The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-20 00:00:00

REPEAL OF THE WINDOW TAX.

MEETING OF METROPOLITAN
DELEGATES.
Last night an enthusiastic meeting of the me-,
tropolitan delegates was held in the Court House, Mary-
lebone, "to consider the unsatisfactory statement of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer as to the above tax, and
the substitution of a house tax." Amongst those present
were Viscount Duncan, 'M.P. ; Sir Dc Lacy Evans, M.P. ;
Sir D. ILdI, Ml'.; F. ,Mowatt, Es.., M.P.; Jacob Bell,
Eq., M.P.; T. Wakley, E•q., M.P.; C. Lushntgton, Esq.,
M.P., about 40 members of the vestry, and a great number
of the delegates from other districts in the metropolis.
Mr. GEORGE, Churchwarden of St. Ann's, Soho, moved
that Mr. J. A. l'itcuotav, President of the Delegates, take
the chair.

This having been carried by acclamation,
The adjournment for a week of a meeting of the metro-
politan delegates on the sewers question, announced for
that evening in the !tame place, was moved by Mr. Tare tat IN
Swint, me:undid by Mr. HORN, and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, haring apologieeed for the aleenee of
Lord Dudley Stuart, who was out of town, observed that
this was a council of war, and that they must make war,
and no mistake. (Cheers.) What had brought them to-
gether that night was the Chancellor of the Exchequer's
budget. (Cries. of " Humbug!" " He'll he made to budge it,
man of laughter, and cheers.) Certainly a more censor- ,
dinar,. document never emanated from any minister; a '
more unsatisfactory or a more unfair proposition he had
never seen. (Cheers) Ibis expectations had been wound
up to the highest pitch ; but he must say he never did give i
the gosernme nt credit fur much--for when did the
whip ever do anything good? (Cheers.) The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer's budget was a complete swindle.
He hod sometimes heard talk of thimble-rigginct, but really
the ('haneellor (Peed to be appaintal Thimble-rigger Ex-
Unordinary to Ile r Maje•sty. (lend )aught r.) They had
been taken in and done for. (Cries of " Not yet.") Not
yet? That was very true; but it chnended entirely upon
themselves whether thoy were nr were ant to be. (Owns.)
Lord DUNCAN expressed hie satisfaction at the numbers
and respectability in which they had met, to expires their
indignation and (Hegira —(chter.)—at the project of linen-
riul reform which had been Iniel upon the table of the
House of Commons. (Renewed cheers.) When a govern-
ment, which was pledged to reform and retrenchment, thus
deserted the very principles whirl, heal placed them in
power, it was time fur the people to consider whether they
should any longer be permitted to hold office. (Cheers)
He was not going to mince matters ore this question, for
that man was no real friend either to reform or the govern-
ment that would do so. (Cheers.) He (the noble lord)
had listened with the deepest attention to the speech of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. He expected to hear Rom-
thin rof etonomy, but nothing of the kind fell from the
right hon. baronet. (Cheers.) At length he came to the
window tax, and he (Lord Dunesni) was exeeerlinglyanxiotte
to hear what the right hon. baronet would say with respect
to that subject. But what did he nay Why, what every
man in England had been saying fur the leg six months,
namely, that it must be repealed. Ile agreed with him, as
all present would do FA. (Cheerio.) But the tight hen.
baronet did not stoop there : he talked of a house tax.
(Dissopproleatbon.) Did he propose a house tax ? No; be
proposed nothing of the kind. Ile proposed the oldwinlow
tax hack again. (Loud cheep.) Now let them not be
deluded by names. It was the old window tax. ((Loud
cheers.) Wen. they- any gentlemen present who reconciled
the year 1831, who n on act of parliament was passed
in emitting them to have as many windows as they might
please ? That was exactly what the right hon. baronet
now proposed ; but what security did he give that mat
year he would not come down to the house, and insist on
their re-ass s.ment ? (Loud cheers.) It was perfect
humbug. lie repeated the word ; fur he firmly and truly
believed that if the people of ineland submitted to
this scheme, they would have a very much heavier
tax to pay thou they had ever had before. (Cheers.)
The old bowies were still to be charged upon the number of
windows, but they were to he excused one-tloirl the duty,
while new honor, were to pay, at present—(hear. hear) —ll.s.
in the pound on their mut. How lung that might remain
he could not say, hut perhaps next year it might be made
x. The people of this country ought to keep their own
money in their own powketo. (Loud cheers.) But
hether they did or not depended entirely upon them-
selves ; for if they did not uplift their " sweet
voices " he should he c'rtain to he told, as he had been on
each occasions, that their silence implied consent. ((•heers.)
It Vino necessary that every man should come forward and
oneuk out in an unmistakculde manner; for did they not
recollect the five per cent. property tax which had been
proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and which
had been defeated solely by their making him discover that
it was so very unpeoular ? (Cheers.) In his opinion there
never had been so flagrant an insult offend to their under-
gentling., and the sooner they spoke out the better—
(eheers)--and that was the hest advice Ise should give them
an the present o ccasion. (Rapturous cheering.)
Mr. HIIEI.EC, of St. Pattern., etnengly denounced the
extravagance of the government. Why could they not he
satisfied with the expenditure, of the Duke of Wellington,
which was more than ten millions has than that of the pre-
sent ministry? (('heers.)
Mr. FOSTER, of St. Anne'., who was received with
