The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-06-30 00:00:00

WELCH COAL. COASTWISE DUTY SILL.

Upon the third reading of this Bid,
Earl BATMUMIT said, that it did not land with
his approbation, because it was partial, by freeing
one part of the kingdom from the harden of a
duty. to the injury of other parts. Ile supposed
that the Welch hail teamed this Italian froiu Scot-
land, where an Act of Parliament had takes off the
duty, in a similar way, from all coals tarried coast-
wise ; but still it did not go to that extent of exclu-
sion as the Bill now nadir consideration. lie
trusted there was nut a Noble Peer in that House,
who had Scotch blood flowing in his veil. 4, that,
would permit Scotland to be outdone is a bargain
by the iuhabitants of I%'ales. In respect to the
duty generally on coals, lie thought it one of bad
policy, and, when the times would permit it, was
one which ought, as speedily as possible, to be re-
pealed. But, in the present instance, he never
would concur in • measure which should take the
burden from a portion of the kingdom; this wo sld
be detrimental to others, however beneficial it
might be to Wales.
The Earl of LAUDERD 1.1.6 considered the con-
duct of the natives of Gloucestershire somewhat
similar to the alleged situation of the Scotch. The
Noble Earl (Bathurst) would recollect the Mon-
mouth Canal, where every provision had been made
to tremor tit,: interests of Gloucestershire. Pro-
bably the people of Wales had Nigro their lesson
from those who had been benefited by the privilege*
extended to them in that Canal Bill. Ili* Lord-
ship concluded by expressing sentiments favourable
to the Bill.

The Earl of Rolm's, on the some side, spoke in
favour of the Bill.
The Loan ANCELI.OII observed, that with all
his partiality for the interests of the Newcastle
Coal Owners, he did not think this Bill one way
or another could affect theta. But he would not
sit down without expressing his dissent from a Bill,
which, while it relieved the principality of Wales.,
was injurious to the owners of coals so the rici.
nits.

Lord DYNEYOII observed the mode in which this
Bill hod been treated was not perfectly fair; far
after all the tiros had elapsed in which this measure
had been discussed, ao opposition was 'hewn to it
till the third reading. The conveyance of maim,
which waii the chief object of this Bill, would tend
to the improvement of agriculture. _

Lord litirKagatlitY n few words against the
Bill, not on account of its giving relief, or (wing
beneficial to a part of the kingdom which lie war.
extreintiv partial to, but hteisuse diutinibliing the
duty in favour acne particular place was not a fair
principle.
After 'owe observation from the Earl of Llistit-

Lord HAWRESDURY said, that in the int iia-
'stance buildheJs were going on to a greater exteut

than it was deemed afie'rwar-ds prOpet-to give effect
to, and the SU LI3 contained iu the Bill was thought
adequate to uswer the purposes of that institution..
The Bill then passed through a, Committee, and
warrephrted without any amendment.

STAMP DUTY BILL •
Upon going into a Cuninutitee on this Bill,
Lord Ito LLAN D considered it would be a derelic.
tion of his public duty, if he did not make a few
observations upon the present bill. It hail been
brought into that House with a title denoting it
to be different from .chat it really was, and o*

, -
that account derogatory to the importance and
dignity of that branch of the Legislature. But
settimg aside its hypocrisy, it affected the landed

prope;ty tit a very hisproier manlier, by tusking a
man pay for the transfer it a time when be was
most unable to contribute any tax ; at a time when
distress or embarrassment obliged him to sell hi,
land ; for the tax must inevitably fall upon the seller.
In that mimicry upens which all our eyes were fixed,
in Spain, a tax of this description, the Alc.aoola.
bad perhaps niore.contributed than any thing else
to the injury of that country. lu those provinces
where this tax had not existed, there was a greater
attention paid to agriculture, commerce, and every
other object of industry. The Bill also affected
the shipping interest, its respect to the transfer of
their vessels, and he mast condemn the mode in
which it had compelled Attorneys to concern them-
selves with the collection of the revenue, for, in a
summary way, they were to be struck off the Rolls.
if they concealed the amount of the property so
transferred. Although not being printed he had
not un opportunity to eaawine it so fully as he
wished, he must express his disapprobation of the
Bill as it regarded the subject.
Lord HAWKIMBURY said, that, in reap. 1 to this
duty &Him; upon the seller, and never upon thi
buyer, must depend upon circumstances. it would
depend upon the state of the market ; if there were
more buyers, he couseived they would be ready to
Haar tins Iserdins.. With respect to the abstract
propriety of legal instruments, there might
be some question, but st had been found necessary
and cm -oient. Ile could not agree with the No-
ble Lord who spoke lust, that the land Darner felt
any more grievous bunko than those a ho possessed
. .

