The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-23 00:00:00

income tax as it was at presni, but his observations were
but indistinctly heard, from the noise occasioned by persons
iearng the hall, but submitted the following as a
brief outline of the budget which he had prepared :
Total customs duties nett, £23,112,056 12s; of which—
spirits, £2,472 649 53 34 ; sugar, £5.223,530 23 ; Tea.
£5,802,086 23 3 1 ; tobacco awl sniff, £5;006 693 123 iii ;
wine, £1,856.120 4; 3d ; total, £20,361,084 53 10d.
Repeal all, £2.750,972 6s 21J Wine, prese t du y 53 6d
per gallon, and 5 per cent., 53 911, reduced to 81 per gallon,
and allow about 50 per cent. increased cnnsumptiou, say 5; 6d
loss, £309,353 7s 41 m 5, m £1,546,756 163 81. Foreign
snirire, at 15; and 5 per cent., to be reduced onvhir 1. yield
£1,174,922 64 61, say loss one fourth, £293,730 its 7d.
Tea, pre,ent duty 13 91 pNr Ib., to he reduced to is 31,
yield, £5,802,086 23 3 i, the reduction being 2s 73, allow
1,13F1 one fourth, £1,450,521 103 7d. Total 1.,5; customs,
£6,041,991 53 ; do_ inland revenue, £2,974,784 ; tot3l
reduction, £9,016,775 ss.

Excise.
Abolish Hao'rrey Carriages.. ... £69.635 19 0
11v3 assumed at (very ancertak), 200,000 0 0
P4pr,
1 031,808 0 5
Rai:ways
. 323.790 14 5
Stage carriages,
G)ld and silver Elate 63.562 0 8
Carriages,
283.8 i 3 0 0
s,
Heir p 0rder,1,404 0 0
P.zt horse duties & licevse, say 100,000 0 0

£2,547,970 1 3
Fire insurances to be reduced one huff,
lose oi:9 third. Present
X 1,280,441 Us 311 426,814 0

yield,

Total loss Inland Revenue £2,974,784 1 3
Raving explained in detail the above figure,, he concluded
his observations by proposing the following resolution
:
"That the true interests of this co•intry demand an
entire revision of our fiscal system, with a view to Ili.:
substitution of an equitable tax on property and capi-
talised income, requiring from every man a fair contri-
bution to state necessities. according to his means, for
the present cumbrous, injerious. expensively collected,
and demoralising taxes on commodities and materials of
manufacture; and that in the meanwhile, the present
Property and income Tax, with all its faults, is preferable
to an increase or continuance of existing imposts on
articles of general consumption."
Mr. W. P. Smith said he had great pleasure in second-
ing the resolution. He had not much to say, after the
eloquence which he had listened to that evening. and
which was so very important. He had, however, a few
words to say on a subject that had been adverted to that
night, and that was the income tax. There was, no doubt,
a senseless cry got up against the income tax—no • doubt
whatever that the tax was unjustly levied, and the cry
rose against it consequent thereon. It was said that
experience made fools wise, but he eauld not say that the"
people of England hal been made much wiser by the'
experience which they have had for the last 15 years—that
experience, or wisdom that they ought to have gathered
from it, seemed to have been thrown away. There were
many evils to be complained of in the mode of taxation,
hut how were those evils to be met with ? There was one
way lo meet them, and that was by their influence in the
House of Commons. (Hear, hear.) They should have a
financial committee in that house:. to which the questions
of finance should be referred, and who would watch over
and protect the interests of this country. They had heard
of the vast amount of corruption that had existed in the
high places, and it was to this they should tern their✓
attention. The House of Commons was the place where
their grievances should be redressed; it was there the
work must he done, and their representatives should be
made do their duty, for there was no use in one keeping a
dog and having to bark themselves. (Cheers and laughter.)
He then seconded the resolution, which was put from the
chair and carried unanimously.
Mr. John Smith came forward to propose the following
resolution :

