The Express.
London, England, 1850-02-20 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 20, 1850.

IMPERIAL P.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TvaiDAT, FEE. ID.
'no Low) CIIA/SCIILOI took kb slat opts H. Wookask
at oclock.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
1110111TCTLITIAL PIWTICTION —NA•I4IIATIONLAWI.—B7
So Duke of RICHMOND, from eke asstora division of
Eass.skire, Is favour of agricultural protassMalsta
lead prat,
for a mall of Ike oscillation laws as rogaraal

RAILWAYS ABANDONWRIFT BILL.
Bad ORANVILLYL la mass the mead ►wditle 4
•Y bill, said it woe itlestially as mum as that which
pawed through t►e other tear of parliament last reolow.
Alva a abort couvereatied; la grUa. the Lord Ckaareller,
Lord Lea/dale, the Dula of &Wsted, sad Lord Beau.
mat took rart,
Lad MONTRAOLI aggelled *aim the AM iaeleate,
would be better to refer the hill to a WM committal.
Earl ORAN VILLE sag that he would made: that
attar, sad etato the malt ea Mundy seat.
The bill wet that reed m mad tine.
TRANSFER OF LAND (IRELAND).
The Rai at OLIINOALL enowded a bill to facilitate the
lemeht of lad is Irelmi, whisk was nod • lint
Their lardada Mamma at a quarter pact 8.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—ThseDAT, FEn. 19.
Tile 13r4azza task 11144144 at • quarter to 4 cVaLsek.

MANCHESTER RECTORY.
Oa the coder et the day for the mead remain of the above

001.7LBrRN compleised that a measures( so mach
importance should he allowed to pen unnedised through the
hours se a private bill. lie trusted that to eumwdetwe the
rights of the church sad of individuals would ha taken eiam
GA sad, therefore, ha would not offer my opposition in the
meant stare of the bill.
Bit R. INOIIB took a similar view of the question. A
measure which had reference to the spiritual wants of
450,000 people could hardly be looked upon so a private
bin.
After an observation trout Mr. Cnairrontia, the bill was
not a second time.

PUBLIC BUSINESS.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
POST OTFICI.—By Mr. CHRISTOPHER, from Lincoln-
shire Mr. LOCKHART, from Newark; Colonel MURE,
hem Renfrew; Mr. 0. BUNCOMBE, from the Hest Riding
of Yorkshire, Colonel BOLDERO, from Chippenhans ;
Lord J. MANNERS, from Colchester; Mr. MACKEN-
ZIE, from Sothetlend; Mtjor BERESFORD, from Eifel
Mr. T. EGERTON, from Runcorn; Sir JOSHUA
WALMSLEY, from Bolton ; for a cessation of Sabbath
Motu is the Past-offios.

Aoatcrtsvinr. Priori(' tion.—By Sir J. Y. BULLER,
Iron 16,390 i 'habitants of Devonehire ; Lord E. MAN-
NERS, from Stafford; Sir J. TROLLOPS, from Lincoln-
shire Colonel KNOB, from Great Harlow; Mr. R.
TIMOR, from Cuwarthenshire ; Sir J. WALSH, lion
Radnorshire; praying for agricultural perfection.

- NOTICES OF MOTION.
LAnouttso Caasszs.—Mr. RANEY postponed for a
kstaight hie sown respecting the coadition of the labouring
alasses.

---
Tate FRANCIIISI.-84 DE LACY EVANS, on Tuesday
am, to more for leave to bring ia a bill extending the
franchise to all persoc s paying a direct tax to the crown. or
befog used to the amount of 51. annually for the relief of
the poor.
Pau. SIONST.—Mr. R. BERKELEY, on 'the 25th of
February, to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty to lay on
the table papers respecting certain vessels, the Princess
Amelia aid others, w►icb, between the years 1745 and 1747,
sealed from Bristol with letters of marque sad captured
'moral prizes, =Aiming in value to nearly a million of
/mosey.

UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE.
la reply to Sir R. Isaias,
Mr. HEYWOOD crated that he must postpone his motion
on the subject of the Universities until after Easter.
SAVINGS BANKS' DEPOSITS OF PENSIONERS.
Mr. H. HERBERT, refernng to a circular issued from
the War-office some yews ago with the view of encouraging
military men and oessionen is Ireland to deposit their
smogs in savinas barks, promising government security,
can to the fact that is am* instances government had made
goad tepenisaire in Ireland the deposits los.. by the Whin
of dame basks, inquired whether the chestier had
extended te thisoonnitry, sad whether deposits P.m by the
tailors dealings backs in England would be mad. good in
like .maser to pesaioaen ?
Mr. F. WAVLE replied that the circular had extended to
Eashad, but se payment had been made by government of
deposits of the nature referred to is this country. The
sway weld only be made good by an order from the
Maneary.
SAVINGS' BANKS.
Mr. SPOONER wished to know whether the Chancellor'
of the Eatikequer would be able to bring on his motion with
mord to this savings' banks ea Friday ?
Lord J. RUSSELL did not expect his right hon. fnend
the Chaacellor of the Each, quer would be able to attend ;
sad ant the other balsam fixed for that day would be
reseeded with.
OFFICERS' WIDOWS.
Colonel CHATTERTON inquired whether the Secretary
at Wes bad any objection to errant a return of all officers'
widows who have applied (or pensions Woes the Ist day of
January, 1840; stating the names of the applicants, the
rank of their deceased hushands, the soma per annum
granted to each, and, in case of any refusal, the reason
of such reveal, with reference to " wealthy circumstances "
only.

