
of that? (Cheers.) In my mind it is essentially
illogi-
cal and inconsieent (Cheers.) But the caw in much
more aggravated in the t resent etate of affairs when we
are now told that from the measures of relief which
are now contemplated there will Lecessarhy be a
very large deficiency. According to the trinitnate of
Baron Rothschild—a name well known in this port of
the world, and a very great authority through net Euripe
--there will be a deticneucy of not less that, four
and tohalf millions, and that is to los levied from the
people of this country in tbe form of direct taxation.
(Hear.) So that, accordion to the scheme of ihe right
hon. gentleman, the Income Tax was first imposed to
relieve the country from a certain amouat of indirect
taxation' is hot to be taken off unless at the earns
time another equal am, punt of indirect taxation is taken
off, and that in order to supply the Mevitable de ticiency
for the Income Tex is to he subetituted an equal
amount of direct taxation ; sod that is called respect-
ing the due preportion that ought to exist in our
financial :vedette bet men direct and indirect taxari. n.
(Cheers) Now, heeling made these general remarks
on the principles which Mr. Gladstone advocates upon
direct and indirect tawation,twhich seem to me men.
sistent, illogical, soil ti juet, let us practically examine
the precise scheme which he law brought forward. He
has, he says, an estimated aurplee of £5,000,000. I wdl
not stop to remark that a considerable time has yet to
elapee before the financial year terminates. aod it is
a very novel, I would venture to obnerve a very
dangerous, irjete,ri for a Mil Mier to set upon an im-
aginary sureelue ander any circurostanees. With this
surplus of £5 000 COO Mr. Giadetorm c intern' hetes re-
mining the Income Tax which amounts to £5 000,000,
relieving the ratepeyers of the I onntry from the un-
just portion of looted terstion, which would amount to
some millions, and also relieving the onnarrm-r by the
remission of an equal amount of indirect Lex silos upon
articles of general comma, ption. loi serve to-day that
one of tie highest authorities in the country, and one
of the atenchest supporters of Mr. G adetone, ent mates
that the amount of these remisehos cmlrl not be less
than f.'9 009,000, and probably should be placed at
10,000,000. (Hear, hear ) That is the estimate of a CM).
didate now soli. inir g 'he suffrage. of the City of L, aid in
as a supporter of Mr. G eastoce (hear, hear); auit under
these circunistaines, considering the great financial
character aad re; motion of the individual. I third'
I may take that egtimate as correct. Well, we
have to deal, acnording to Theron Rothschild,
with a deficit-toy of VI 500.000. How is that de-
ficiency to be made up? Mr. G adetone tells you him.
self that his surplus will not be adequate to his plan,
and that he intends to meet the deficiency by • read-
justment of taxation, which, as I ventured to say to
you in my address a week ago, meane the impoeithei
of new taxee. (Ceeers.) Now, what are those taxes to
be? It so harepene that POMO years ago in the 11, mars
of Commons Mr. GlaSstone was preened very hard to
repeal toe Income and Propery Tax, and he then
eaid in one of his speeches that if he remitted the In
come and Property TAX he conld only supply its plane
by three processes. First of all, by increase'', g taxation
on real property, meaning thereby, no d uhe, greatly
Increasing the House Tax; secondly, by twab
as he declared, au univeniel system of trades thermal',
of the canvenience of which every gentlemen here can
judge (hear, hear) ; arid thirdly, by alterng the Soc.
cession Dutiee, the scheme which practically the late
Chancellor of the Exchequer commenced when 1,
attacked the inheritance of the orphan and n
tie
widow. (Cheers.) lint, said Mr Gladstone, lam
opposed to repealing the In ome Tax, because as its
place could only be supplied by this preemie, am
wire it will prove much more grin tout, unpopular, an ,
inconvenient than the Income TAX as It ik. W exists.
(Cheers.) WWI, then, gentlemenlyou have to ~..•
eider that. I remember there was a wine-merchant
who sent to mg late and much-loved friend lord
Derby some Merry. rend he told him if ee d.ank
it be would never have the gout again. (A. herb.)
