The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-12 00:00:00

thought the hon. gentleman would Ne • titat, yeur by year,
no ineon,iiderable relief had been given to the country in

the remioion of taxation.

In 1812 them were taxes. re-

pealed or reduced, the estimated produce of which was
1,596,000 e; in 1813, 417,000 f. ; in 1814, 438,0001. • in 1845,
4,535,000/. • in 1146, 1,151,000 i. • in 1817, 344,6001.1 in
1848, 581,0001.; in 1849, 388,000). ; in 1850, 1,289,0001. ;
making a total of 10,763,0001. repealed since 1841.
(Hear, hear.) The taxes imposed were the income
tax, and two other taxes which bad been subsequently
repealed; but as he had taken credit for them in
the repeal it was right that he should debit them. The
amount of taxes imposed wu 4,661,000/. ; the amount
reduced or repealed was 10,76.3,0001. ; leaving a balance in
totem, of the country of 5,108,01101.; and in the face of that
repeal of taxes to the amount of five millions and upwards,
there had been an increase in the revenue, as he
had stated, of 4,726,01014 hear.) Ile thought
then, as regarded finance, he had proved the
good effect of that policy. In those years we had
lone through a fainii,e in Ireland, we had had failing crops
in this country, and we had pawed through worse commer-
cial crises than bad ever befallen a commercial country be-
fore. We had gone through war in almost every conti-
nental date, utterly. disturbing our commercial relations.
The (Iceland valiie of all our exporte in 1841 was
.51,017,000!. The hon. gentleman in 1149 mistreat* another
I year as a year of great prosperity, before these mischievous
measure. were carried into effeet, the year 1816, in which the
export. were 47,786,00111. In the year 1818 they bail fallen
to 52,1100,0:10/. In 1849 they had risen to 01,590,00111.
Assuming—berause we had not got the complete re-
turns yet—that in Ifeld the total exports bore the
same proportion to the principal articles as they did
in 1819, and he knew that was pretty nearly cor-
rect, the total exports of this year would be of the value of
'Tweeds of 70,000,000/. (Haar, hear.) Well, then, com-
paring it with any year, even the year of the greatest
prosperity before this legislation commenced, there
was an increase of exports perfectly unexampled,
proving the employment of our people, the prosperity of our
trade, and the tureen of our commercial as well as of our
manutheturimr interests. (Hear.) Well, if this were so,
and he did not think any man could controvert a single
position he had laid down when they found that in three
years, :Liter an almost unt;andleledcommertial crisis, capital
was seeking investment at a rate of interest so low as to
tempt speculation—if the manufacturing interests were in
this state it prosperity, if the working classes, not only in
the manufacturing but in the agricultural districts, were
well employes', well paid, well fed, and contented-4f
this were a true description—andel it be true that
this legislation was wrung? Could it be that the
house was prepared to revoke this legislation ? Could
it be that the hope expensed in her Majesty's
speech would not be realised -that the prosperous con-
t don of other slaws of her Majesty's subjects will have a
favourable effect in promoting the interests of agriculturists?
Theme of silk was familiar to everybody. There was a loud
complaint that the bilk manufacturers were reduced to ruin
when protection wax taken from them. 'there were
just the same complaints of accumulating ruin to the
manufacturers of leather and gloves when protection
was taken from them. If it were true, as the
bon. gentleman said, that the legislation of this country
was based upon protection to agriculture, it wan based
upon protection to maimfactures as well. It was taken
from menueti.tures which had prospi•red in spite of protec-
tion being withdrawn, and why should not agriculture
prosper too? Agriculture was certainly suffering lad, but
that was because it had protection the latest. It SSTs 31 years
since protection was taken Inns silk. Had the produce of
silk been diminished in coneequence ? Nut only did we
supply our own country, hut we entered into competition,
and close competition, too, with the very country of
whew products we had le•en afraid. Our silk went to them
and theirx CAW to us ; and in many fabrics we actually
M.at them. Look to the exportation of silk goats only for
the last three years. Ile would tette the first article cif btufr,
and he found that in 1818 the &eland value was 2148,000!. ;
in 1819, 306,0•10 f.; and in 1850, 487,000/. Of mixed stuffs,
the value was, respectively, 156,0001., 213,0001., and
323.0001. 'then there was no branch in which probable
ruin WAS more confidently prophesii.d than in the glove
trade, Well, he found that an 1818 the quantity exported was
10,000 lbs. weight, in 1819,1.1,000, and in 1860 the quantity
was actually trebled, the amount exported being 31,000 11w.
weight. That was no great article ; hot what had taken
place with respect to it was an answer to the argument that
it was impswaible for our productions to go on without pro-
tertion. Then there wee an mrieultural article in repeal-
ing the duty on which, in 1842, he took an active part—the
article of wool. At that time nu little apprehension was felt
by the wool-growers of this country of the mischievous