Mr. FOX MAULE explained that the warrant under
which pensions wore awarded to the widows of military offi-
cer& gave no claim of right, but the peados was given by
the crews under the roeulations of the warrant issued by
the sign manual. He had no objection to give a return of
the number of officers' widows now reneiviag peasioce, the
rates of such pensions, and the task of the deceased husband
in each case, but it would be invidious to give the names of
those lichees/hose ci remestanees compelledthem to become re-
cipient' of the public bounty—(hear)—and he must in like
mariner and for the same reuon decline to give the names
of those who had reused the grant; on the ground that they
were in wealthe circusestanses and did not require it. The
task of awarding these mashies was a task of no small diffi-
culty, but it was • duty which had always been executed
with fidelity by his predecessors is can, seed which he had
always endeavoured to execute faithfully. (Cheers.)
INCOME TAX.
Mr. HENLEY Myths called attention to the reduced
value of real property ekes the valuation of 1838, on which
the income tax was levied, inquired if government intended
to bring is a measure empowering pencil whose incomes
were in consequence diminishid to claim a reduction in the
amount charged on them for income tax, and also to tenants
whose rents had bun reduced, but who were still amused on
the basis of the old nut ?
Lord J RUSSELL replied that it was not the Inteotioa
of the government to propose any alteration in the Income
Tax Act, though he should not object in such cues to any
amelioration which could be afforded under the act as it
steed. (Rear, hear )
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.—THE POOR RATE.
Mr. DISRAELI presented a petition from Great Marlow,
setting forth the difficulties tinter which the proprietors of
real property were labourieg, in consequence of the undue
burdens imposed upon them, and the operations of free
trade, and praying Icr the restoration of protection. He
bad mother petition to the same effect from the Society for
the Protection of Real Po piety in Baths, which, however,
Mice he came into the house he found he was unable, in
consequence of an informality, to present.
The petition having been laid on the table,
Mr. DISRAELI again rose, and said, Mr. Speaker
—The depression among these classes connected with
frecitalture, referred to by the petition, whose prayer I
have jest placed upon the table, matinees since the meet-
ing of parliament, when that depression received no wisps-
thy from her Majesty's government—l may toy no
recognitics—(hear, hear, from the Thenprooists)—it
become even darker and more lowering. 300,000,0001.
of capital invested in the cultivation of the soil by the farmers
yields so profit to the cultivators of that soil. Another year has
commenced, bringing them the same gloomy prospect in
this respect as the one just concluded. The value of the fee
itself is deteriorated—Other, hear)--ead the factitious
employment of the 'showing population in the rural die•
theta, which, to the honosz of this country, has takes place,
necessarily and naturally daily diminishes. ACheere.) Since
these topics were last adverted to is this house, the report of
the poor law board, to which the minister on that occasion
coshdently referred, has been placed is the hands of
members, and we have seen in that report the date from
which the government justly draws the conclusions on which
they founded the arguments they then used. I am boned
to say that almost from the commencement of this year 1
have siyiell received—(and I believe in stating what has m-
oaned to myself I am only repainting the position of every
c iLetssan in this house conaected with the agricultural
)—I have myself r. milted reports from a considerable
amber of unions in toe eountry, which convey • different
malt to that which is so anuratelrregorted m the docu-
mentto which I have referred. (Hear, hear.) But the
dote of the aggregate of facts there pointed to our cotta was
may tap to the first day of the present yur. It since then
that that employment, which is
ventured to describe as
faseitious. has greatly dimiuithed in the agricultural dice a
thus. (lieu, Mu.) It was my lateution on this point to
have moved hi the house for returns up to the 18th of
February, similar to that we have up to the beginning of the
year, but I found that such a return would entail es • I
bunch of the administration which has already greatly
exerted itself to afford authentic information to the house
and to the coon ry—(hear, bear)—so enormous an amount
of trouble that I relinquisthd the ilea. And I might Indeed
(though I wish the task had fallen to one of greater inn,
veer) venture a remark on the general conduct of
that Manch of the administration. Per many years the
central management of the poor law emited ao much
conttmeny and odium that it must be mat satisfactory a.
contrast the position which it now occupies with reference to
public opinion to that which it occupied three years aeo.
I Oreat cbeerieg, ) I shall avoid on this occasion entering
into any invidious comparison in the attempt to investigate
the causes which have produced this result, but it certainly
nun be a source of as much gratification to the country, Si
doubt it is to the government, that this brand of
1110 OlainlOtistiont so indnistely cuiwcted with the
pm*, should lie cosousted, as I believe it Is,
a imam to entitle it to public ocatitloato. (Rau.)

