The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-13 00:00:00

and laughter.) And, therefore, even upon a subject like
that of the paper duty, I find I have very little to say.
(Laughter.) However, I may say this, I had the pleasure of
seeing, in the extensive warehouse of a gentleman now before

me, upon yesterday—l had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful
manipulation, for it is so, performed, which constitutes the
process of packing the goods for exportation. It was im-
possible not to observe on the packages which were put in
order before my eyes, and the bulk of which I believe con-
sisted of worsted, intended for Madras—it was impossible
not to observe a very considerable quantity of paper. Ido
not know whether there may not have been 101bs. or 151bs.

of paper upon every package, it is liable to an excise duty of;
I think, lid. per lb., and it is perfectly obvious to me, with
no great exercise of the understanding to perceive it, that the
lid. per pound laid upon the paper of the package, as far as
the practical operation of the duty is concerned, might well have
been laid upon the commodities themselves. It is precisely
the same operation, and, therefore, undoubtedly the prin-
ciples which have led Parliament to exempt the great manu-
factures of the country themselves^ from the extremely im-

politic and erroneous pressure of excise duty,. is peifectly
capable of extension—when the proper time arrives and cir-
cumstances permit it—(loud laughter)—is perfectly capa-
ble of extension to the material in which the manufactures

are wrapped. (Hear, hear). Now, gentlemen, that is
really all I have to say upon such a subject. (Laughter).
But it is here stated by the Council that they hope to witness

the result of the policy which I have advoCatet continued,
and the increasing prosperity of all classes in the country.
There is one reference in the address of the Corporation
which, before I speak of that subject, I should perhaps no-
tice. It is stated here, and it provoked a smile, not from me

only, but from several others, that the income tax had
been renewed upon a clear and distinct understanding that
at the expiration of that renewed term for which it had been
inforced, the tax should disappear. Now, gentlemen, in a few

words, I may state to you hiAv I consider-the matter stands,

For my own part, I have not in the least degree hesitated to
declare my opinion respecting the Income Tax, and to this
effect—that it being impossible to reconstruct it, a sense of
injustice and inequality in the minds of the community at-
tends its operation—that the people of England have been
found willing to submit to it, and probably would be found
so, for the purpose of attaining any great object of public
policy, or of warding off natural dangers but upon that
very account it was probably not well suited for to form a
par of our ordinary system of taxation. (Hear, hear.) Now
that is my opinion as adindividual. But, as regards Parlia-
ment, you are quite aware that it is impossible, and that the
attempt would be ludicrous to bind the Parliament of 1860.

The present Parliament have made no such attempt. What
the present Parliament has done is this. Knowing that
pledges for the renewal of the Income Tax would be delu-
sive, knowing that they, would only form part of a system of

public imposture which I hope will never be admitted into
the Government of the country, namely, carrying on public
affairs, and supporting the public administration by promises
instead of by performances. Knowing this, gentlemen, we
never attempted to ask this Parliament to bind a future Par-
liament in regard to the continuation of the Income tax. But
what we did was this. We asked of Parliament to adopt

positive measnres for the reduction of the Income Tax in
the time that is to elapse between 1854 and 1860. And
likewise, having from another source, namely, the succes-
sion tax, that which may in some considerable degree replace