Lord Derby, having tasted the sherry sent it back,
saying II prefer the gout.' (Cheers 'mks, laugh.) Now,
gentlemen, I cannot help fancying that this grand
financial scheme is worked out, aua eheo the country
really understands what is meant, they will prefer the
gout. (Much laughter and cheers.) And why is this
financial scheme not Ltelligiele to all of us? Why is
it bronght forward in a manners, andUguoue, vague,
and deeultory ? It is the duty of a Minister to intro-
duce his messuree into Parliament— to eubmit them to
p., liancehtary criticism, to that by discussion anaung
your re presen tat Ives—by tharemarks they may make and
the alnendm- Ws they may offer—an perfect a measure
as the wisdom of Parliament oen devise may ultimately
be obtained ; and A the Minister then carries hre
measures he has obtained his result. If, when it has
been seem teat to the criviciam of Parliament, sad
the count, y is thoroughly acquaiated with it, when all
amendments have been made—for every metwoene, how.
e VW' mature-1 by a Munster, is numeptible A improve.
merit by Pariaament—rf we had out exactly the points
where it does not me et the public necessity and supply
that which is neraiml, the House of Commons pro-
nounces an opinion upon it; it is amended ; solo the
Minister may Garry the measure. If he do, not carry
the measure he may rightly appeal to the peo be ; fir
then the people clearly know what the is ii', is, the
immure hating been submitted to the criticism of lb. ir
representatives, and it comes before the country in as
distinct, deenite, and finished a shape as probably
legislation IP capable of, lin'. this is quite a new system
of carrying on the affairs of the couutry—makiog the
public your Criancellor of the Exchequer, throwing out
an appeal 're the thuntry to ask the ir support for vague
finance (cheers) sod their declaration of opinion not on
roewur ea but on suggestions which even the iralividual
who brings them forward tells you wi:h peril ,IIA frank-
ness that he door not recmornend them as a Minister so
much as an ihdividual. (Cheers.) It is very remark.
able that Mr. Giadoooe says that the issue before the
country M the pr.-bent diemlutton is a mere finencial
jean-. The ieme before the muretey, tee Fettle which
pognement has been dissolved, be ways, is this—to
settle what the Minietso Mould Co wito a cur ins
which is hot yet even resl'z el. I deny that, the aaa,
hot„re the countey at this dissolution is a fietee,,iet
irons, or that the country ere thinkhag of anything of
the kind. The issue before the oountry is the cenduce
of tiro Gov, remeut—(che ens)—the o 'millet of the
G evemment daring the last five years. (Cheers.) That
I. the Issue upon which the election% will be taken.
(Cheers.) Well, gentlemen what has been the dinduct
of the Government during the last bye yoare? I confine
myself Nth now to theft &medic adminuteation. I ay

the policy of the Government In the list five years
--
1m b.,n to TT alto everyoxly nucomfortalea. ((Ibsen.
and some cries of • No, um') Well. gehdetneo.
iike e fair expression of hpinion, and I d,n't 0 lea to
few Noe.' in inch on rreeetribly as tlii- (Amer.) ;
ht toy frier& who thy 'N say it too late. Toe)
might have raid 'tor' a fortnight ago, but unfortu-
nately tle late Chancell r if the Excheqn, be.. feinted
en eddr es to Elic oomratnente, ic at Silver to my addreee
to the ti-ctore of the cow,' y o`. Bucklngham; bud
whet dote be ray? He doee not SiV 'No' Mr. Lowe
sale 'lt is p deal), tin.; our Goternment was a
Government that turd to rusk° everybody uncomfort
Mole! t'heere andel/Ugh ) lie ectflit Witt litri,b-iny
Government.' (awes.) (laming tie expression Ii ur
me. hr go,yg, '1 am proud of On imputation. The
Govern e t ought ter be a harassing Government, slid
If we domino., to he a Gi've, omen., we will Continno
to harem the people of Ehgland.' (Laid laughter and
cheer,.) The document is in the hands of every one in
the room, and you will see I am not mikTioting the
right hon. gentleman. That ic the language turd the
phil tophy of Mn. Lowe." (Laughter mid cheers.)
Mr. Morseil with some wsrmih, retteretrit his condemna-
tion of the forrhin polio) ci he Giortri.ment. He asserted
that to the same recitation and ambiguity of purprae to
country ow-it the Crimean war cud :he war with A bpsltita.
Returning to the tresttal of the atreot, of Malacca, he re-
t,rted on Mr 0' east one lor having mistepresented the action
of the I.W Government. Th fact we. that Lord D rhy had
•ecldedly upheld the Independence of 400 u en at parr of our
f Amigo policy Sp,aiting of the Income-tax ar • War tax,
the hou gentleman continued :
. .