Dot my, speaker, we haw tersight so laquire:sthat is the bat
eiline to take to resew% if PealthkeettinniT In Id lei
ve
glsge:realimisi nnilisli ihensiegobilievisgsat
Ural& ash,
Whim oftelemed by ressatingidatiwrametira
onosee); by the ressien`alteradeas ia Vigintird,
girwaremmit repeal of the law IN* termed she iiims,
Mika el hmiss rodeos. (Ir ,lent..)) We imiliiii, es
1 Wades of the hawse that the the mai Oil lim mai
effineitins mode, is* the slob in Ihs Mt ism illi I
I be the most sivssimesans Is the esmarstie. sod stir masmi
=ia tho @wow" maid be the sewsisbiblmene et
we obi* n=rialei tbo==
ante
:111 =1:=Illam Issas hinsliss) Tholes *AIN
re Letranikile insibesi=i,meas volikhissemuissmasort. 11
isgkasilshgleg W Is Ibis imam. (Ohms
hem the amilmenesi dds efiVrenss) TIM Mese S
to who, and him and use mey MEWS W beim (Chasm)
Speaks Or mystif mil *5.1 momma it
Sinn I bras
Um hewer la oft I nay WM a• ail Is im, way it
from es the es**. (limas) Ire lava Isms
=L ear opinion le essihis tits esselodest whisk
meet mid Omgh as mewl we lave
atesespeeffiladvomme I. this hems is wiped es Ili pat'
"abject. (Hear, beer.) Ws Me believe As priesigiss es
which yea haw often rated pm Lainiffild lege oft nen
Wee. (peosennalet cheers.) We still believe ilea lims thas
will come whist you will acksmelsigi she Indi ef sims
oftertioa youssives. (Chesis) link eilleno I spit '
ant of elision that dimwits is the ssnl of shim ISM eili of
the free oftatly, and though I know, M less{ I hikes.
t 0.,, are occasions whoa ramendeft, log ase:Alsmsmisms,
sob of the highest dusy and mut messelpt OW is
e ; mill I met amino my wriaiss•we • nlnno=
shoe is is not advantageous Mat Ibis haw
Imams a mare dreads(
_misty.ham.)
And, generally speaking, I this& iiionsdea Amid nutbe
originated ankle it be emassini with some medial tab-
jut of immediate attainment. (Him, haw.) Now. lilt
I will speak with the mss whose brass= es this plat.
A the divisions on the solibmas in bath beasts of perils
mat, we were of opinion that @sly .me ammineisa amid be
draws flint theme fide i sad theegb in neither beams the
divides was at all ia renting, to MIS merits of that radar
trial system which h popularly korai* by the name of pro-
tittles, still we gotaM not list oar i to the fact,
the prasileal esankaiss. that it some the Maim el a large
easiesky Is bells he et ssuilansal Ikea it wadi be un-
wise te dhamb ma Om sessimmone whhh this se
ntrybed ao nerraily at is ebb Impost. (Roa, hear.)
, Under Mow desnmslemssai, and as we do a
' Unto body el the polio sits see in %bonsai thew
opinion by Moth of these changes In law, and having
arrived at the onivictisa that no remedial measures, so far
Si in abrogatlos of recent legislation, would be obtained
from the present parliament, it becomes our duty to see and
to consider what entree might be taken which, without
controverting the convictions of the majority of the house,
might nevertheleesoa far u the fortunes of the th-
units were concerned, be of a remedial character. I(ithreirs.)
From the time these fiscal controversies first commenced in
this house,' have always seen,samming that those laws which
regulated the industry of the country would be repealed—l
Wm
always seen looming in the distance a great alternatives
fle whisk I have been surprised your moot eminent states-
men have shut their eyes. I have away@ thought it
you repealed those law, which regulated the indus-
try of the country, 'spinally those which refer to
the agricultural indusuy ot the country that the cultivators
of the sod and all claims connected with the cultivation of
land would offer this alternative to the government—" If you
deprive us of the system of legislation under which for so bag,
a period, and under Tunas modifications, we have enjoyed
oar property or pursued our industry we shall ask this of you
in the name ofjastin, In the name of hameaty—that you at
lust adapt our positions to the altered circumstances in
which you have placed us—(hear)—and that you rune the
system of taxation which prevails in this country with refer-
ence to its equal and just distribution." (Loud protectionist
cheers.) I do not think the claims of the
various classes connected with the soil could be placed
more neatly or more consistently before the House
than they are stated in the petition I have presented to the
house to-day. They demand of the government of the
country two things—diet, that they should be placed on a
footing of equality with their fellow subjects; and they de-
mand in the secArd plate that they should be plead in their
own market on an equality with the foreigner. (Renewed
protectionist cheering.) They refer is the first instance to
that enesmous system of peculiar taxation from which the
majority of the people of this country are exempt, bet which
they have to beer—(hear, hear)—and they refer is the
second place to those decal restrictions which, when yea
have placed them in direct competition wilt heelmene,
prevent them from ex, fling their utmost mungies and
availing themselves of the greatest and freest rerrearess—
(Cheers.) It appears to me, sir, that these are shims lee-
golly expressed and founded on severe judos—(verawed
sheering from the same quarter)—end if than who hurried
on—as I believe most unhappily hurried on—the repeal of
thaw laws which regulated the importation of Melo agri-
cultural produce, did not at the time sufficiently tad ear
platelf consider the consequenc e of the course they now
'among—if they did not well and fully w
in " whoa mum
am
be the inevitable result of the new system mg* to
establish, much as I may regret the we of ea=
so enicent—great and even perilous se may be the ewer
quinces of their intention—l mason as the repreasedstive of
an agricultural constituency refrain hem ding my duty to
those who sent ne hers—(hew)—and in this House of
Commons, where there may be a majorit of economists
I arum think I am acting wrong if, notwithstanding their
anamaical convictions, I declare that I have still conti•
