The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-25 00:00:00

^

thateven the ceee'll themselves seer filled with sulphuretted
hydrogen, most injsuious to the health of the inhabitants, so
much en ;hat after their inspection, which lasted four hours,
himself and colleague were seek and ill during the entire
day. rhey had made a report to the gusrdiarp of
_St.
un-
Pan-
crisovho, he understood, were about to take proceedings
der the act. He considered that not only, was the stet'
of the place out the water supplied, injurious to the
health of the inhabitouts.—The houses had been con-
structed to evade the window tax, and were so dark that
himself send Mr. Popham were compelled to procure lighted
candles to enalels them to visit the first and second floors.
One pump supplied the whole place, and on exambt causeining thd
e
water they Intend it ef a thickish milky colour, no dou
by the percolatien of all the moisture of the filth above
through the earth to the well.—After some further evidence
the 'eputy-coroner said the body of the deceased must be
opened, and the inquiry adjourned. The inquest was
accordingly adjourned.

THE. BUDGF.T.—G BEAT MEETING IN
LIVERPOOL
Yesterday, at moos, a great public meeting of the
merchants and trad,enten of Liverpool, convened by the
mayor (in complience oith a requisition numerously and in-
fluentially signed in the course of two or three hours), was
held in the Serous dense, which was crowded to excess.
T. B. lionsetere tem , the mayor, who presided, rose,
and was received with cheering. He said—lf the requis:-
tier had been sieosee by any one political party ouly, he
should not have convened that meeting ; but signed as itwas
by gentlemen et e e-ry political party, end entertaining
every pubtical opinion, he did not hesitate to do so. (Chee
eft iors.)
The object of the meeting, as stated in the requn,
was to afford to the inhabitants of Liverpool the
opportunity of expressing their sentiments, either
in favour oe or adverse to, the financial statement submitted
to the country by the First Lord of the Treasury. They
were not wet for the purpose of declaiming against her Ma-
jesty's government—nor met for the purpose of declaiming
against any legitim e^ tax; but they were met for the purpose
of asserting and en aiot in iag the principle that the government
of this country was bound to act as private individuals, in
regard to income and ,pentliture. If a private individual
found that his sr (settee ire was exceeding his income, he
was bound to see h,w i rhe could reduce his expenditure. ,
The same principle implied to the government. Tho public
eependittee now exieeded the income; and he main-
tained it was the duty of the government of this
country to see, in the first place, bow they could
reduce their exeenditute to meet the deficiency. (Applause.)
He would take the liberty of throwing out one practical
suggestion which woute reduce the expenditure a little, and
we should retnerob.r 'he old adage, that " many a little
makes a stickle." Nose, we had on the western coast of
:Vries a Meet of 30 or 40 vessels of war, and 3,000 or 4,000
seamen were employed in the philanthropic, laudable, but
*video' attempt to emperor the slave trade. He taw that
f3aptein Peclitel in inotE4 went had asked the question, " I
znese were withdrew', what the merehunts of Liverpoo
would think, if they t ..,aid no protection fur their trade in
patio ve and sw, being coon. cteel with omen( the
etre h est ...uses in the A:. :can trade, and as theinuenof the
African Assocectien, he , Mr. Horsed° had to re y Cept.
l'ecncll he would Si. mull &dig. d to him to with Irew them
altogether. 'Whilst they did no good in suppressing the
slave trade, they did no good to the merchant trading vessels
on the coast. When ;rood had been done it had been the ex-
ception and n
appy nee. The common answer, n mere I
chants did ly for aseireence. was "We have no
order, front Use Admiralty." This was,
alone causal
en unneeeesaey enonte of 300,0001. per annum. The
mayor concluded by -.ling that Englishmen would submit
to any tax to keep up the national honour, if levied with
justice and esoity, viol tree from the inquisieorial nature of
lie ineonie tee
The TOWN Cieete then read a letter to the mayor from
Sir John Gledatone, condemnatory of the goverment
financial scheme.
Mr. West was ce.led upon to move the first resolu-
tion. Ile referred t 3 a late parliamentary return,
which showed that the declared value of our total
exports to the Cape of Good Hope in 1946 (the hot year
given) was sotaetMee less than 200,0001. Well, in one year
we had spent there one million sterling—(hear) ; and it was
stated that was melt no-: part of the account. There was one
sentence which the chancellor of the Exchequer was
fond of employee:, and which might be retorted
you hint and the government now: "In this instance
hey had been greedy oeertrading." (Laughter.) Mr.
