The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-09 00:00:00

colonies of Zeeland, but in such small numbers
that they were loot in the moss of the population. Thus the
bmefits of transportation were obtained, while its evils were
almost imperceptible. The great mistake which bad been
made recently was that of endeavouring_ to compress meat
numbers of convicts into small spaces. The malt had been
to impress, as it were, • convict character on the whole
population; aad such was the odium attacked to the system
that it would require the utmost are on the part of the go.
vestment to maintain transportation as • MUM without
exciting disaffection in the colonies. On these m-
ecums it was that he had been inclined to resist the
abandonment of the colony of North Australia.
'lke opening of a new door for transportation on a limited
smle ought not to be discouraged, the first intention ha-
ving been to send one or two cargoes from Peatonville. The
question was one of doubt and difficulty. To the founds.
um of penal colonies, properly so called, he was decidedly
opposed ; but, on the other hand, he hoped the government ,
wculd be gelded by the immense importance et having as
many receptacles as. powible for the convicts leaving this
country. If they allowed themselves to get into the false
position in which they had been placed in regard
to Van Dismen's Land—that of being obliged to send
several thousand prisoners to one colony, to deluge and
drench it with iniquity—however difficult it might be to
fled a solution of the problem at home, they would be com-
pelled to surrender the advantages arising from transporta-
tion. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. EWART would be glad ts obtain answers to two
questions—first whether the house was to understand that
the colony of Van Diemen's Land still received convicts ;
and, secondly, to what other colonies transportation was to
be extended?
Mr. SIDNEY said the right hon. baronet (Sir G. Grey)
had alluded to a gaol with which he (Mr. Sidney)
was itonmetid—vis. the gaol of Newsate. Was
the hawse aware that from that reel were sent me-
al:* of all the eonvicta transported (rem England and Scot-
bad? During the period when the right hon. gentlemsn
Ms member tor Ripon was in office that right hon. gentle-
man wrote to the magistrates of the city of L,ondon 'letters
AMILICIditg; a reorganisation of the gaols under their manage.
leant. Though the present Hoene Secretary had; no doubt,
the strongest desire to see the system pursued ier,those gaols
reformed, he (alr. Sidney) must complain that he had not
been sufficiently severe in the discharge of his duties. There
WON in the county of hildffiesex four or Sc. differ/at systems
el treatmeat, and that alone formed a grated of investigation.
Mr. P. SCROPE wished to know who were theparties re-
; pamiblefor the overcrowding of the Irish gaols. From the
Rupert et the inspector it appeered that en Galway gaol
alone ao fewer than 121 parsons had died in 23 days from the
elect of this overcrowding.
Sir G. GREY said, in reply to the question of the boo.
member for Droitwich, that the more common period of
Ninety imprisonment was 18 months. The three colonies to
which convicts were now being sent were Van Diemen's
Lead, New South Wales, and the Cape of Good Hope. In
reply to the ham alderman, he could only say that plans had
some time since been prepared of • new prim for London,
and he sues scrry now to hear from the Ma. gentleman that
objections were raised to this proposition. He would refer
the hon. member for Stafford to the reports of the inspectors
of prisons.

The moth wee then agreedto.
BURDENS ON LAND.