demo in the justice of Englishmen. (Cheers.) My business
insight is to touch, and only partially, on one portion of
that great theme which, I believe, will for a considerable
time mull the attention of parliament. (Protectionist
almses.) Tra hoe. member then reviewed in detail the
miens cluses of tax and rates oonoerning which he had
resolutions to propose. These rates he argued, even by the
admission of Mr. Home, fell in great measure upon the oc-
'spier and tiller of the land. Dilating upon the paramount
importance of the territorial population, and its value
as a creator of wealth and preserver of order, Mr.
Disraeli appealed from the judgment of the house to that of
the country in denial of this dogma that land was to be
lumped up with other raw material, of labour. Yet, even
accepting that dogma, he argued that other raw materials
were more favoured by the legislature than the land. The
margin of profit storied by the remiss on he should propose
would redeem large districts frees impending abandonment
sad sterility. The hon. member then referred to the sub-
jest of rent, and vindicated the landlord cam from the sneer
whisk stigmatieed it as limited, luxurious and
Willa. Mr. Disraeli then proceeded thus: I took
cession recently. to meatioa, availing myself of the
✓esearch and opinions of some of the most eminent writers
en the subject, I took occasion to remind the house that the
&rafter of lauded proprietors In the United Kingoom was
probably about 250,000. (Cheers.) Now, I ask the holl-111
to consider what is the aristocratic element el that numerous
and important class? I Imagine that you could not
fix upon a batter test, to ascertain a truth of
so much importance, than to canteen the number of ma-
norial emus in this country. It is a subject upon which you
will not probably find • return ready to your hand in the
libraries. But we all know that in the United Kingdom
every parish is a manor, though every manor is not a parish.
but, with that great fact to guide us, and allowing most
liberally for those manorial estates that are not parochial—
allowing even that one-fourth of the manorial estates are not
pagetehial, and that is a very liberal allowance, you will pro-
Llfind that there are 20,000 manorial estates in Eng-
(Hear.) The manorial estates constitute the aris-
tocratic element. They are the estates of that " squire-
! arehy," as they are called, whose pmonsl estates
are alone concerned when they legislate for the land.
Well, thee, you find the aristocratic element in the class of
landed proprietors is exactly one-tweifth of the whole. But,
divide this by the rent. Take the rental of the United
Kingdom at 60,000,0001. • year; and if yon divide that by
2.50,000, you find that each of then has 2401. a piece. But
as we all know that many of them have more, it follows that
many have much lase. (Hear, hear.) Yet this is the class
who are painted always to the passions of the people as a
luxurious, profligate, end aristocratic class, though they are
the most thrifty, the most industrious, the most hard living
class, as a clue, that probably exist in the United
Kingdom. (Cheer..) I say, than, with reference to
the interests of this ctais„ yon ought to legis-
late according to than rding to jus-
tice, and according to those economic principles, as they are
called—which you are constantly parading. And, therefore,
it is that from these conclusions I arrive at this result—that
say discusai.n as to the incidents* of taxation whether you
say it fall on the owner or the occupier, In eider to decide
whether you should do that which you ought only to do ac-
cording to the principles of political justice and economic
truth, is, and has been heretofore, perfectly idle, and that in
taking that course which argonaut, and reason, and autho-
rity alike recommend, you ought not to warder whether
your are benefiting an owner or an occupier, but whether
you are doing justice to a most important interest—
the land of England—(hear, hear)—and, in doing
that justice, whether you are permitting that
land, which you h.e. thrown into competition with
all the soils in the world, to be worked in a remunerative
manner 2—whether the profit go to a landed proprietor, or
to an occupying tenant. (Loud cheers.) Now, sir,. with
these opinions I proceed to call the attention of te Mau to
the first branch of this important subject to which I have
adverted, namely, the relalon of the agricultural interest in
all its clams to the g serf taxation of the country.
(Hear.) I nave, before this, with the indulgence of the
house, taken the opportunity of calling their attention to'
the general subject of local taxation in lin.eland. The facts
which I then placed before them w, re not contravened at
the time. They have nut since barn disputed, and indeed
may gentle tun of official authority, who took part in the
debate, acknowledged the fasts to be correct. On
that weadon I shooed to the house that the clam
connected wilt, the eel in Nogl.nd, iidependeutly of
eoLtribating to the general revenue of this country, con-
tributed to another revenue in England to the amount
alone of 12,000,0001,—(cheer)—that all the objects for
whteh that sound revenue was raised were objects of
resent interest and national concern. On that MOW= 1
included the land tax in the aggregate amount. I took
that tax at 2,000,0001. The soundness of that proceeding'
war acknowledifti by the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
and would he by say gentleman who had given attention
direct
etosnubjtretleada", wadi admitted that
trough
thought it wasloiCallt wyaira a 4isodt"
there was a difference between it and the other 10111155 of
pirial°'....4 iiezeitinri. bisil
it.""illd.:itt
attywaselliP:oiedna
isttuholtythteraseammemaill.".ra
se to-day. It is only anthers ntance - how Ihe
land of England has at all times haft made the machine ft
paying more into the Exchequer than it was jUltifitri in
doing—(hear, hoar)—fee the land-tax was originally a tut