either pers'onal or commercial property.
The L.irl of ltosst.rx argued, that the Bill was
a dangorons eacroachmerit on the lauded interest
of the country, by laying a considerable tax on
this species of property, of which, by the provisions
of this act, the agents of lauded gentry and their
attorneys were to become, in fact, the collectors.
the Bill was, he contended, deficient in its pro-
fession ; for though it was stated as the principle
of thedlill, that the tax should in all instances be
regulated by the amuout of tite property, yet whoa
that property exceeded fifty thousand 'mewls in
value, there was tIO additional proportivaute stamp
duty on the legal article by which it was trans-
ferred.
The Earl of LAUDBROALE, with much spirit
and'elearness, summed up the various argeractits
which might he adduced to prove the inexpediency
aid dangerous terdeney of the Bill, which he
hoped lie should convince their Lordships was al-
together kuproper to become a legislative enact-
ment. lie regretted much that the state of the
time's, mid circumstances of this country, called
upon Parliament so repeatedly to sacrifice all psi.
rate considerations of convenience and property to
the service of the public. Yet be felt more than

ordinarily agitated on the present occasion, as it
must be evident that England was now acting on
that principle of relined taxation, which the his-
tory of Europe, both modern and ancient, would
show to he ever the forerunner of a nation's dis-
solution. This would be an inevitable con-
stluence of making the property of the country
only valuable as it was marketable in the eve
of taxation. To act upon this principle would
prove not • only disagreeable to these upon
whom the tax directly fell, but injurious to the
lauded interest of the country. It seemed, in some
clauses of the Bill, a property tax, laid on upon
the geuerally established principle of such taxes;
but it shortly after exhibited a new appearance, and
instead of beinig imposed in proportion to the pro-
perty, it was discovered that if two estates of
30,0001. value were to be disposed of, and secured
to the purchaser upon stamped elides, according to
the provisions of this Bill, notwithiganding the one
might be encuml wrist with inortgages or bond debts,
to the amount of 215,0001- this property would be
subject to the seine stamp duty as the other, which
had no ineninbrauce *hates cr on it. Hence it was
evident, the property worth only 2,0001. would
be saddled with an equal quantal).* of taxation
as that of 30,0001. otid the proportion sai,l to
exist between the property and the tax was
altogether nominal. Mut tie had yet a wore
serious objection to the Bill. By the provisions of
the Art of Union, the land-tic of Scotland %pi
only to bear a stated proportirni to that of Br.gland.

114 stipulation timid by this Atrt be infringed
and the Act of Uuiou between England and Soot-.
land violated. From the ettects of these capital
d. feet, a •ri dangerous provisions of the hill, he
lisped their Lordships %until > e it their dully to
prese.ve the hxdird interest of tile cottuiry.
t.oril tan, in reply, culled the attention
of the ;loose to twat provision of the Bill relative
to the! incirfer of shipping, and vowels of,burdeii.
He co.nutlered it a delicate subject of taxation, and
trhab,ter might be the compliments pid the
I\ nide Secretary of State to the ability and patience
of die nation uuder taxation, be could only inter-
pret these assurances of his high consideration, in
the swine manner us those of a certain ROlll4ll l'Oti-
titi, who, Wong presented by the Abbot of St. Al-
ban * with several exceediazi.• eostiv sacerdotal
vestments, after coin:thud...di:lA the bearei with a
studied eulogy, uu th • ineelinity, ta,te,
bp; of the British people, exclaimed. nh, Emilarult
xboti snarer of itches. thou land flowing with milk
end ho:tev, it is impossible I cuss ever draw too
two it 'rout thee!

The sevet.it elauw.; of the FHI: were then read,
the report broug'• up, old °Mei, dto he received
L.-tam-row,

The Oshter l•i%lifry Bill wee committe I, aitgl
the report yl.n onlered to be received to-iaoilule.
The House dices adjourned.

HOI'SE or commoxs.

A am Writ Woo refire.) to hr i..nrd for C.lrtrrmonlh, in
the mon of Jahn °Aurae, ho serve hi, .I..rtion has
accepted tbo odEre of wind of the I
A ata Writ e r *!so o.(tel ell for titr zh of 1 hm.lalk,
In the room of Henry Vaut,han DrooLt 1..9 *lst, so:re hi"
enetine his tbe Aire of Stco.iiii of lit:: Hundreds
of East Ifroctreal.

Mr. Jonnirron, from the Office of the Ibief Serretary
for Ireland, presented crrtaiu paper" alsrv. wit the ni auto r
shift the serbrey grastr.l fur blond Narikittuis in !rebind
has been applied.—Laid upon the Table.
The Mourn Estate Bill was read • at cowl time, and or-
dered to he rentinitted to-sorrow.

