The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-04 00:00:00

TEMPERANCE DEMONSTRATION AT
EXETER HALL.

Last night, a grand temperance demonstration—one of a
series intended to he held during the present year—took
place at Exeter Hall. The building was filled in every
part.
J. S. BUCKINGILVW, Esq., took the chair, and re-
marked that they were met to declare their adherence to
the temperance principles, and to obtain converts to their
opinions. The present year was one which promised to be
mow remarkable one in our history on subjects relating to
the art,. and industry, not only of ourselves, but of foreign
nations. Much had her•n mid lately of the papal aggression.
Some who had gone over to the church of Rome had been
called pervert% and by others converts; but thine who had
acted so had joined a body of Christians, while many every
year became drunkard., and were utterly lost both as citi-
zen. and Chriwian.. The min expended in intoxicating
liquors, a. Mr. Porter had demonstrated, amounted to up-
wards of seven million. a year—a NUM which was utterly
wasted. However gnat the difficulties and the amount of
evil with which th, v hail to contend, they had the consolti-
' Lion of knowing tkit the evil wa. much lc.. than wh, a they
began their movement. A grand eon:el.:nee was about to
be held at Leicener to organise u mind temperance con-
ference of all nations at the time of the forthcoming Exhi-
bition. (Cheers.)
Addreows upon various topic. connected with the tem-
perance movement were afterwards iielivereil by the Rev.
Messrs. Spencer, Forster, Newman hale, and O.M. M'Cree.
and the meeting, which was composed principally of mem-
' ben of the working classes, broke up at a late hour.

TIIE LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THE INCOME TAX.
The first annual general meeting of the members of this
body was held yesterday at 1 o'clock, at the Cotton Sale-
rooms, Exchange Buildings. The chair was occupied by
T. B. Mat,EALL, Esq., ',resident, and the meeting was
attended by n numerous and influential holy of members.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the meet-
ing, gave an epitome of the history of the chamber, show-
ing the great good which had been accomplished through
its instrumentality to the commercial interests of this im-
portant town. lie also alluded to what hod been said
against the chamber by those persons who were doubtful
whether gentlemen holding different political and comnwr-
cial views could meet together and carry out the object
they had in view. In answer to this he pointed out
the falliwy of such doubts, by the important po-
sition the chamber now held. In the report which
would be read to them, he said the subject of the
income tax was alluded to, and would be brought before
the meeting. For his part, he thought that it was a ?miser
subject to he brought before them, as connected with the
great commercial interests of this country. The tax, as
they w•cre all aware, was only a temporary one, and ex-
pired in April m St, and it was for them to say whether it
should he continued or not. He himself considered that
the tax was most inquisitorial and unjust. The chairman
then referred to the duties on coffee, tea, paper, soap, &e.,
and showed the desirableness of a reduction ut least, if not
a repeal of the duties on such articles, and considered that
the council would do well to torn their attention to the
subject. He also thought that the attention of the
chandler should he directed to a matter now of con-
siderable importance to the commercial world, namely, the
increased cultivation of cotton. Ile then called upon
the Secretary, to re el the report. This document, which
was of considerable le oath, treats of many subjects of local
interest, but others which, more or less, affect Liverpool in
common with every mercantile borough in the island.
Among the latter are the Mercuntile Marine Act, the
Danish blockade, the New Stump Act, 'the County Courts
Extension Bill, the cultivation of cotton in India, and the
income tax. The committee invite the chamber to consider
the propriety of petitioning the legislature for the exemp-
tion of all incomes derived from precarious sources., in ease
of the renewal of the expiring tax.
Mr. HUGH IIOIINBY moved the adoption of the re-
port, and congratulated the meeting on the suceessful re-
sults of the chamlwr. They had far exceeded his expecta-
tions.

Mr. FRANCIS SHAND seconded the motion, which
wag carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN then said, that the next bwiness of
the m. (sting would be the election of eleven director+ to fill
the vacancy of the retiring ones. The rosult would not lie
known until fhe following dly. lie then afterwards intro-
duced the resolution sedating to the Income-tax mentioned
in the reptirt, and.whieh went fur au entire repeal of the
tax on income arising out of trade, &c.
. _

,
A long discussion thin took place upon the merits of this
mode of taxation in opposition to indtrert taxation, which
resulted in the ftillowing amendment being proposed by Mr.
Cf.xyromi, and seeonded by Mr. C. ll.n.xxxn :—" That
this chamber being of opinion that it is inequitable to tax
incomes derived from pt., carious sources M the same proimirs
tion as those arising from realised eupicd, do petition par-
liament for a modification of the income tax levied on
trades, professions, and occupations of a like fluctuating
and uncertain nature, us well as with a view to obviate its
present inquisitorial eharacter."
The CHAIRMAN amid us the motion emanating from
the conned had neither been propoied nor seconded, the
amendment would become a substantive motion. It was
then put to the meetitcr and carried by a large majority.
After a vote of thanks to the council and chairman, the
meeting separated.

WFATMIN. Arroult Soctgre.—T,a.t evening, at 7
•

o'clock, a meeting of this society was held at the *Exeter
hall Hotel, for the purpose of considering th? proprivtv of
petitioning parliament (or the immediate abolition tie the
window tax. The chair was occupied by Mr. dames La-
bram, who observed, in npcning the proceeding", that Sir
J. Walm.ley was engaged in holding that evening a great
financial nt the lonidiniyavern, which would account

for the ah,ue. of many leading gentlemen. An regarded
the tax for theoholition of which they were a•,emlled, he

Two °Tuve