emcee impitience, expressed a hope that all parties in the
house would (ono a coalition against Lord John Russell's
cabinet. Such a coalition would he u ntost honourable
one, und sery different front the disagraqeful fusion of par-
ties to turn out Sir Robert Peel. (Cheers.)
Mr. GEORGE pronounced the budget to he a swindle,
a delardeva,aud one of the most monstroue things ever heard
of. (Cheers.) Mr. George eoncluloal by moving a reso-
lution, declaring the proposed house-tax to be uuequnl,
unjust, obnoxious, and unueceoary; pledging the meeting
weer to remain satisfied until the window duty was uncon-
ditionally repealed; and culling upon the metropolitan
member., in close the measure were persisted in, to offer
ouch ohotruetion to the government as should show that it
(no longer pee-eased the confidence of the people. (Loud
cheers.)
Mr. GEESIN, of St. James', seconded the resolution;
in doing chicle he clevrilsed the peopled measure of the
government as unequal, unholy, unjust, and unchristian.
(Cheers.) The government had been guilty of one of the
most extraordinary nnomalies be had ever met with. They
had lately instituted at prosecution for adultending pepper,
and vet they actually proposed iu the new budget to take
off the duty on chicory, in order to encourage the adultera-
tion of coffee. (Cheers.)
Mr. .NIITCHELL, of Oxford-street, begged to ask whe-
ther the live per cent. would he levied on the poor-rate or
the ass ement of the income tax ?
The CHAIRMAN suggested that Mr. Mitchell had bet-
ter not o.k fur any explanation of the meaaure, as they did
ant intend In submit to it at all. ((fheers.) They flaunt
to fling it back in the face of the government. (Cheer.)
A GENTLEMAN said it would be iu the assessment to
the Menne tax.
The CHAIRMAN oleerced that Mr. Mitchell might
have been sure that they would get the lad drop of blood.
(('beers.)
Mr. MITCHELL said the proposed new measures, would
affect him in the following manner if the duty wen
les ied on the rating to the property tax : in the house he
eevupied he paid, for 48 windows, 1.31. lls. Ind. ; but if he
had to pay ninepence in the pound on the income tax
rating, it would 161. Its. fel., which would be an increase
of Ills. &I. (Cheers.)
The nintillli was curried unanimously.
, Mr. NEL°ON, of St. James's, moved a resolution, call-
ing on the metropolitan members to act in compliance with
the wishes of the meeting.
Sir B. lIALL stated to the meeting the course he In-
tend.ed to pursue. They wen• all aware that his noble
friend had given due notice of his motion ; but, at his sug-
gestion and that of other friends, Lard Duncan had post-
poned it; hut be had still kept his notice on the hooks, not'
knowing what might turn out, in order that he might take I
advantage of any opportunity that 'night occur. kl the Chan-
Miura the Exchequer had announced that the alteration
depended upon the granting of the income tax, it wax his !
intention to el.a al: the house on that question ; and then,if
be failed, to do the same on the house tax, Ile had also
given notice list night that, in the event of its being
eibereade be should move in extension to Ireland.
reeve.) The proposal was the moat delusive nod
fallacious statement that he ever heard ; and if the
Chancellor of the Exchequer thought that they could
be deceived by it, he must give them credit fur possessing a
very email portion of common sense. (Cheers.) With
reference to the course which the metropolitan members
intended to take, he could only answer for himself and for
Lord Dudley Stuart, who had told him what he meant to
do. Their intention was to Tote agaiust the imposition of
the tax. (Loud cheers.) Ile reconante ueled the meeting,
however, to act in their support —to show that they
really were in earnest, and that they would back
their mender. in the struggle. (Cheers.) He felt
certain that the, representatives of a population of 400,000
inhabitants whet were assessed in no less a sum than two
millions, must have weight, if they wen, enabled to state
that their opinions were not their own merely but those of
on-ro their noue and wealthy conetiteteney. (Cheers.)
Mr. SNIIIII, of Horne. y, briefly pointed out the in-
Nualities of the tax.
-Mr. WAKLEY, M.P. approved of the tone of the meet-
ing, which was one of indignation at 311 unparalleled insult.
He had observant. while the Chancellor of the Exchequer
war making his speech, that the countenance's of some wore
an expression of satisfaction. Of course, it was those of
members who, ordinarily speaking, were enemies of the I
gos enament. and who wis&al to take their places themselves.
(Cheers and laughter.) As a coroner he had looked on with
a kind of practical interest while the Chancellor of
the Exchequer was committing suicide,. (Laughter.)
Politically "peaking, that official was dead already ;
_and if
there were any revivifying power, unless it operated very
soon, what was called the •• vital spark" would be extinct.
(More laughter.) Now, it had been said that they should
turn out the ministers if they went on in the course they
were pursuing; but then a feeling of self-preservation was
involved in the matter. If they did not they would he
earned out themselves ; for it seemed to him perfectly clear
that if the metsopolitan members did not do their duty
that would be. Ind it woukl deserve tole, theirfate. (Cheers)
'fbe resolution was carried unanimously.
The meeting was also addressed by Mr. Williams, M.P.;
Mr. Fraser, of St. Pancras; Mr. Savage, of St. Giles's; Mr.
lion., of St. Luke's ; and Mr. Metcalfe. Votes of thanks
were given to Lord Duncan and to the chairman, who
having made their respective acknowledgment., the meet-
ing broke up at a quarter to 10.
Several other meetings in different districts were an-
' nounced as shortly to take place.