The Express.
London, England, 1851-01-21 00:00:00

REPEAL OF THE WINDOW TAX.

Yesterday a public meeting of the inhabitants of
the parish of Merylebone, was hslel in the large ;era
attached to the workhouse in the New road, to peti.
lion for the total repeal of the window tax Tim
meeting was attended ,by deputations from Islington,
St. Anne's and others of the metropoli par
ishes,
that parish,
that for Islington cams in procession, mat.y of the mem-
, bees wearing blue soarn, on which were ir teribed in
Imp white letters" unconditional repeal," " no surrender;"
the carriages which conveyed these pattern. n to the semi
of action being placarded with bills bearing &smilax mottoes.
There were about 800 persons prevnt, and amongst the
gentlemen Oa the platform were Sr J. Duke, II P.,
C. Lushinaton, Esg., M.P., W. Williams, M.P., W.
tdowatt. E.g., M.P., Sr De Lacy Evans, M.P. &s ,
Mr. NICILOLAY of Oxford street, was Voted to the chair,
Re observed that they were called together for a very pas•
ticular object, one that affected not themselves only but tin
whole country. Many members of Parliament had bees
invited to attend, end letters from some whom he would read.
The first was from Lord J. Russell, dated 'beefless's street.
The noble lord had been invited as one of the metropolitan
members .and certainly this time he had had the court. ay to
Rive an ins oar which he had not had on previous occasions.
The letter was as to:lows:

Hownirg•street, Jan. 16.
slll.—l am desired by Lord John Russell to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your letter of the 15:h last., and to
state that it will not be in his power to attend the meeting
of the inhabitants of the parish of Maryle,one on .11onday,
20th inst.—l am, &c., Aarncn RIABELL.
M. Capel, Esq.
He would read another letter from one of their repre-
sentatives, Sir B. Hall, dated
Llanover, Abergavenny,Srurday, Jan. 18,11 o'clock.
I have jolt received a letter r.questii g my attendance at
a public meeting to be held the day eta tomorrow, in
favour of the total, immediate, and unc.ndiional repeal of
the wiadow tax._

Agreeing u I do most entirely in the object of the meet-
itip, I regret that it is utterly impossible for me to be
present. A very few days will int between this and
the meeting of parliament, when I must leave my home for
several months, and you may naturally suppose that during
this very short interval, every moment of time is occupied.
I hop* therefore that umy constituents must know hoe
very sincere and asalous a supporter I have been of the
object they have now in view, 1 may be ex used attendance
at the meeting; but they may us:. assured I shall vote as I
always have voted, not merely for the en•ire rep,sl of the
window duties, but for the unconditional repeal of that tax;
and if it is intended to ionic,' a tax uprn houses, I shall be
ready to give my vote against any such proposition. The
inequality and injustice of that tax, remains fresh in our
reculliction.—l have the honour to be, sir, yours faith-
fully, B. HALL.
To the Chairman of the meeting.