"1 will state at mice my own opiLi in with regard to
the Inc Aue.tax. The lecome Mix is essentially a war
tax, and as a war tax it would, generally speaking,
he desirable that it ehotrd be maintained; but
I acknowledge—and acknowledge freely—that there
are occasions of equal importance and intereet
to the country as the InftinGenSlloo of our
arms in which we ought to hive recourse to the
lucome-tax —namely, when a very great reduction to
the advantage of the consumer could be made in many
articlerrof winaiderable Use. Thet war the ground on
whit. Sir Robert Peel proposed the lecome•tax, I
eopported Sir Robert Peel in teat oropmel. (Cheerio)
I Rieke In favor of his policy. The Incomater was
promised for three ye-ire; and yb nit crewel and he
asked for irs ref:reseal 'fini the same purpose, who up-
peed him? Not Mr, Gladstone for he was sitting at
his right hand, but the whole of the Liberal party.
(Hear, hear.) The whole Liberal party, both on the lint
and at Coini occasion, opposed the Incematem on the
ground thet uniler no Circumstances, except iu the ease ol
war, elmuld it be imposed. Let me nay one word as to
the imperiance of its Income tax as a mere war tax.
See what iLflue ems and weight it gives to the Oonntild
Ec gland in Europe, and not only in Europe, but in
America, if the Income-tax is reeerved merely as a war
tat. Not one of the great l'Oeers of Europe ever siren*
into • war without immediately raisin. *loan of at Meet
I £20,(01,000. It they , o jot i a secoud campaign, th•re
II a nosed loan of £20,000,000 ; and very few at that
rate will ever he fouled goiug iuto is third canmeisn.
(N ear, hear.) But look at the position of the Sover•ign
of Eugland. If she ie threatened with war, or uufortu-
nately obliged torrid-ask in it, she ran touell a rprit.g arid
a singe tax Metall...a her imnual revenue by £20,000,000.
(Curare) £20,100,000 can be raised by tee Imoure-
tax I will not say reithuut pain—but as • Seim del
operation, with facility in tnis country. (Ormere.) Wry,
It doubles the p mer of our armies mule( our fleets, awl
you mey depend upon it that whenever there is any mi.
lice, qui-odors in Europe in which the fortunes or fame
of Euglarn are conmerced, the conscrommes thet Erre-
land if she does embark in a quarrel C*ll wairteie that
gemmed hiss immense iritloeme• in its decadon. (Crreers.)
Therefore, my opinion, generally epating, us that the
Income-ter should be kept as a wen tax—though I
have supported it when necessary for such a great
object as the reformation of the tariff, and would
oupoort it again. But, though I think it is a war tax,
andahould Lot exist except when we are in a position
of war, we find the tax now in operation, and I
cert duly do not (lonelier I am relieving the country
of a burden by abolishing it anti subrailuting for
it teats much heavier arid more vexatious. (Cheers.)
Let the Lennie-tax die naturally. You have a
surplus. You need nut devote the whole of that
surplus to the remission of the Income-tax. A
part of it you may apply to other parts of public
policy, but every our feels that in a very short time
the Income-tax nucler theta) circumstances would dis-
appear. It is Low at the very leweet tiyure it has ever
reached. I left it at 4f. The present Goverument
are always boasting how much they have reduced it.
They certeinty greatly reduced it—why? Become
they had necessarily Mica-wed it (Cheers.) It he now
at 31. Every one feel,. it Is not the amount of the iax,
hut it is havieg a toireireing Chancellor of the Ex
elequer—(eneers)—wilo !orate of oppressing hie cum
stituente ; and that he will always eupport a harassing
policy —(a lauel,)—tiest ia the cense why the Licoine-
i tax, at toe low-se form it has ever reached, has become
unpopular." (Cheery.)
I,i closing his sp. ech, Mr. Disraeli, referring to the
agricultural quiet On. of the my, said:—
" There are one or Iwo tocics on which I will touch
most brii fly, Gamier I an almost shamed to detain
y on, especially as tiii, is not the only occasion I obeli
have of addressing my coustituents. (Cheerio.) There
are two topics which interest you, and those are local
taxation and the relations between landlord wad tenant.