Wylie referred to the peat increase in the estimates
for the army, navy, and ordnanoe since IS:Li.
The estimates shoo le be brought down to those of 183.5.
(Le applaute.) 'Ye had no right to attack any other
riati ; the people vs this country were not disposed to do
se; and we Ind thst within us which would defy invasion
from without. He believed that with a proper disposition
of oar forces—not having twelve vessels of war in the Tagus
--before our nearest and most attire neighbour could land I
20,000 men upon one coast, every wind that blew would bring
to our shores such an armament a+ would enable as to laugh all
the world to scorn. Ile contended that the British Channel
was the proper place fir the British fleet. (Loud applause.)
The only danger of invasion at present apparent was the
visit of a dethreee4 monarch. Mr. Wylie referred to our
groat commerce::: distr. es, and expressed the pain Le felt on
reading the rem ...la ef the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
that he was astonished at the reception of the budget in
the country." The remark showed that he was really quo-
emit of the:did-reared state of the country. Mr. Wylie ex-
pressed the belief, toned upon him [rein reading and oh-
eer mtion, that uever was there a minister who had occupied
efliee so much to the bane of the commerce of this country
as the present Chancellor of the Exchequer. He concluded
by proposing :
That this nesting s, with great regret and alarm the proposal
at government to impose additional taxes on the already ember-
theued people of this couutry.
Mr. %V. EMILE seconded the resolution. Carrie& una-
uinioutly, followed by loud cheering.
( At this stage of the proceedings there were loud cries of
" Adjourn, adjourn," as there were hundreds ouuide unable
to obtain admittance.)
Mr. It. Gr. ste:tne e ,uggested an adjournment to the area
of the Exchange.
The MAYOIi put it et a motion to the meeting, but, as it
was raining heavily 4 the time, the proposition was
defeated.
Mr. J. SMITH propeoorthe next resolution, in a lengthy
speech. Speaking of the fear of invasion, he said, if, for the
last few years, the soldiers of our army bad been employed,
trowel and spade. in hand, all neeeseary fortificatios
would have sprung up, and the men would hanve
been better soldiers by *Se task. Mr. Smith advocated a tax
up in real property, in preference to the scheme proposed.
He called upon the meeting to support an equitable adjust-
ment of taxes, and to resist the prime =nester's financial
scheme. He proposed
That the, meeting is of opinion that the present amount of re-
venue (although the details are susceptible of modlttotion) is amply
sufficient, with proper economy, to meet all neediftil expenses, and
that any additise to the public burdens ought to be resisted by every
censtitutie n,l means.
Mr. H. 11(.1LN1tv seconded the resolution.
A gentlemen earned el'Tee it, who row in the body of
the meeting, prop::' d
That this meeting recommends that all official saladee, from that
of the silic,n down to that at Son!. per annum, be reduced one-third,
to meet the coneeponding reduction in the various articles of
consumption arising from the recent change in our commercial
tariff.
The resolution woe received with mingled laughter and
applause. The motive was seconded by some one in the
body of the meeting, and supported by Mr. L. Heyworth,
but lost on a division.
Mr. Simi. proposed the next resolution:
That besidem Mini convinced that no necessity exists fir increased
taxation, this olefin./ .I,tertaina an in4tip. rabic oLjotion meeker.
any income tax which does not ineNde a gradual scale respecting
amonnts, and .tko a tall'. distinction letweet, trades and prolesoons,
and those arising front rod properly and other Sited sources.
Mr. lintel. supported the resolution in a humorous and
argumentative speech.
Mr. Churchwarden I:toot:sox seconded the motion. He
prophesied that la increase of income tax would not bring
aa increase of revenue to the Exchequer. The more we
looked at the subject the more must we be convinced the
whole sys'em of taxation was radically bad. He called upon
his fellow-countrymen to rally round, and oblige the prime
minister, whoever he might be, to submit to a just and fair
revision of the taxation of this over burdened country.