" That the present pressure of taxatiom is enormous,
demanding, for its reduction, an enforcement of the
most rigid economy, consistent with due efficiency in
every branch of the public service; and that, for the
furtherance of this object, as well as to insure a prone:
mode of keeping and auditing the nubile accounts, a
permanent finance committee of the House of Commons
ought to be appointed, and vested with all the powers
requisite for an effective superintendence of public
income and expenditure "
In referring to the House of Commons, as at present
constituted, he said there was no financial committee in
that house. There was not a corporation, nor even a
vestry in the kingdom that had not a financial committee
to manage the affairs of such body, and yet would it be
credited that there was not a financial committee in the
House of Commons—no, the House of Commons, that
raised and voted away upwards of 80 millions yearly,
had no committee to examine into the income or expendi-
ture! (Hear, hear.) The minister comes down to the
houee,'Cand votes away immense sums of money, and no
one could tell anything about it ; how could the country
tell what became of the money, when the members of the
House themselves could not tell whether it was used for'
surreptitious or proper purposes. He would call on the
people to petition, petition, and never cease the cry until
they succeeded in gaining a financial committee in the
House of Commons, who would see that every penny of
money voted was voted for fair and honest purposes.
(Hear, hear.) This would reduce taxation on the country,
and England would soon not be able to recognise her own
prosperity. H would have the custom house and excise
abolished, and have free trade in all its integrity, with
direct taxation. He would like to see the people
able to put their goods on board a ship in
the docks without any more trouble than by asking
whati will this cost to Philadelphia? So much ;
very well, then, take it, and Tom will send me something
in return for it. (Laughter and cheers.) The people
would all become merchants in their own way, and would
reap the profits of their own industry by the receipt of
produce from other countries. (Cheers.) Then every
man in England would feel himself emancipated, and as
for prosperity, they could not calculate on the amount of
it. Then would they see England more wealthy than ever
—great, glorious, and free. He then proposed the reso.
lution, which was seconded by Mr. G. F. Coventry, and
carried unanimously.
Mr. Charles Robinson proposed the following resoht
tion

" That the following petition be adopted, submitted
for general signature by the inhabitants. and entrusted
to J. C. Ewart, Esq , our respected representative, for
presentation."

To `the Hon. the Commons of the United Kingdom in
Parliament assembled, the Petition of the undersigned
Members of
.the Financial Reform Association, and other
Inhabitants of Liverpool,
Humbly Showeth
That the fiscal changes introduced by the late Sir Robert
Peel, and sanctioned by your hon. house, have conferred
immense advantage upon this country, by permitting a
great though still imperfect development of trade, thus
improving the condition of all classes of the community.
That these changes are rendered practicable by a partial
adoption of the principles of direct taxation ; and that
their beneficial results demonstrate the sound policy of
extending the 'operation of that principle in such a manner
as lto secure perfect freedom of commerce, manufactures,
and industry.
That, for this purpose, it is essentially necessary that
there should be a complete revision of on r fiscal system, with
a view to the substitution of an equitabl:, tax on property
and capitalised income, requiring from every min a fair
contribution to state necemitie,,, acc3rdinp, to hii means
for existing taxes on commodities and materials of
manufacture, which fetter trade, prevent its developement
in new and important branches, and press most unjustly on
the industrial classes, whilst at the same time they are most
costly in the collection, and most demoralising in their
operation ; and that, in the meanwhile, the present prcperty
and income tax is preferable to an increase or continuance
of existing imposts on articles of general consumption.
That, to effect a reduction in the present enormous
pressure of taxation, the most rigid economy consistent with
due efficiency might be enforced in every branch of the
public service, and that in order to promote this important
object, as well as to insure the proper keeping and auditing
the public accounts, a permanent finance committee of your
hon. house should be appointed, and vested with such "
poweri as will enable it effective'y to superintend the publio
income and expenditure. Your petitioners, therefore,
humbly pray
That your lion. house will be pleased to adopt such mea-
sures as its wisdom may seem expedient for the complete
liberation of commerce, manufactures, and industry; for the
substitution of an equitable tax on property and capitalized
income; for imp,sts now weighing most injuriously upon
them all; for the enforcement of a salutary economy in
every branch of the public service ; and for the appointment
of a standing finance committee to superintend all details
connected with the public income and expenditure.
And, pc in dety bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. E. C. Rawlins seconded the motion, which was
carried unanimously:
Mr. Crossfield moved the following, which was carried
by acclamation ;

" That the thanks of this meeting be given to the
President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and acting mem-
bers of the Council ; and that the following gentlemen
do constitute the Council for the ensuing year:—
President :—Robertson Gladstone, Esq.
Vice Presidents :
L. Heyworth, Esq , M.P., Francis Boult, Esq.,
Chas. Robertson. Esq., John Finch, jun., Esq.,
Richard Sheil, Esq., J. T. Danson, Esq.,
J. R. Jeffery, Esq., R. W. Ronald, Esq• 9
A. C. Stewart, Esq., I Charles Holland, Esq
John Finch, Esq., J. Johnson, Stitt, Esq."
The meeting then separated, giving three cheers for
the chairman, tkree for Mr. Roebuck, &c. The proceed-
ings terminated shortly after ten o'clock.