the redtiction of the Income Tax, we asked them by adopting
that measure so to reduce the amount of the Income Tax
and so to shape the other fiscal resources of the coun-
try, that in all human probability, and barring the
calamity of a general war, when the year 1860 arrives.
Parliament at that period will be able to do what, since 1845
no Parliament has been enabled to do—that is, to exercise
a free, real, and unbiassed judgment upon the question,
whether there shall be an income tax or not. (Hear, hear).
Now that is what we have done—no more, and, I trust no
less. We have secured to the people of England, through
the medium of their representatives, the power of saying
freely in 1860— and by freely, I mean without a great de-
ficiency of five millions staring them in the face—there is
not much freedom in that (hear, hear, and laughter,) we
have secured to them, by collateral measures, the power
of saying freely whether tbey will continue the operations
of the income tax. (Hear, hear). Gentlemen, I have
endeavoured to place before you, without subterfuge or
evasion, exactly what the Government have done. They
have endeavoured to make such a reduction of taxation as
will place the question, in a practical position for a free dis-
cussion upon the subject. Well, sir, with regard to the
continued and increasing prosperity of all classes in this
country, thank God, I believe that is an admitted fact.
(Hear hear). I believe we arc living now at a time, when
the prices of grain have become very high, yet there is not,
so far as I am aware, one single voice which has been raised
in murmuring accents from one end to the other of the
ountry on account of the high prices. (Hear, and cheers).
The high prices are paid with contentment, because they are
she result of the wisdom of the Almighty, in the inclemency
A the weather he has seen fit to permit. They do not
threaten public security. The intelligence of the people
knows the cause, and although the result may constitute a
burthen, there is no complaint—nay, even I think it is not
going too far to say, that there are many who feel glad that
the farmers, and especially those of them who are happy
oaough to havo good crops upon the ground, that they have
got their turn at last. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) But,
setting aside this partial and temporary exception, there is
a continued and increasing prosperity among all classes of
the country. It is a great and gratifying fact. It is a fact
which we may contemplate with satisfaction, because it is a
fact in which there is no necessary mixture of evil. On the
contrary, we have got rid of the causes which aggravated
the opposition between the interests of classes, and which,
through the pressure of these causes, threatened more or
less, if not the peace, yet, the harmony and good will of the
community. (Hear, hear.) These causes have disappeared.
We see the great progress of industry and of wealth ; thank-
ful, I trust, to God for having permitted us to see those
measures carried, which have so much promoted progress,
upon which we may dwell with satisfaction. And the reason
of that satisfaction, gentlemen, is, I trust, not because those
who were rich before have become somewhat richer now.
(Hear, hear.) A far higher purpose than that has been
attained by recent legislation. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
In regard to the accumulation of wealth, it is indeed, a
wise and holy word—" though riches increase, set not your
heart upon them." It is not for this reason, therefore,
because we have augmented the incomes of our wealthy
classes, that we congratulate ourselves upon the change
which has been brought about. It is because of the opera-
tions of that change upon the fate of this nation—upon the
relative attitude of this and other nations, and upon the
condition of the community at large. (Cheers.) As s egards
the relative attitude of this with other nations, we may
cheerfully hope that the aug,Antation and the
opening up of the channels of commerce, will bring about
that close and more constant intercourse which will neces-
sarily tend to abate that rivalry which has divided and
estranged the countries of christendom from one another,
and beget those sentiments of amity which will tend at least
to obviate these occasions, when the sword must be drawn
for the arbitration of national differences. (Cheers.) La-
bour, which has been ordained for the life of man,— about',
which, if cheerfully and obediently performed, has the cha-
racter of a blessing, but which, likewise, has the character
of a burthen, and which has been imposed, as I may say,
judicially upon our race, labour has been lightened of its
burthens by recent legislation. (Cheers.) The case will
now, we may hope, be rarer, when the soul of the English
artizan, or mechanic, or peasant, will be borne down to the
earth by the grinding necessities of his temporal position.
That legislation, which appears in its first aspect, to concern
itself only with pounds, shillings, and pence, which appear
to regard only the fruits of the earth, and the products of
material industry, ought rather to be contemplated in its
moral aspects, and in its social tendencies. (Cheers.) If'
that legislation has lightened these burthens, which the
masses of mankind are doomed to labour under—if it has
tended to liberate the spirit of man from the necessities
which the body brings upon him—if it has enabled the fa-
ther to make easier and more abundant provision for the
maintenance of wife and children—if it has given him time
in which the repose of his limbs may set hisspirit free for the
contemplation of higher interests, and higher objects,—why,
gentlemen, if these things have been done, and done we know
they have been, the result is one in which all men who have
taken a part in its promotion, however insignificant, may
justly take a deep and cordial pleasure. (Cheers.) For
myself, the part which I have borne is small. I stand in
the presence of a community which has had a great share in
bringing about this beneficial way—l cannot say less—
I may call it this blessed change. (Cheers.) But still it has
really been a change of that character which commonly
belongs rather to- the imagination to conceive than to the
understanding to embody in particular measures, and to the
hand of the statesman to model into the form of a law. It
has been "scattering plenty o'er a smiling land," and the
result is not only in the comfort which is visible in your
great community and elsewhere, but in the state of mind
which prevails throughout England, in that true and real
state of harmony, which although it never can be realized
in this world, yet has come nearer to our hopes, more within
the range of future effects, than ten or twenty years ago we
could venture to presume it ever would. (Hear, hear, and
cheers.) Gentlemen, the community of Mnnchester may
look back back with satisfaction upon the part which it has
played, in promoting the great change in legislation, a
change which has made great progress towards consummation
among us, but which, we must recollect, is only beginning,
is scarcely began, among the other nations of the world.
But the wave which sets from this country will pass over
the surface of the earth. (Cheers.) In former times England
has been to ready to raise the warlike hand, we must admit,
and to set on some occasions a bad example to the nations
of the earth. I trust that she will now set a good example.
(Cheer.) I trust that she is determined to see the effects of
that lesson in the legislation of other countries gradually ex-
tending itselqrom place to place until the utmost results that
could be psssibly hoped shall be achieved. (Cheers.) You,
gentlemen, will enjoy a share of the satisfaction, in contem-
plating the result, such as perhaps no other community
can claim. As for me, and as for my humble individual
efforts, perfectly imperceptible m what they could produce,
yet, depend upon it they will carry with them their own
reward in themselves. Even if they did not carry with
them their own reward, I should find ample and far more
than ample recompence in any amount of toil and pressure
which might entitle me to those documents which now lie
before me, and which have recorded the liaise of Olio great