ea all Wads of sad it would sot be dillicult to
chow that perhaps Ixo,ooooool. bays betatziet by the land,
osier the Wawa. of that la Jostles,
ita:daot to (Ohosialsa= tabk. la Fovea
■ the Wag thladoa of ttesidaytaitusiedl Marble ta•aigbt,
whigh 1 aria, sad aot the Ifsa-saz, at
=t.
..!..lA.rtar I. sk.. that tho_ house

Mat in eaw lit j sa l aleareeter of this pe-
nile:- revenue whisk le sir elleileitably raised, and
whlitlies been subseftesflee milk a spkit of 'Worsen for
se leag • period, la WNW that It nig nitre properly con
eider fin realist Irma of that taxation to which I am
obese to .ail i ..Nestles seers spedfiedly. That breach
of the lesel tandem an the United Hie giose to which I
Isla to sae selealisa is, la bet, the poor Tahoe. (Hear,
liar.) I 16e, eir, that a geatlemen, the him. member for
(Yr. Andersen), has given nodes to mono an
t epos my modern to-sight, to white I will for
• menesat advert. I w that Mr. Animus is
tomem, es an amemimeall IS my motisa. tt Oar tbei
op-
pada4mest of a whet minnffillen to Is arise late the effects
of tee Wes be &MOOD du Importation et eons and
Mier Morimalimal Rua the year 1816 to the year
MB, both laskeles ; eh% Me the relative amounts taw.
Ohm. lessi sod gesual, midi have been levied dialog
dee mos parish ea eadmilmel sad ether Ferny sag
tammmes." lfew tima opus's is me, railer seehmey
m the meem
ehmealmess, ttibe
be a r
way smilbb
Wks; mei Vibe Ma.
= hi he Odom_ Minim
Ihr es, hobs lei is this hmasei=kl.9l:
weedhlatres=it m sa imegyesei Memo lama I ma
assure Mistime all the imilematim he dukes as be els•
tuned on ids Impertmat WINS systol e. ad Net If he
examines the whim reperls et eammelliess sa syrieslters,
who ban set In this buss and in the Hesse of -Lords, he
will dad every broach ottrmatiea imply supplied, and
he would net have doused it metraery to move this mead-
ant. Indeed, I bays bare, imatissi by a geatlsman of
gnat authority, a Oise' of all the bilmiemstien upon this
which hornlike& It ie not calf from the year 1816
ea eke 1848, but from the year 1800 to the year 1848.
Awl, sir, he will fled that landed property has psid
brie. that period 681,000,0001., drawn from nulls-
semstary returns, to 169,000,0001. which other property has
paid. (" Hear, hese," and lead protectionist churn.) Now,
as I do not myself--as I anise wish to insist upon the com-
parative trideatm paid by the difetiat daises of real pro-
perty—as I thank it *re kw the lad to pay peculiar
taxes, au this fahemsdes, with ask noire that refers to
the amendment, really is net of the 'lightest value tome. I I
will make se use of it in my Matement or argument, but as,
in the huh thiaps of his, an lohersimage of parliamentary
courtsey is use the bees asegisable—(" hear," and laughter)
—I brought the ithentatkm down to the house to We hen.
gentlemen, in order that he might make us of it In his
speech. I venture to uy that if he =Au good use of it,
his speech will be one seldom equalled for statistical informs.
lion, but, unfortunately for him, the effect will be
that all his fasts will entirely refute all his foregone con-
elution. (Loud laughter and protectionist cheen.) New,
I venture to call your attention for • moment to a conside-
ration of the nature of the poor-law. I have cove before
taken the liberty of saying that et appeared to me that the
poor-law was a law which could oaty be vindicated on two
principles--eithu as a matter of polio!, or sea matter of
social duty. If a matter of police—lf it be the interest of
society that, by providing for these in want, society should
be secured from the consequences, from violence, and from
repine • send if it were viewed thus, u a matter of police, it
was eqiudly the interest of all concerned, and it ought to be,
of course, supported by all. (Renewed chews.)
But, if we take the higher view, and consider
the maintenance of the poor, which we on this side of the
house do consider it to be, a matter of social duty, then it is
quite clear that, if it be a social duty, ft is the duty*, all
&wording to their mesas to support it, and therefore it ought
au to be • tax and ought not to be an impost charged on one
kind of property. (Continued cheers.) But every gentle-
man knows it is an impost charged on one kind of property.
(Hear.) I will not enter into a wearisome inquiry to entr-
ain the amount of the property which is subject to this ins-
pat, end the amount of those properties which are privileged
and exempted. Never mind whether it is a fourth or
a third of the income of the country whether
80,000,0001. bear the charge which 240,000,0001. ought
to bear, or whether the actual figures might not make the
disproportion and injustice still stronger. The great truth
remains that the vast majority of the property of the country
does not fulfil the social duty which all acknowledge. (Loud
cheers.) It is said, and has been meetly said, with
no novelty of observation, but with some authority of semi-
' meat, that land In this country Is inherited or °therein
acquired subject to this charge and similar Agrees ; but we
shall now more pertieelsrly confine moselves to the top c
before us, that of the poor law subject to poor rates. Thetis
an observation that always tells, and that perplexes if it does
not convince; but, with rer-rence to this proposition,
then is one simple but efficient observation to make
upon it—that it is not tens. (Loud protectionist
cheers.) It clearly is not bus with respect to
Ireland. (Hear, hear.) The land of ;relied was not
acquired or inherited subject to poor rates. It clearly is not
true with respect to another of her Majesty's kingdoms—the
land of Scotland. (Hear.) The land of S.ditland was not
inherited or otherwise acquired subject to the tax of roar
rates, But it is not true with reference to a very considerable
portion of the lead of England. The house would be sur-
prised if they investigated the topic to fled that a con-
siderable number of estate, of some large estates, and of
same yeoman estates—they would be gunned at the num-
ber of estates in England which were not acquired or inhe-
rited subject to this charge. (Hear.) I had intended to give
some names of proprietors of these interesting estates to
the hones, but I decline to do so because the