Mr. DISRAELI, having first presented a petition from
Cambridge sad Suffolk, signed by nearly 2,000 occupants of
land, for • repeal of the malt tax, the announcement of
which was loudly cheered by the protectionist members,
addressed the house to the following effect :—I rise with a
hope that I may induce the House of Commons to consent
to a great measure of justice, of conciliation, and of policy.
(Cheer.) it is not my intention on this occasion to enter
into any detailed demonstration of the great distress existing
in the agricultural districts of this country. Whether that
distress exist or not, is a point not necessary to the argu-
ments on which I mean to recommend to your attention the
resolutions I have placed on your table. Bat I shell not
enter into these details, because I believe it is generally
acknowledged that this distress does exist. (Hear, him.)
It is only a few nights since that an hon. member of this
bass, whim I think I now see in his place, came forward,
wad offered us his voluntary testimony in that behel
• witness certainly not to be suspected of say morbid sym-
pathy with the agricultural classes, the hen. member for
Manchester. (Hear, hear.) He told us the other night
that he could not for a moment conceal from himself that
there was distress among the agricultural classes of this
wintry—distress mast severe and painful to endure. I
am willing to allow this statement of affairs to depend on
this testimony. (Hear, hear.) Nor am I, on this occa-
sion, about to enter into any investigation se to the causes
of that distress. That investigation is au investigation not
at all necessary to the arguments which 1 mean
to offer in support of the resolutions which I
have placed betore you. But if I required to
know what were the causes of that distress, here
also I would appeal to • witness who sits on the oppo•
site benches, and who en such subjects must be admitted by
all to be a witness of great and unimpeachable authority on
this heed, I should appeal to the hon. member for the
West Riding of Yorkshire. (Hear, hear.) That hon. gen-
tleman on • recent memorable occasion, when he commu-
nicated to his assembled fellow-countrysorn the political
programme of his intended course, spoke of the farmers of
England with much sympathy, and lamented their condi.
tion, and acknowledged, in a manner which did infinite
credit to his candour and frankness, that they had not
been fairly dealt with. (Hear, hear, hear.) So tar as to
the fact, and so far as to the causes of the fut. Nor,
in the third place, is it my intention to enter into any con-
troversy as to the character of the causes to which these
hon. gentlemen refer. It is not my intention this night to
introduce any controversy as to the policy or impolicy of
those changes in our laws, by which, according to the hon.
member for the West Riding, the agricultural dues have
not been fairly treated. (Hear, hear.) I hold the same
opinions on this subject that I have frequently derived, and
that I have more than once essayed to develop to the house.
(Hear, hear.) I still believe that the new commercisl
system is founded on erroneous principles. (Hear, hear.)
I still believe that, in constructing that system, you mistook
the rules which regulate the beneficial and advantageous
interchange of commodities between nations. (Hear, hear.)
I still believe that, in opening our ports in the teeth of hoe-
tile tariffs, you have done an act which diminishes the effi-
cacy of British industry. (Hear, hear.) I still believe that
under your new system our native labour must necessarily
give more of its produce for foreign produce than it did here-
tofore, and that, in such proportion, our native labour his
become tributary to the foreigner ; that it has leis com-
mand of fore= productions; that, insomuch as tho
precious metals are foreign productions, it has less com-
mend of the precious metals. (Hear, hear.) I still
believe that you have embarked in a career which
must end, if continued, in the degradation of national in-
dustry, and may lead to the catastrophe of financial convul-
sion. (Cheers.) I still believe that you have but one way
to extricate yourself from the embarrassments which you
have already experienced, and from the calamities which I
believe to be impending ; and that is, by a frank acknow-
ledgment of the principle of reciprocity ea the fundamental
basis of a true commercial system, and of countervailing du-
ties as the only sound and legitimate means of fighting
against hostile tariffs, (Loud cheers.) I still retain these
opinions ; but I have only expressed them now, that
on this and on every legitimate occasion I may take the
legitimate moans of setting forth the opinions I profess to the
country, and of thus seeking for them that public approba-
tion to which I believe them entitled, and which I believe
they will ultimately achieve. (Cheers.) Because, however
I may dissent from the change' which have been made of
late years in our commercial system, I am not one of those
who wish to recur suddenly to the put, by appealing to the
passions of any suffering clam—(hear, hear)—or by taking
advantage of any party combination. (Cheers.) I wish, on
the contrary, that the change, when effected, shall be per-
manent—and permanent, because it is called for by the con-
viction of the country. (Hear, hear.) I look, therefore,
solely to legitimate means for the attainment of that result
which, for the sake of the country, I believe to be essential,
inevitable—to public discussion, to private investigation—to
the failure of economical prophecies, and to the fruits of
sharp experience. (Cheers.) I have frankly expressed
my opinion on these points, • to show, (as I hope
with offence to no
dation:lm that while I wish tO
avoid controversy on these sub ects, which have no contuse
don with that I lave net to intrados., I am =-
willing that any one should en I shrink from the views
I have always before e , and my convictions upon
which the reflections of every day, I may say the observant=
of every hoar, only tend to confirm. I think I may be per-
mitted to my, that after the extraordinary changes of 1848,
which so importantly affected the egrichltorsi interests of
this country; • they were at lust entitled, # the other hand,
to a system of taxation which should not pace unjustly and
unfairly epee them. That is the lint propositimibehithl wish
to lay down. My tumid ice, that the unjust and unfair ap-
paflonuseat of taxation of which they complain, may be re-
moved and redistributed, and that In this redistribution they
may fled, Snot the complete remedy, at least the consider-
able relief of those sufferings which they at present endure.
(Hear, hear.) The question which I have to place before
the homes requires very little statistical detail to introduce it
properly under your notice. Though the interests to which
it applies are vast, though the results of the measure which
I would recommend to your adoption are also vast, the
question in itself is extremely simple, and in common with
every thing that ,depends upon first principles, is clear and
easy of apprehension. It seems, from accounts now in the
possession of us all, tress the amounts of the parochial or
rating year, commencing Lady-day, 1848, that a sum of not
less, than ten millions sterling had been, during that year,
levied by direct taxation upon the real property of thie
country. (Hear, hear.) The poor rate, the county
rate, the highway rate, the church rate, and that variety of
rates under the head of poor rate with which we are all
familiar, and to which I may have occasion, as I proceed, more
ly to refer, to these various rates, there was paid
the real property of the country in one year, no less a sum
particularly
10,000,000 sterling—by the real property alone. (Hear,
hear.) If we add to this sum of 10,000,0001. another direct
tax, which strictly and legally @puking is also a local tax,
the land tax—for it b apportioned to localities, assessed ia
localities, by local jurisdiction, every locality being liable for
its quota--then I may say that the real property of this
country pays at this moment 12,000,0001. a year of taxation
which no other species of property is subject to. This
question has been placed -before us in a manner which
may enable any gentleman to examine for him-
self, and distinctly ascertain the nature and amount
of this taxation of one species of property to the
tented extent of 12 millions, and to compare the annual
amount so levied with the whole annual ne:me of the
country. We have all of us in our possession the materials
by which we can form these calculations and arrive at the
result I have indicated. livery member of the house may
hence know that the 10 millions I have referred to—l may
say the 12 millions I have referred to—is raised on rental
, contributed by the real property of the country to the

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