The Express.
London, England, 1851-01-09 00:00:00

REPEAL OF THE WINDOW TAX.

Last night a meeting of delegates from the various
metropolitan parishes was held in the Marylrboo• Court-
house, for the purpose of taking steps to *Era • repeal of
the window tax, and to mike arrangements for a deputation
from the metropolitan 'tithes to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, with the view of urgdig on him the expediency
of a rival and immediate repeal of that tex. Mr. NICHOLAY.
who occupied the their, said that it would be quite noncom,
eery for him to go over the various arguments which were
urged against the repeal of the window tax. There were.
Mated, no defenders of the obnoxious impost, and when
they fount all persona, so matter how they may tidier la
other ritspecta, united in opposition to it, It was dear the
time for its repeal had some. If the government were
slow to move, they must be made to do so by pressure from
wlthtut ; and if that ;immure was made as it ought to be
made, he had little doubt hut that the government would
yield to the unanimously expreasi.d opinion of the country.
(Hear, hear.) _ .

Mr: WiIt:MORE (Marylebone) moved the first resolu-
tion, u talons:

deputations from each of the metropolitan parishes,
accompanied by the metropolitan members and other mem-
bers or parliament favourable to a repeal of the window tax,
be invited to meet at the Court-house, Nlaellebono, and
proceed In a body to wait upon the Chancellor or the Exche-
quer, for the purpose of urging the total, immediate, and
unconditional repeal of the window tax ; and that Lord
Duncan, ALP., be respectfully minuted to head the depu•
tattoo•"