list would be imperfect, and lead to erroneous conclusion,.
If you come to me and say, "this man's estate was
inherited or sequined subject to an impost," I must
rip up the annals of the country, and ascertain whether
that property was not iaberited or acquired subject
to other taxes which gave it an adventitious value. Sir, I
think the time has come when we must seriously consider
whether we cannot adapt the position of all those classes con-
netted with the land, as regards taxation, to the new cir-
cumstances in which parliament has placed us. (Hear.)
We do not on this side of the house relinquish one jot of the
opieions we have maintained. (Protectionist cheers.) We
shall be prepared at the fitting moment, when opportunity
offers, when the occasion serves—when the house, from
experience, may be more disposed to listen to the
accents of truth we shall then remind you
of the system you relinquished, and perhaps of the disasters
you have consummated. (Hear, hear.) But, in the mean-
time, accepting your legislation as effected, understanding
that • pledged majority is resolved to act upon that legisla•
Linn, which we believe is every hour more injurious to the
interests of thew we stand hers to support, we feel it our
duty to commence • series of measures temperately brought
forward, sustained only by argument, open to refutation if
you can refute our views, which will, in the aggregate.
materially benefit the suffering interests that we wish to
aid. (" Hear," and cheers.) Now, sir, lest year when
I called upon the house to smut to a motion with respect
to our Lee taxation, I was met with the objection that
the design was too vast, and that even if the arguments on
which it was founded were admitted, the state of the ex-
chequer would not admit the government to accede to my
suggestions. I hops—nay, I am sure, to night I will not
be told that because I confined my observations to one por-
tion of the greet field, I took a limited view. Now, I
should propose several resolutions in committee, if the house
will consent to go into committee, the object of which will
be, to mitigate the distress and depression felt ia the esti-
cultural districts at the present moment, believing as I do
that that distrees and depression are passing clouds, es com-
mercial distress and depression are in the habit of being
described in this house. In case, then, I can induce fits
house to go into committee, I should propose in the
first place as the first resolution, that some not inconsidera-
ble rtmission of taxes on real property be made, a remission
which would not be subject to either of the objections I have
alluded to, and partially combated. I should take as the
basis of my first resolution the establishment charges in the
United Kingdom, and which are scarcely, it at all, con-
nected with local administration. Your system of local
administration would remain intact, pure, perfect—your
machinery unaltered, your checks complete, even though
the house should secede to the resolution that from
the 25th of March, 18-50, the establishment charges con-
nected with the relief and maintenance of the poor for the
United Kingdom should be furnished from the general
revenue of the country. That, I think, would amount to
a sum of 1,600,0001. Establiehment charges are barely
subject to local adminietratioo, and recollect that no men,
even with the greatest powers of braes—(laughter)—
can rise and say that estates have been acquired
subject to such charges. (Chun.) Their origin
was known, not to the oldest, but to the youngest
inhabitant. (Continued laughter.) I should proceed, then,
to deal with those rates which, generally speaking, have
been raised by the machinery of the peer law, but which
have nothing whatever to do with the maintenances of the
poor. The abrogation of these rates would not interfere with
our system of local government, and in future I would pro-
pose that they be raised upon the general revenue of the
country. (Hoer.) The registration of births and deaths cost
the country n0v1760,0005 a year, and the preparation of the
jury end borough lists oust 24,0001. a year, and both these
amounts real property hes to pay, together with the cost of
the sanitary law. The aggregate of these miscellaneous
' rates passed in this hones almost without observation, and
within the last few year., and not including the establish-
ment charges, is nearly half a million sterling for England
alone, and no human being can rise and give any reason why
this tax should alone be charged upon the real property of the
United Kingdom. I should propose, thin, In committee
that from the 25th of March, 1860, all those rates levied
ustd.T the machinery of the laws for the relief and mainte-
nance of the poor, either by the county rate, the police rate,
or the er abliabinent charge., be defrayed by the coneol,doted
fend. I hope these two resolutions are sufficiently explicit
to induce the hon. member for hiontrows to vote for them as
he half promised yesterday. (A laugh.) I should also pro-
Ilese in committee that from and alter the 26th of March,
1860, the casual pour throughout the United Kingdom
*mild be • shall* transferred to the general revenue.
(Loud protectionist cheers.) This is net at the present
moment • peculiar charge. It is heavy in Scotland,
sad in England It is Waited on the union rate.
Now, sir, I think there is to be said in favour of these pro-
in the first place, that they are just, and in the
'Jocund pleat, that they ere essentially practisal. They re-
quire no machinery, they destroy no old machinery. The hulk
of them may be furnished from that balance in the exchequer
of which we have beard so mush. I think it of great
importance that a minister who presides over an overflowing
treasury, represeutlng the WWI that hays produced title
prosperaty.—l will as say at the cost of agricultural dianses.l
bat auspiciously concomitant with it—(protectionist elteers)--
I eay can *mein no position happier, no occasion more
felicitous, than for the noble lord to come torward and say,
" I have unbroken faith in the principles on which the nom.
ml renal system of England is founded. I believe that Awes
principles, to wliiek I gue • tardy but a sincere went,