I need not dwell at any length on the eul ject of
local taxation. This is the town in which the move-
ment against local taxation commenced. It was when
I was Set elected member fir the county of Bucking-
Iran teat 1 wee asked to bring the subject of local
and pecnbar binders on land before the House
of Commons ;and I did that more years ego than I care
to remember. (liter, hear.) No &Wirt it is equally
fresh in your recollection, and the subject is so permed,
understood be those whom I cria addreesing, it has
been so Lurch discivreed in Parliament, I; has been so
much investigated by Ministers, and so admaraoly
thrashed out by your excellent Chamber of Agri u •
tire, that I know y, u are perfect masters of the facts.
there'ore say no him; beyond this—thet it is impos-
sible whoever is Modeler but that this subject must
immediately toe dealt with. (Cheers).
"With regard to the other question, it is one which
alwaye deep y interested me. I have always felt that
eithitg wee more imporraut than to secure the bide-
pendence of the British farmer, to-cans- I felt thy more
independent he e sie the more justice he would do to
the lard, and the betier it would he for the landlord.
My own opin on in this, suliject is this—that much
more might be done between Isodlorts and terienre
than has b-rn done with, ut having resource to legiels-
thou. (Cheers.) But the general o inion is ti at the
Legislature must be, appli el to, and therefore I will
roily tell you what prof ah y many of eon may
already know, that last year when Mr. Read gave
n. tice of hie Bel I consulted with my friends
In the Home of Commons on the subject, and
I believe there was a not to say uharrimous' but •
very general opiniou, certainly it was my own. to sup-
port the prineiple of tie, mars/sure, reeerving of course
to ourselves to make such improvements in it as we
uonld—that is the privilege of independent members of
Parienent. lly uproion his always hem, speaking
from my knowledge of the affairs of a particular estate,
that if the t•nente generally held tinder agreements
which seemed them a long 11101.1.. e to quit-1 would say
two y, netioe to ignit—you would lay the f ouni ration
for a complete understanding between the two im
portaot cla-see connected with the lend and the basin
on which their interests elio gild be settled, so that very
little legislation beyond that is requteite. Some may
'ay there night to be security for preeminent itricrove.
meats. Ni doubt that is ro hr coneidered, but that
question is not abet it was fifty years ago. 'rhe
laud of England is Immensely improved se re garde
its permanent features. The late Doke of
Northumberland built on his Northumbrien estates
2 000 co taers, all admirable of their knit, and that is
only one potion of the improvements he trraile in
his Northurnbrien master. For a Lung series( of years
he expended every berthing if the rental on those
eesu•sig living only run his Feelers' ire pronely. (Cheers.)
I know there are many large proprietors who have hie.
copying his example in- year& it would in invidious
to mention the nalnbri of living landed sccprieters who
are doing so; but every out must know what vast in-
Provernents have men male in all the features of an
estate of a permanent character. But the measure I
have indicated is one that in my mind would entirely
secure the rights and study the irelependence of the
tenant and at the same time serene! not materially
change thorn intimate relations which eubiint between
the promietor and cc npier of the ail, and which are.
I think, most va uehle to the maintenance of order and
liberty in this country. (Cheers.)
"There is another elms connected with land, o
which I will make only one remark, awl that in the
agricultural labourer. (Hear, bran) The improve-
menu in the candrtion if the agricuirural labourers—
though I may offend some, I do not eur-pme many,
in this nom by saying so—has in my mit a been very
considerable and of late even rapid, (Hear, hear.)
I do not think while these social imprevenrente
are being made we are to rush readily kite,
the acceptance of prr Sects for attempting to sup-
ply their encial wants by merely givieg thi-m
political privileges. That is a very large quer.
tion and one that has some day to be
onel't with ; bat it must be dealt with not by 'lrma
goggles, belt by statesmen. (Cheers. It affects alto-
gether Our representative system, arid I decline, for
the sake of receiving any cleptrap support, to pledge
my self to any erode propeeitiune brought forward by
persona nut uhimately reep)teihle for the good order
and goverament of the country, cud who [Shrink from
investigating and mastering the whole subject.
(Cheers. I fear I have abneed your netience. (Cheers
and crier( of 'Go on," Go rm.') Tepee are other
gentlemon who have claims on your indalg-nee. I come
here today as acandinste for your euff meek (Ceeere.)
It is the tenth time I have asked for them, and therefore.
I hope I shall not ask Inc them in vain. (Cheers.) If
yen send one to Parliament I shall pureue the crime,
which I have now as your representative pursued for
nearly 30 years. (Cneers.) I will uchold the inetitm
tious of thi tonntry (cheers), and will endeavour to
,IllprOVe then in every respect. I will rake every step
I can to una Id shoot institutions and the rights of the
people, a o to maintain the honour of the county of
Buckingham." (Loud cheers.)
-