The arguments on the subject of the window tax were all
an one side. Tee only argument teat he ever heard urzed
in favour of the tax was that it was woe of collection. But
was that a sufficient reason to justify a tax which was
prejudicial to the health and morals of the people ?
Let them sct with vigour and the tax must be repealed.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. SOD N, of Marylebone, seconded the resolution.
Re believed that the easiness of the collection of tie tax
was owing to the wish of the people to support the govern-
ment. But when the government found that it was the
unanimous wish of the people to repeal this obnoxious tax
they should mend to their wishes and abolish it et once.
Mr. BROWN, of St. Jam,s'e, supported the resolution.
He was well aware that no government wished to give up a
portion of the revenue. He recollected that in 1834 he was
one of a deputation who waited upon Lord Althorp, then
Chancellor of the Exchequer, to urge upon him the pro-
priety of a repeal of the window tax. But Lord Althorn
said that before he consented to repeal the tax he must see
that the feeling against it was general. Well, they agitated
on the subject, and the consequence was that the largest
deputation that ever met went up together to the Chancellor
of the Exchequer. The tax was not repealed, however, and
then they were still agitating against it.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS, M.P. said he hoped it would be
foundcorrect that the Chancellor of the Exchequer hid
surplus of 3,600,0001. There were 3,600,000 bonus in ttie
country, and of these there were but 487,000 taxed, whilst
Ireland was not taxed at ell. That was the only argumenthe
had heard in favour of the tax. But there woe great impolicy
and injustice in the way in which these 487.000 houses were
taxed, for whilst the rich paid but 1i per cent , 2) per cent.,
or 3 per eon,. on their rental, the great body of trauesmea
paid tem 26 to 27 per cent. on the amount of their rental.
(Hem, hear.) The tradesman wee four times as much taxed
as the highest titled nobleman of the land. Besides, the tax
was borne principally by the inhabitants of large towns. It
had been hinted that a modification of the tax would be pro-
posed, but he would accept of nothing but a total repeal.
(Cheers.) There was always great difficulty in otnvincisg a
Chancellor of the Exchequer of the expediency of repealing
I a tax. Bat the feet was teat up to 1846 the revenue tad
' only fallen off one-third of the smouot of the taxes reduced ;
that was to ray, if taxes to the amount of 3,000,0001. were
taken off, the us fell off but 1,000,0001. (Hem.) But
since 1846, and when the principle of free trade was adopted,
the revenue bad not fallen oil in anything like the same
proportion. He would undertake that if the Chancellor of
the Exchequer remitted 1,800,0001., the lose would eon be
600,0001. It was evident that when a man saved 61. in • tax
he laid it out in some highly taxed article, so that the whole
amount was not lost to the revenue. This was a most
oppressive, unjust, and immoral tee, for it was a tax on
light and air, which were the vivifying principles of all
nature. He could only say that be would urge upon the
government the propriety of repealing the entire of this tax,
and would give it, further continuance every opposition in
his power.
Mr. Sense, of Islington, supported the resolution, as did
Mr. C. 'astute, of the St. Maryleboneltotepayers Protection
Seedy, and it was put and serried unanimously.
Mr. J. BELL, M.P., moved the next resolution. He
hoped that the metropolitan members would attend the
deputation, and that none would be absent from their
places when the qui stion came before the House of Com
mons. When the question was last discussed, it woe very
neatly carried, and if some who ought to have been present
on that occasion had attended a little better to their duties,
the repeal might have been carried last mseion. (Hem,
bear.) He would not take up more of their time on the
present occasion, and would conclude by moving that the
lamming resolution be communicated to the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, accompanied with a request that he would
name a time for receiving the deputation.
Mr. MrCiii, of Marylebone, seconded, and Mr. HEALY,
of St ;Pancras, supported the resolution.
Mr. WYLD, M.P., said that they were there met to con-
eider how they would best get r:d of an obn, :thus impost.
But he would suppose that the government would not yield.
and in that case he wool I sump et that the metropolitan
members should have recourse to au obstructive policy.
(Hear, hear.) This obnoxious tax pressed on the towns, but
bat more particularly on the metropolis, where they were
stint out from light, from air, in consequence of this vile
tax. (Hoar, hear.) He spoke there as an elector of West-
minster, and as such he would urge upon the metropolitan
representatives to adopt an obstructive polity, if they bound,
on the meeting of parliament, that government did not give
them a satisfactory answer on the subject ol tbis tee. (Hear.)
Lad DUDLEY STUART, Id P., said he was pled to
see such a meeting as the present. The people of this
country could no longer consent to see this obnoxious tax
continue—a tax affecting the pockets, the health, and the
morality of the people. He was of opinion that deputation
after deputation should wait on the Chancellor of the Bie
chequer, and press on him the necessity of repealing this
odious tax. (Hear, hear.) It did not matter to him
whether there was a surplus or no surplus. This tax was
so vile that it could no longer be allowed to continue and
if the government were not able to find a substitute tor this
odious impost, they were no longer fit to carry on the go-
vernment of the country. (Hear, hear.) He would be pre-
pima to go with the deputation, and to urge on the govern-
ment in his place in parliament the necessity of repealing
one et the vilest noes that could be imposed on a people.
Mr. MARSHALL, of St. Odes's, supported the motion.
Sir DE LACY EVANS, M.P., said that when some 14
years ago it was a question whether the window tox or the
house tax should be repealed, it was felt that it won'd be
better to have the house tax repealed, for, it was said, the
window tax wins° obnoxious that; could not long continue.
(Hear, hear.) It seemed, however, they were n in
that. It woe said that only 480,010 houses out of 3,500,000
we re subject to the window tax. But it should be recollected
that the weight of the tax fell on the towns where air and
light were mom indispensable than in the rural districts.
(Hear, hear.) Moreover, it should be recollected that there
were a great many houses built designedly for the purpose
of evading the incidence of the window tax, which was a
great evil to the poorer classes. (Hear, bean) Nobody
could deny that the tax was highly obnoxious on moral and
sanitary grounds. It was said that they ought to have
recourse to a stoppage of the supplies. Now that
was an extreme measure, and one that should not
be made use of except in very extreme cases. (Hear, hear.)
However, be thought the suggestion thrown out by his hon.
friend, Mr. Wyld, that they should have recourse to an
obstructive policy if the govetnment did not give them a
satisfactory answer, was well worthy of consideration.
Mr. WiKLEY, M.P., sod he was glut to hear the tone
of the present discussion, and to perceive that the inhabi-
tants of the metropolis were making up their minds that
something should be done in reference to this obnoxious tax.
Now, in hie opinion, a resistance to the supplies was the
real obstacle to throw in the way of the government.
(Hear, hear.) But it was a mere them to speak against the
window tax, and yet support the governmeat that upheld it
enainst the wishes of the people. (Hoar, hear.) It was very
easy to say stop the supplies; but when the government said
that they were not supported by public opinion out of doors,
what could they do ? (Hem, hear.) If the constituencies
themselves were heretofore apathetic, were they justified in
charging their memben with inattention and want of
energy ? (Hear, hear.) He was glad to see that even now
they were beginning to be alive to the injustice and impoliey
of this tax. His bon. friend Mr. Bell, whom he should be
glad to see in the House of Commons, had alluded to the
absence of some of the metropolitan members during the
discussion on the subject of the window tax. Now he was
absent, but he believed at that very time ha was taking
some of Mr. Bell's ploy*. (Laughter.) He had voted in
(seam of the abolition of the window tax on previous ocean
none, and he intended to do a again. He would recommend
them to pour petitions like a hail storm upon the House of
Commons. If they did not do as, II they did not choose to
go to the trouble of living a paper, the ministry would be
justified in saying that the people were Indifferent. ("No,
so.") But it they persisted in their course after the people
had unequivocally manifested their wishes, he would be pre-
pared to stop the supplies. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was then put and carried.
Mr. PItEET El moved a vote of thanks to those members el
parliament who attended the present meeting.
Mr. BROWN seconded the motion, which was put mi-
nutia unanimously.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS, in returniog thanks, said that If
the 22 metropolitan members united in an obsuuctive polio,
he would cordially join them in that course.
Mr. NICHOLAY said that Lord J. Russell had bees
Invited to attend the present meeting as one of the metrope-
, titan mambas, but he had not attended, nor had he sent any
answer. Now, if he had thought it his ditto to attend, he
might afford them some information, sad would himself
derive some benefit from what bad ocourrad at that mea
Mg. (' Hear," and laughter.)
Sir Da Lace Baran and Lord DCDLIT STUART also
returned thanks.
Mr. WHITMORE moved a relphitioß That a meeting
of the parish be held as soon as convenient to agitate for a
repeal of the window tax."
The motion was seconded and carried, after which the
meting separated.

-
THE COMMERCIAL DOCKlL—Applicntione are to be
made in the ensiling session for the improvement of these
docks. It is proposed to online the E•st C3unty Dock, •ad
to carry • tramway from the docks generally to join the
breach railway as Depteard.