As Account of the k:zproses'iracurred in the (Mire fur
the Redemption of the Land Tan was presented, sal or-
dered to he laud upon the Table ; as was also int Aeroitot
from the Oficet of laspecter-General of Exports rod Im-
ports.
A perm from the Cenualesiesers 6f Weettniester Bridge.
remitted their Quarterly Accounts sod Minutes of their
proemdimbi.
- 06 the roution of Mt. Tteassr there were Ordered to
be Lid before the Hare Cophe of all Orders ispeed by the
Swell Chnwtherlate he the Board of Works, as to the wink
thee is ends Memo of Partiensent and the Speaker's Mese,
tegeflow with tho Aeries leeerrei Wan the ist Joener).
lees, floiorpishisni the asemser in which the seam based
towards delleitybutt the expenses, beat beets applied.
Kr. Loss pr seated a Report boat the Cesausisslearrs
far the Ispreeentent of Westwinoter...-Laid oo the Table,
and adored is be printed.

A Message from the Lords intimated their
Lordships assent to the Marriage Indemnity Bill,
the Irish Gaol Bill, the SuathernWlusle Fishery, the
Town Heibists Indemnity Bill, the Irish Vote of
Credit Rill; the Coffee Customs and Excise Bills,
OM Spirits Importation Bill, the Irish Spirit Duty
XII. the Hop Bag Bill, the Cinque-ports Bill, and
tie Seamen's Encruragement Bill, without any
ugseudesent; also to the Danish Prise Bill, and
the Scotch Local Militia Bill, with several &maid-
month to which they desired the concurrence of the
U. 5...

Sr Tnowss TOILTON said, that in consequence
of what had already pawed on the subject of the
e&irs of India, and the voluminous nature of the
papers which Ise had mowed for last Se...ion. rela-
tive so the Polygar War. he should not users for
*air being printed.

ALEXANDER DAVIDSO7I.
Lord ARCHIBALD Ilintrrox 'toted, that be-
ano the Session closed, he thought it proper to take
the liberty of putting a question to Ministers, rela-
tive to a subject wiaSeh he had taken up in that
Hanna considerable time ago, he meant the sub-
ject of one of the Reports of a Committee, which
alluded to the transactions of Alexander Daviason.
It would be recollected, that it was now near a
twelvemonth since he had first drawn the attention
of the House to this subject. All that the House
knew of the matter wie., that an inquiry was
luau-
toted, and certain ivegulsorities having hems dio-
eovered. the matter teas left in the hands of the
Right Hon. ;ends-mass opposite, who undertook to
investigate it still farther. What he wished to
know was, what progress had been made in that
investigation ? If the answer he should receive
should not appear to him to be satisfactory, he
should think it necessary, early in next Session
of Parliament, to bring the matter again before the
House. This lie not only deentei necessary for
the public 'service, but also for his ..no justification.
es it had been lately rumoured, that the Douse
would have taken up this matter some tirue ago,
had it not been owiner. to his having pledged him-
self to bring it forward.
The CH ANCSI.LOII of the EICNIEQVIM ansivered,
that a Commission had berm invtittited, to whom
had beeps submitted the whale of Mr. Davidson's
Ars:mints that they haul from time to tune re-
ported to the Treasoiry upon the t, and that
the Treasury had always submitted the result of
their inquiries to the consideration of the Law
Advisers of the Crown, io order to ascertain whe-
ther a civil or criminal process ought N he
onstioited acainat :NI-. Davidson. It had tweet
lint,„l, that upon some inant• sitflici•mt
bed inn vet peen mate; 4'14 ttu.ni• 1:61114
Dad arisen as to whets. • a ! •gal cicoiand of a civil
nature would es aws, tike neeeeusty of a 1.r.1U11131
pooccution. If. could as.are the Noble Lord,
that Government haul not lost sight of it, and he
hoped the by ii-st Sesame the sootier would Ise
in such • trails of tor, ardne.s, that the I,rniiitintr of
whatnier ileetiontot he might Atm.(' to call for,
or la, mg i.efore the lbssise a statement of the pro-
ceedings that may have taken place, would be at-
tended with sin itiesinveilience.
AIR. FOR DYCE.

"tr. elli;CV kW PAM. that as he Twrceived from
• Finance At.. o•nit, which he hchl in hi% hood,
thiat no port nr -I r. FOr.lylll.ll 1.0a11111,3.r,;,e0ii.
LA I been so-n.tii:e.l for. Iv should think it lii%
dot! next to witonit :i inoi. to the
HOW*, relative to tho tothieet.