are the rat mars of the wide prosperity of my.--
courry. I deeply deplore that lb. Imre-
Mat blilllllll4 of the state is at this 111011IMIS I
111144111,6 haft bees e.gl safeties, and
time Is )601 a prosper of as faurrefOr bat I
am happy, r a rural stateman, to same leeward, add I •,
do amaze the leaded obsess of this sourer sad all the
*linters of the soil that then Y la the mirth, and In the
pediment of Begird a darn sympatlibl/izwith their suffer.
lags, and, what is mere important, thee in some degree
to mitigate them." (Chows.) I appeal th confirms to
the noble lord, because be has on more than ous accedes
:a
ura what men be earful is hint, a_ sympathy with the
t dames. I sonnet holleve, that, Is
the permit star of the Murry, when ropssitiens
Meet% foreard, as I think, with lo muck moderation, with
espied Mae majesties, urged, I believe, with temper--I
mann searin that repositions of Ire ramie, will
be (remind with any heartless opposition. I hardly
knew with what aegaapte we are to be met. All the
usual sees to white I have reamed, which might lead to a
mon determined attempt to grapple with the cabinet, are
entirely shut oat from this dimension. All they fan say is
that 'You ask so little, and it is so easy to be granted." In this
house, where we are mot by a pledged majority, which will
seemly listen to a dheumion of that nature, we an
only drag ear duty, we are only comiliating
thek interests fa taking every opportunity to Misd-
ate their hardens, to offer some remedy for their
sufferings, and at least, if weft:mot accomplish immediately
any great' financial, result, at lout do this, motleys this great
political purpose, that we may teach them not to despair of
the institutions of their country. (Lead sheers.)
Sir G. GREY said he might begin the observations
which it would be his duty to make to the boar in answer
to the speech ofthe hoe. gentlema the member for Bucking-
hamshire bye:peering his satisfaction at the course which
the hon. gentleman had takes in thus early in the session
bringing forward the motion whisk be had sow sabinitted to
the brae. And he thought die agrisalteral Internet were
indebted to him. more perhaps than some of those about rat
might themselves think, for the course that he had adopted,
for, from ell they had heard ening the last few months of
the proposidons which had been made at county mating.,
held in so many parts of this kingdom--after all the con&
dent sathipatier there expressed of ea immediate, or at
least an early, mars b protection--after all the cheep of
those who are sitting near the worthy member for Nuking-
hainshire, and who are compelled to take him as their
leader—it was satisfactory to her him coming forward in
the name of that numetons and distinguished party—it oas
satisfactory to those who were prepared to adhere
to that system of commercial policy ow which
we had lately entered, to hear the hon. gentleman
the able and recognised leader of the patty, amidst that party,
declare in that house that he believed, at least so long as
this parliament existed, a return to protection was impas-
sible. (Hear, hear.) The hoa. gentleman on this occasion
had said but fire of the actual distress on which the whole
basis of his motion was placed ; he had sesunted the existence
of deep distress throughout the agricultural districts in this
country ; and the only allusion which be had made to any
particular instance of that distress was, supposition, in the
alarm of information, that since the Ist of January, 18.50,
. when the returns were taken and compared with the returns
up to the Ist January, 1849, if returns could be obtained they
would show a gnat increase of distress in the egrisultural
districts. Now be (Sir G. Grey) believed that to be a per-
fectly gratuitous assertion ; he believed there was no evi-
dence whatever to justify the maromption that there wan a
great inners in the number of persons receiving relief,
though, owing to circumstances which always had an effect,
such as a long frost, it might be the case. That he did not
know to be the fact, but it might be that a number had thus
been thrown out of employ which could not be followed in
such weather, such as draining. The honourable gen-
tleman, In assuming an 'acreage of distress in the
agricultural districts, was assuming that of which
there use no evidence whatever. With regard to
this
.question of distress, however, he did not want to
join usae with the hon. gentleman as to the fact of that die-
trim. Itwras admitted In the answer to the address that there
existed distress, as there had existed on former occasions, and
he believed the adulation was made slant in the identical
terms that were used on former occasions, and her Majesty,
hy the advice of her ministers, had lamented that it existed.
He believed it was a notorious feet, that the prices
of agricultural produce had bees so low that
the occupier and owner had been in great dis-
tress. That had arisen from a complication of causes
and among others from the importation of grain ; but, look-
ing at the condition of the great bulk of the sericultural
population of the country, and applying to them the teat
that was applied to other bodies, there was no indication of
an inmase of distress, as compered with recent periods.
Those tests were crime and pauperism. To establish
this point Sir G. Grey quoted many documents, com-
prising reports from the Middlesel and Quart. r Ses-
ame; and from poor-law authorities in Ireland and Scotland.
The right hon. baronet proceeded to say that he would
not deny that distress did exist, but it was chiefly in the
clue of owners and occupiers of land, but to a less degree
than in many other periods that might be named.
He believed that in some casts the wages of labourers
had been reduced to a greater degree than could be
compensated for by the reduction in the price of necessaries;
but speaking of North Northumberland, the district he was
connected with, he did not think the wages had been de•
greased in any greater degree than could be compensated for
by the greater cheapness of provisions. believed
the general neult of an inquiry throughout the
country would show that wages had not been
se reduced, though no doubt there were districts
where they wore ; but be must say that where reductions
of that kind had taken place the burden had been made to
fall unduly on the labourer, and unless rents had been re.
dated in proportion an injustice had been done to that clue
of the population on whose behalf the hon. gentleman had
said so much. He did not at all complain of the hon. gen-
tleman not having given more distinct information as to the
resolutions which he intended to submit to the committee
of the whole house if the house should agree
to the preliminary motion, but he must say he
hardly expected so important an omission as that
with respect to the new poor law. There was no reference to
that important point, to the great bulk of the agricultural
body, the law of settlement. The hon. gentleman had
stated beim that if there was a transfer of the local taxa-
tion to the general taxation of the country it would require
a national rate. Now, he must say, without entering into
that question, that it was one which must be considered
with the p• or law ; and if they entered into a committee
of the whole house on the poor law the first con-
sideration must be the law of settlement, because he
believed the evidence taken before the committee, of which
the hon. gentleman and himself were both members, in
relation to this inquiry, all tended to show that the law of
settlement did operate prejudicially to the interests of the
agricultural community, as it placed their labour under im-
proper restrictions, and he believed that a well considered
and judicious alteration of the law of settlement would be a
great boon to them. If the hon. gentleman thought it wan
not a point worthy the consideration of the house,
he triaged it would be in the power of his
honourable friend at no distant period to make
some propositions to the house with a view to effect an
improvement in the law of settlement. He came now to
• the propositions of the hon. gentleman, and to the foundation
: of the arguments with which he introduced them. He
would not dimes the principles of the poor law ; he believed
I they were well understood in that bowie. Now the founda-
tion of his whole argument was the injustice of the =tu-
t sive burden of the poor rate being placed on the landed in.
• terest. He took down his words, and it occurred to him
directly, that the hon. gentleman had made the same mis-
t take he did last year in confounding real property with the
landed interest. He said that the landed interest contributed
to the local taxation twelve millions.