Mr. J. TAYLOR :ieted his strong ohjectioa to the income
tax. It was subversive, he said, of the morality of the
country, for it caused more lies than arty thing else.
Mr. C. HOLLAND edvocated the imposition of a legacy
and probate duty on real property, and an extension of the
property tow to Irelaad. He wail loudly cheered, and con-
cluded by miring a resolution, to the effect that any
deficiency of the revenue should be met by a legacy and pro-
bate duty on real estates, and by such taxes on real property,
both in Great Britain and Ireland, ns shall he equitable, in
consideration of the taxes laid upon the industrious classes.
The motion was seconded by Mr. J. Mulleueux, end
minket by loud sicelemeti
hir.Tuuu reeve I thet a petition should he presented to the
House of Commene embodying the resolutions passed ; and
that the county members should be requested to support its
prayer.—Secorided by Mr. H. LITTLEDALE, and carried.
Mr. 8.. (A.\ DOTONE, in moving a vote of thanks to the
Mayer, said he bad no desire, after what bad been
so ably stated, to worry or trample upon the mingled
body of the buds t. (Laughter.) It might, indeed, be
said, respecting the announcement of government, that it
had excited on all aides, from innumerable towns, a universal
hiss—the sour.d of public scorn. The ministry appeared to
him to be guilty of one of two charges—either of a cold in-
difference or apathy towards the great man of the commu-
nity, or of ignorance of the present position of commercial
affairs—which could not, in his opinion, for a moment Le
justided. lie was an advecate of peace; and,
rather than that the people of this country should be 1,
taxed for any increase in the naval department,
he would ssy to government, take the merchantmen ;
of this port, many of whom were superior vessels to any
which her Majesty could boast of. lie possessed one of
thew ; and he was ready at any moment, should occasion re -
quire it, to have that vessel estimated ; and for a consideration
of 10, 12. or le per cent. upon her value, to hand her over
at once, for such use to be made of her as the government of
the country might require. When he alluded to vessels of
the description of his own, he held that the rule
would be equelly applicable to steam-boats. He entertained
the belief, that if the principle of an established navy
were approved of—that if steam were substituted for
sailing vessels—we might at half the coat have the same
power to defend ourselves.
'fheMAYOlt, is returning thanks, said he could say truly
that he never pretided over, nor Was present at, any meeting
which evinced greater enthusisaus, greater unanimity, and,
what was of more consequence, pewter determination.
The meeting broke up at halepast two, after having occu-
pied about two hours and a lielf in announcing the senti-
ments of Liverpool upon the proposed increase of the in-
ns. Six

. •

IRELAND.
Dumas. Yea. 23.
The spring calendar exceeds the average of spring
or summer calendars in the quantity and character of
crime. Clare has a very weighty catalogue Kerry,
usually pacific, contains in the county gaol over 800
prisoners—most, of these, however, are small
than
larce-
nies. Cork is enormous rather in quantity
quality, and Limerick supplies a serious addition.
In the west, Itoscommon and Mayo surpass the
southern counties. In the latter, the criminals for
aggravated offences in confinement are nearly 200, of
whom 27 are charged with the rare offence of piracy,
and 10 fur murder. In the north and east the calen-
dars are far lees weighty, but all are marked with an
increase of crime.
WATERFORD ELECTION.—The Waterford election
promises to be fertile is riots. Already Mr. Meagher, of the
Sword, a candidate, has led an attack upon bis enemies'
stronghold. On Monday evening lest that young gentle-
man, having first warmed his supporters by stimulating
oratory, marched at their head through the streets, Rand-
parried by music. On arriving opposite the Repeal Read-
ing.room, the stronghold of Mr. Costello's supporters, a halt
was caned, and the windows meantime having suffered, the
" moral force" men made a satire, on which a general raw
commenced, and blows of bludgeons rained like hail.
Several unfortunate mea on bh sides were severely hurt,
and one man, a supporter of !fr. Meagher, had his face
dreadfully cut by a butcher's knife—also a part
of Mr.
Meagher, who bee all that claw at his aide. The town is
filling with police and military, preparatory to the election,
I which takes place on Saturday.
