The Press.
London, England, 1857-01-17 00:00:00

M That the present income•tax laws are mischievously con-
stituted, and so fallacious in principle, that injustice and
oppression must be the necessary result ; and that it• direct
taxation is necessary, it may more readily be levied, with a
nearer approach to absolute justice, by means of a small
property tax.

A resolution adopting a petition to Parliament for
a total repeal of the income-tax laws was then passed,
and Sir John I'akington, at the request of the
meeting, consented to present it to the House of
Commons.

A crowded meeting was held at the LONDON
TAVERN on Wednesday to consider the oppressive
character of the income tax, and the beast means of
repealing the same off all incomes of 150/. per
annum. The chair was taken by J. W. STRATTON,
Esq., President of the Society for Promoting the
Interests of the Trading Community, who opened
the proceedings by briefly dwelling upon the
despotic and inquisitorial character of the income
tax, and complaining that under the present system,
while men ware called upon to make a return of
their incomes, if the commissioners thought fit to
doubt the accuracy of those returns they could call
upon the taxpayers to produce their books, and ex-
pose those secrets which every one was desirous to
conceal. The society which had convened the meet-
ing was composed of tradesmen who felt the oppres-
sive burden of the tax, and, notwithstanding many
unjust taunts and hindrances with which they bad
been met, the society had held many meetings both
in London and in the provinces, at all of which the
utmost enthusiasm prevailed.
Mr. UNDERWOOD moved the first resolution :

That this meeting has heard with alarm and regret that
a large number of warrants of distress and other legal
proceedings have been issued for non•payment of income
tax against persons not liable, and who are wholly unable
to pay ; and this meeting cannot too strongly condemn the
practice of alienating the affections of her Majesty's sub-
jects by the infliction of a tax which, on the one hand,
erects a barrier against education, fetters trade and
industry, and deprives thousands of the comforts and
necessaries of life ; and, on the other hand, opens a door
for immorality, fraud, and evasion, especially in its bearing
upon incomes from 1001. to 1501. per annum.

The speaker condemned the tax as an impediment
to the progress of education. It was a libel to sup-
pose that mechanics or middle-class tradesmen were
not anxious to provide a good education for their
ohildren, but the tax which MI upon those who had
only 1001. a year swallowed up the only fund by
which that education could be procured.

Mr. GANNON seconded the resolution, contending
that the peculiar class who possessed incomes under
1501. was that which required immediate relief. It
was the clerk, the small tradesman, the curate, who
had only 21. or 3/. per week, whose means were
crippled and whose comforts were restricted by the
operation of the present system of taxation. He did
not object to an equitable adjustment if possible, but
he did think it would be absurd to go to the Govern-
ment and ask them to take "id. in the pound when,
in fact, they were pledged to take only 3d. The
nation had willingly assented to the burden so long
as it was necessary to combat the encroachments of
despotism, under the belief that as soon as the war
was concluded the tax would cease, but had that
been the case? He recommended the meeting and
all electors to make the question a test for all candi-
dates for their suffrages, and he had 11J doubt but
justice would be done.

_
Mr. SMITH moved an amendment, recommending
a readjustment of the tax, but it did not obtain a
seconder.

The original resolution was then put and carried
unanimously.
Mr. KNIGHT moved the second resolution, which
VMS as follows :

That this meeting is decidedly of opinion that, in order
to protect persons against a continuance of the present
cruel, unjust, and inquisitorial system of deciding cases of
appeal, all who feel grieved by any such decision would do
well to make a solemn declaration of the filets of the case
before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, or some justice of
the peace, and forward the same to the Board of Inland
Revenue ; and in case no means are taken to ascertain
the truth of such declaration, then to forward a copy of the
same to the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
soliciting the immediate attention of that right hon.
gentleman thereto.

Mr. Wis.'.En seconded the resolution. As a
working-man, he had felt the oppression of the
income tax. He was assessed at 1001. a year, out of
which he had a blind wife, his wife's sister, three
children, and an aged parent to support. His wages
as an engineer were 38s. a week, with occasional
overtime. Upon appealing to the commissioners he
was treated almost like a dog, told he must pay. and
because he did not a broker was sent in. Being
determined to go to prison rather than pay, he had
removed his goods. The money was paid by his
wife's relatives; but the effect upon his wife had
been such that for three months she was on a sick-
bed. The next year again he did not pay, and that
time he was taken to Horsemonger-lane Prison,
where he zemained for ten days, until he was re-