Letters had also been received front Mr. Thrmas
Duneombe, M.P., Mr. Wilcox, M.P., Mr. Ewart, M.P.,
Sir J. Cockbarn, the Lord Mayor of York, and other
gentlemen. all expressing full concurrence in toe object of
the meeting, and giving reasons for not attending. Amongst
these was one from Mr. Hume, which was Loa lengthy to
read, but in which that hon. gentleman pledged himself to
du ell be could in parliament to remove the odious window
tax. (ilear, hear.) Meetings like the present, unanimously
expressing the voice of the people, had an influence which
no ministry could resist. This was happily the peaceable
course which the constitution of this country allowed, and
which kept us tree from those scenes of anarchy and blood-
shed to which other nations had of late been exposed.
Peaceful agitation was the weapon with which we combated
the government. That agitation had area :y begun against
the window tax, and it would continue till the object they
had in view was achieved. Let them remember what
agitation had done in past years in removing odious and
unequal fiscal burdens. Let them recollect how successful it
had been in the cue of the corn laws. (Hear, bear.) And
depend upon it, if cor &latently and perseveringly followed
out it would be equally efficacious now. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. FREETH moved the btu resolution, which de-
clared the tax to be wrong in principle and unequal and
oppressive in its operations, and pledged the meeting to spare
no exertion to procure its total and unconditional repeal.
Mr. MILDULL, of Oxford street, seconded the resolu-
tion. If be understood the purpose of the meeting aright,
it was to avow what a minister bad once deprecated the
ignorant impatience of the people under taxation. (Hear,
h. ar.) They were impatient of all taxation—•.f all taxation
kept up to enable young princes to play the field-marshal in
Pt cenix.park, and to afford t.) the juvenile members of the
aristocracy the opportunity of disporting themselves in the
commission of tree Guards to the admiring gaze of the lady
visitors of Hyde Park. (Hear, hear.)
Lord DUDLEY STUART said—l am with you in this
movement as fully and as heartily as it is possible for any man
to be. And I hive now only come forward to tell you so,beeause
I think it is due to this meeting that I should do so, not that
you need soy assurances from me as to my opinion on the
subject, for my votes, often repeated, in t .your of the total
repeal of the window tax, are before you. Probably the con-
stituency of Marylebone know that their present members
have always, es long as they have had the opportunity, raised
their voices against this odious tax, and 01 you may depend
they will always continue to do as long as that tax remains.
(Cheers.) I need not go into any argument at this time of
day to prove that this tax ought to be repealed. (Hear.)
It has been condemned over and over again, year
after year, even before the commencement f the
present century. The window tax n. ver was a po-
pular tax, and it is impoesible it ever could be so, for it is
necessarily unjust, unfair, and oppressive. (Hear, hear.)
It was first imposed with the house tax in 1696, but, at that
time the windows were rated only as a criterion of the value
of the house. The people have never cess.d to protest
against this impost, and again and again it has been altered
—sometimes commuted, sometimes augmented. Mr. I'itt
was the man by whom it had been increased, and that against
the universal cry of the country. A similar cry of con-
demnation was raised now, and with this difference in the
result from what it had in Pitt's time—that whereas then it
had failed, now it would be successful. (Cheers) Whenwe
next appeal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he will
not meet us with a no. I believe he dare not do so.
(Cheers.) We have borne this tax far too long. In my opi-
nion the people have been to blame for suffering it so long
to remain. But it becomes the more intolerable now,
inasmuch as those who now wield the govern-
ment of the country were themselves while in opposition
amongst those who were loudest in their denunciation of it.
For my part I Anil be happy to stand up in parliament as
your representative, to oppose the tax in every possible way.
(Cruets.) I can also answer for my hon. colleague, whose
letter has been read, and from whom I have also received a
private letter, expressing his entire and hearty concurrence in
our obji ct. On the last occasion when the proposition for &ha-
liehing the tax was made, we stood together and voted together
in opposition to the tax, and had every metropolitan member
at .ended and done the same on that occasion, a different
result might have followed. (Hear. hear.) My hon.
colleague then stated that during the 20 years he had eat in
the house, he had never omitted au opportunity, whenever
the subject was brought forward, of recording his vote
against the tax. You may be assured then, that those who
represent you will do all they can towards the entire
abolition of a tax which presses on you so shamefully and
en unjustly. (Hear, hear.) I look forward to the session of
1861 as one, that, as compared with previous sessions, will at
least have a glorious commencement. I expect to see
the Chancellor of the Exchequer coming forward
at once on the opening of parliament and declar-
ing that there shell be an end of the window tax.
(Cheers, and a voice," I wish we miy get it.") That is my
hope, and that also is my opinion. (Hear, hear.) But if
I should bin deceived in my expectations, the right hon.
gentleman may be certain we will offer such a determined
opposition to him and his financial measures, that, despite
his intentions, be will find himself compelled to come beck
to that point, and to do justice to the popular demand.

Sir BE LACY EVANS said that be also had opposed the
window tax for 20 years, but so long had it been under die.
cumion that it would not be necessary for him to go into any
detailed arguments against it. There was only one topic
to which it would be necessary for him to allude. The tax
itself was doomed, if they were to believe the journals sup-
posed to be en the confidence of the government; but with
the announcement of its fall came another announcement of
sinister import, namely, that it was to be replaced by what
was termed a moderate bones tea. (No, no.) He
agreed in that expression of dissent, for he looked
upon the house tax as nothing but a modification
of the present obnoxious impost. Besides, they had already
a house tax in the property tax. (Hear, hear.) He had not
a good opinion of Chancellors of the Exchequer generally,
but he believed the present to be one of the best of the lot.
Bade the best.") But he could not give him say support in
proposal of that kind. Seventeen years ago he had headed
as agitation for the repeal of the house tax, and therefore it
would be most inconsistent in him to support its re Imposition.
(Hear, hear.) In his opinion, this was the point to which,
leader present circutnatencess, public attention should be
dieectel. It wee said, forsooth, that the deficiency must be
@applied. He doubted very much whether there would be any
deficiency, but if there should be, there were many ways of
supplying it without interfering with the health or comforts
of the people. (Hear, hear.) In the first place, there was en
ascertained surplus of two millions; but even if they had
not, still was the public expenditure to be economised.
(Cheers.) Seeing that there were so many speakers to
address them, be would not be extravagant in expenditure of
their time, but would confine himself to again directing
their attention to the insidious proposition of • house-tax,
about which so many ingenious feelers were being thrown
out. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. W. WILLIAMS, M.P. said he had heard the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer say that there was nothing new to
be said on this subject. He could confirm that opinion,
because he bad been engaged for 2,5 years in advocating the
aboliion of the window-tax, although never with so much
hope as at the present moment. A substitute for the tax was
proposed, but, in his opinion, little less objectionable than the
tax itself. He contended that no substitute was

itinerary, bat that, as in former came, every reduction
of particular taxes would only increase the general
re•enue. He hoped that the Howie of Commons
woald go for the repeal, not only of We, but of many other
taxer. (" Stop the supplies.") Well, he was quite ready
to do so if necemary--(loud cheering)—but as the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer wan holding oat the olive branch, he
would not throw out any threats until they were absolutely
necessary. (Hear, hear.) Ha•ing alluded to the budget
of 1835, and the large increase in expenditure which had
•inee telt, a place, amounting to 1 millions in the
• ori,,us departments, Mr. Williams concluded by stating
that if the Chancellor of the Exchequer should consult him,
he would be able to thole him many methods of supplying
the place of the window tax, and many others of which
the people were complaining of so loudly. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was then yut and carried unanimously.