Two stone ESECUTIONtI.—James Skehen and James
Quane, convicted of the murder of Mr. Rolph 11111, at
Rethurd, were yesterday executed at Limerick. Of the
number of murderers condemned to suffer death at the late
special commission, seven have already expiated their crimes
on the scaffold ; four have had their sentences mitigated to
transportation for life, and five now remain for execution.

SCOTLAND.
EDINBUROTI, Fan. 23.
Here " war to the knife" will be declared against
the augmentation of the income tax, and diplomatic
relations with Rome. On the first question nobody
will be disposed to side with the government, except
the parliament house whigs, and in the municipal and
commercial bodies they have little influence. The
propriety, too, of having one non-ministerial repre-
sentative will now be demonstrated ; but for the
change at last election Edinburgh and Leith would
have furnished three votes for increased taxation, a
consummation at tqtal variance with the mind of the
constituencies.

PROVINCIAL.
MEETINGS TO OPPOSE TILE INCOME T.X.
Yesterday several meetings took place to resolve on
petitions to parliament ngainet the propueed increese of the
income tax, and to point out the injustice of demanding as
great a payment to be made out of professional income es
from income arising out of realized property. Tee important
demonstration at Liverpool will be found reported at length
in another column.—At Reading a large meeting, convened
by the mayor, in pursuance of a veso numerously signed
requisition, was held in the Town-ball. A more decided
expression could net have been given of the feelings of the
inhabitants on the subject of the income tax. A much Leg,
number of apeakera than usual addressed the meeting, and
the whole of the proceedings bespoke a spirit of the most
determined opposition to the proposition of Lord John Rus-
sell fur the increase or renewal lathe ineome tax, unless en•
, tiroly confined to incomes derivable from tiled capital. It
' was strongly insisted by several speakers that the govern-
ment must (as individuals bad been obliged to do) look at
their expenditure and curtail that, rather than attempt to
I lay fresh burdens on the industrious classes of the omeei
munity. The resolutions and petition were couched in much
milder terms than many of the epseclies F. Pigott, Req.,:
one of the members, was present, and pledged himself to
oppose the ministers on the budget. The petition especially
arAeiadt'your petitionees, emboli,' deprecating any increase of the
income tax as proposed by her Majesty's ministers, w also strongly
of opinion that, previously to a re-imposition even of the present tax,
it is the duty es your honourable house to tale measure s for rendering
it more inn dingperation, especially by removing the obrious his
justice of ithe >attic charge upon Waimea arising from pro.
leetliune and Metes, or other uncertain mums, as upon townies dos
rived from realised property.
The town council of Gloucester, at a meeting on Wednes-
day, unanimously resolved to present a petition to the Rosie
of Commons, showing
That your petitioners have beard with sorrow and asorderialleathat
it has been proposed by her Majesty's government in parliament. le
continue the uworne-um for an additional period of five year, and
that for the two fire of those years the amount of that tax ha to be tan
creased to the rate of I per cent.
Meetings to oppose the income tax are announced to he
held this day (Friday) at the Town-hall, Cambridge, and
the Town-hall, Northampton. At Portsmouth an intense
feeling in opposition to the increased income tax is reported
to prevail, and a requisition is receiving a large number of
signatures, calling on the mayor to convene a meeting to
petition against it. The high bailiff of Brighton, in pursu-
ance of a requisition, toss convened a public meeting fat
Monday.
TEE CONDEMNATION OP TEE PROPOSED INCOME Tax
by the local paper appears to be unanimous ; and those wise
admit the propriety of direct taxation, object strongly to
taxing at the same rate income derived from property and
income derived from labour. It is regarded as equally un-
fair and cowardly. Thus, the Eastern Counties Herald
remarks that ii The recourse to direct taxation, instead of to
imposts which would fetter trade, and be intricate in the
mode of collection, is a prudent one. But we do object
to the determination of the whip to persist in plaeing
property and income in the same elms, and under the same
rate of exaction. They are now doing what they so loudly
exclaimed against In 1842, when Sir Robert Peel led the
way in this simple and profitable method of swelling the rc-
, venue in the emergency he was under in dealing with the
' deficit left him by Lord Melbourne's government. This is a
I new, but not surprising, example of the difference between
line and outs. We regret this want of resolution to do justice,
remarkable in the present as in the last ministry. There is
no distinction made between labour and realised property ;
but income from labour is chased with revenue from pro-
perty, and is made to bear the same burdens. The injustice
of this is equalled by its folly. Labour gives value to pro-
perty. Intellect, acres, and raw materials, and houses would
be worth nothing but for the labour which renders them
productive and profitable. Yet property and labour are to be
classed alike and taxed alike. An honester and more profit-
able course would have been to tax property revenue at a
higher amount, and to let the tax on income remain as it is."