effects which would arise from repealing the duty. Now
what had been the result? Why, that ism'. since the duty
had becu repealed the price of lynglieh wool had increased,
and, more than that, the export of English wool had in-
crewed. Take the last three years, in which the exports
were—in 1818, 3,900,9001 U.; in 1849, 11,200,00011 w.; in
1830, 12,010,00011 w., trebled in rtsree sears. Was that a
proof of the &dress of agriculture? On the contrary, it
was a proof of the benefit which had accrued from the abo-
lition of the duty on the importation of wont 'the consequent
prosperity of our manufactures led to a demand for British
wool, which again led to an increased supply at home.
No doubt the same effect would follow with regard to other
agricultural products. Ile had no doubt that the same re-
sults would attend improvements in agriculture as had
attended improvements in other branches of industry, by a
judicious outlay of capital, and improved modes of produc-
tion, which lie was happy to say were going on throughout
the country ; there being hardly a part of the coun-
try in which the owners and occupiers were not
making improvements, notwithstanding the discouraging
butguagu tothcm which was occasionally used. With respect
to the motion of the hon. gentleman, he begged to repeat
what he hail said a short time ago. Ile could not but view
it in one light, namely, that however much the hon.
gentleman might disclaim the intention, it would have the
effect, if parliament were to carry it, of re-imposing NMI(' or
all of the taxes which had recently been repealed or reduced.
Ile called upon the house to negative that proposal. Ever
since the speech of Mr. Huakisson, on which their policy had
been founded, that policy had been steadily acted upon;
and, notwithstanding that it had often been attacked, it
had received a greater impulse from the government of Sir
I R. Peel, who had introduced a measun• on the subject in
1812, and had subsequently been in a position to carry it
fully into effect. Deeply did he (Sir C. Wood) lament that
they were deprived of that aesistanee of the right hon. baro-
net which had so often been rendered to them on similar'
and former occasions. The proposition of the hon. gentleman
was sulutantially the %Me as last year. The house had rejected
it thou. rind he called upon them to negative it now.
(Hear. hear.) Ile called on a majority, whether on that
side of the house or on this, to stand up in defence of Me
trade. It had been subjected to many trials, but
in a little time they would cease; mid free trader=
prove itself to be as beneficial to the agriculturists as it had
up to this moment shown itself to he to every other clam of
the community. and especially to the working population,
front one end of the world to the other. (Cheers.)
Mr. HOIRiSON instanced the depression of landed pro-
perty and of the wages of agricultural labourers in CMOs
berland as evidence that Sire. Wood had been misinformed.
A remedy for the distress in the country might be found in
the reduction of taxation and the reform of the pension list.
Mr. 0. BERKELEY supported the motion, and contro-
verted other portions of the epeceh of Sir C. Wood. He
thought the greatest boon that could happen to the country
would be a dissolution. Throughout the land there was a
general feeling of distrust and disaff,ction. Unless some-
thing was done for the agricultural interest this country
would be plunged into considerable confusion.
Mr. G. SANDARSlikewisegave his support to the motion.
He questioned various allegations of Sir C. Wad; he
showed what be coneidered to be the injurious working of
the present commercial policy, and insisted upon the
inability of the British grower of corn to contend with the
foreigner, referring, in support of his argument, to a variety
of figured statements. He did not urge a reversal of our
present policy; but he contended that it was the duty of
the government, as they had admitted the distress of the
agricultural interest, to do all that was practicable to
relieve it.
After a few explanatory observations from Mr. W.
"Mown, on the motion of the Marquis of GRANBY, the
debate was adjourned until Thursday.
SUNDAY TRADING IN TILE METROPOLIS.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS moved for leave to bring in a bill
to prevent unnecessary trading on Sundays in London.
The motion was opposed by Mr. B•HING WALL, but,
ipon a division, was carried by 70 to 19.
The bill was subsequently brought in and read a first
Me, and the second reading fixed for the 4th March.
The other orders having been disposed of, the house
--fled at half-post 13 o'

A&YE,"ME\'TS TOIL THE PROPERTY AND INCOME I
TAIL—Yesterday a return, obtained by Mr. Cornwall
Lewis, M.P., was printed of assessment. ander Schedule
" A" for the property and iihcome tax in England and
Scotland. Sonic alterations arc expected to be made in the '
mole of collection. The assessments in 1814 and 1815
amounted to 53,495,3761. in England and Wales. In 1842
they were 85,8112,7341. In 1845 to 88,724,2541. ; and in
1848 to 94,538,4721. Tithes have decreased under the Com-
Inntation Act, and railways have increased. In 1842 the
assessment. on railways were 2,417,6101., and in 1848
5,790,3861, The aso,ssm4mts in Scotland were in 1815,
tinder the Schedule " A," 8,642,051.; in 1842,9,481,7611. ;
is 1846, 9,734,4461. ; and ia 1848,10,714,4731,