Mr. DISRAELI made some observations across the table
which were inaudible in the gallery.

. .
Bit G. OBEY said lie accepted that explanation fully, and
therefore let it be considered when they were epeeking of
real property having contributed twelve millions, they were
speaking not of the land only, but of the great bulk of pro-
perty which was assessed to the poor rate, and had
been ever since the poor law was passed. The honour-
able gentleman had said it was not just that real property,
property in the soil was his term, should bear exclusively
this lug* burden, and he spoke of land decreasing in value
and going out of cultivation in consequence of this exclusive
burden. In *nether part of his speech, to which he
'should afterwards refer, he spoke of the continual
Increase of thaws burdens, and he went on to
speak of thole burdens being exclusively on land.
The hon. gentleman had anticipated two objections, which
he said were formidable ; one he had wholly admitted ; and
the other he said was startling at first sight, embarrassing,
and perplexing, namely, the impossibility of taxing, for the
purposes of the poor rate and local taxation, personal pro-
perty equally with real property. Another was that,
from time immemorial, real oroperty had been exclu-
sively barthened with tnis species of taxation. He would
take the last first, and must join issue with the honour-
able gentleman, though not exactly in terms. He
bad said he could prove that there were landed estates in the
country which had not been bought or inherited sub-
ject to that burthen. lie had instanced the estates of
his noble friend near him, and said that they had
not been acquired by the family now ix mooing
them subject to the previsions of the 43rd of Elizabeth. That
might be gaits true ; but if the property had been subject to
the burden of poor rate since the 43rd, f Elisabeth, though
it might have been bought or inherited before free from that
burden, the lapse of time would certainly crests s good title
by prescription, so to speak, in favour of the poor rate, and
it would be an odd ground of exemption to set up that the
property had been an the possession of a particular family
from so distant • period. (Rear, hear.) But, looking at
the great bulk of the p °party in the country, he wee pre-
pared to affirm that, even since the statute of Blizab,th had
passed, r, al property, and that exclusively, had borne the
burden of the poor rye. The hon. gentleman bad not de-
nied that proposition ; he went off on those , states which
might have been acquired before the 43rd of Elizabeth, but
did not deny that land bought, inherited, or acquired in
any way since that statute had passed, had been exclusively
subject to the burden of poorrates. The 43rd Elisabeth
required that property to be rated to the Mitt of the poor
should be Meal, visible, and productive, within the pariah of
which the owner was an inhabitant. Thus, conditions
could not be found co-existing, as to the great bulk of
personal property ; therefore, whatever might have b en
the intention of the statute ingrowing that test, the legislature
had excluded, (and practically the exclusion had boa as
newly complete as possible) all personal property from all
share in tkis burden. It was true disputes had arisen US to
the lish,lita of stock in trade to be rated to the poor; but
every one conversant with the subject keg.' that is
never bad been so rated. It might have been attempted in
' ' two or three lariat' ; but the attempt had been found abet).
' 1 lately hopeless, and any rate laid en meek &principle hod been
, immedtatly quashed for its inequality The o,thrilowt to
such a principle of rating were, *et it would be Mesita/I

I,