, Again, the Worcester Chronicle declares its objection to be
mainly against " the inequality of pressure, which (u at pre-
I sent regulated) an income and property tax involves. The
principle of direct taxation, though it may be galling in its
first application, is a sound and good one, but to levy the
same rata of duty upon income derived from trades or pro-
fesaions,or literary exertions, as upon realised property, is
most unjust and arbitrary, and directly contrayeni the prin-
ciple on which direst taxation should proceed, that of pro-
portioning the burden to the ability. Aa income tax is •
tax upon mind, upon labour, uponindustry, energy, skill, and
perseverance. A property tax merely falls upon nccumulated
capital. What comp can be established between •
shilling in the pound deducted from trading or professional
profits, which may be extinguished at any moment by •
variety of adverse causes, or from the income of persons
having a limited interest in property, and a shilling in the
pound taken from the person seined in fee of a freehold estate
with a rental of 5001. per annum, and worth twenty-five
years' purchase, which he can transmit to his descendants
unimpaired, and the proceeds of which they may continue to
enjoy without exertion and without expenre. The condi-
tions are so glaringly unequal, the pressure of the impost so
ly dtsproportioned, as to need no further demonstra-
tion. There is another inequality to which we will briefly
direct attention. By Subtracting 5 per cent. from an income
1501. a year, below which the tax does not descend, you
compel the reduction of some comforts or the retrenchment
of some simple luxuries of life ; but by taking the same
amount from larger properties, from the posse of
10,0001., 5,0001., or 1,0001. a year, no such circumscription
is occasioned. A house with five stories can afford to part
with the attic, but the accommodation of a house with two
stories only is destroyed if one be taken sway. A gradu-
ated scale of duties, ascending with the increase of pro-
perty, would correct this unequal pressure, and relieve
the smaller incomes at the just expense of the greater ;
but as unfortunately a majority of holders of large pos-
sessions have to make the law, such a disposition of the
burden would be too much to anticipate, and this descrip-
tion of inequality will no doubt remain to aggravate the
broader shades of partial distinction before alluded to."
The Liverpool Times says " When the income tax was
first imposed by Sir Robert Peel, the country was amused
and deceived with the promise that it should be repealed in
three years. It has now continued for seven years, and so
far from there being any prospect of its being repealed. we
are threatened with an ta
unt in the rats. This proposed
increase of rate is accompd with a similar promise, that
the tax shall only be temporary ; but tner., is just as little
reason to believe that this second promise will be kept as
there was to believe that the first would. No ; the only
sensible course is to look at this tax as a, permanent charge
on the country, and to impose it on loch principles of
fairness as will cause all reasonable men to submit to it
cheerfully. We hate already an inquiry, the pro-
essed object of which is to show what is every man's ability
to bar the portion of the burden imposed upon him; but it
goes no further than to ascertain one fact—the actual
amount of income-10AM the fact that ought to be ascer-
tained is, what is the real
obi arc
of every man's property.
As far as we can judge of public opinion, there is no objection
to direct taxation, as compared with indirect taxation, but
the reverse. What is objected to is, the placing of tem-
vestry incomes, famed with severe toil of body and
mind, and subjected to innumerable risks of low and diminu-
tion on the same footing as incomes dependent on property.'
The Blackburn Standard declares that—" Friend, the, and
neutral, all parties and all classes, alike condemn the reck-
less determination manifested to increase the expenditure at
a period of such naivete:Ll depression as this,—end to make
up the deficiency by heavily taxing the incomes of the
sufferers. Merchants, profevionals, tradesmen, and ail who
lire by Mame, properly so called, are thus doubly afflicted
—they lose by the pressure of the times—and they lose by
the pressure of the government,—misfortune and oppression
harrase them together. They are th
rown down by the one,
and punished for falling Thy
the oerthe punishmen
being cruelly aggravated by the wantonness with which it