The National Register.
London, England, 1814-12-11 00:00:00

Sit

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

G a.,ort. Attornies, Messrs. Minehin and Weddell, Gosport; mad
Mr.
Mr. Biggs, Essex-street, Strand.
W. Gill, of lino? St.. Edmund's, grocer, Dec. 19, at six, 20th,
and Jan et, at twelve, at the Angel Inn, Bury St. Edmund's. At-
*unties. Mi. Waymati, Bury St. Edmund's; and Messrs. 13Iagrave
and Walter, Symond's inn, Chancery-lane.
S. Smith, of Berwiek-npott-Tweed, ',walnut'', Jan. 2,5, and 21,
at eleven, at the King's Arm'. Berwick. Attornies, Mr, IVillohy,
Berwick ; and Mr. Bromley, Holborn-court, Gray's-inn.
J. Hodgkinson and J. Leigh, of Liverpool, merchants, Jan. 2,3,
and 21, at one, at the George Inn. Liverpool. Attornies, Mcssrs.
Crimp-and Lodge, Lit erpool : and Mr. Battye, Chanc!•ty-lane.
A. Shepley, of Newton, Lancaster, manufacturer, Der. 26, 2R,
and Jan. 21, at two, at the Talbot lim. Manchester. Attornies,
Mr. Glumly, Mat:chaster ; and Messrs. Milne and Parry, 'reittple
S Pittard, of Southampton, shoemaker, Dec. 16, at one, 17, at
elev-n, and Jan. 21, at nine, at the Star Inn, Southampton. At-
torn.t.s, Mr. Allem, Clifford's-inn ; and Mr. Smith, Southampton.
3. Hcap, now rer late of 'Epworth, York, clothier, Dec. 30. 31,
at tlevcu, at the Yew 'lrce Inn, Robert-Town, and Jan. 21, at ele-
ven. at the George Inn, Huddersfield, York. Attornies, Mr. Ste-
•naon, Httlinfirth, near Huddersfield ; and Mr. Battye, Chancery-
lane.
It. Ashby, now or late of the Poultry, engraver, Dec 13, 20, and
Jun, '2l, at one, at Guildhall. Attornies, Messrs. Kcarsey and Spurr,
1.1 a it.pcgate-street-within.
J. Macmichact, T. Getton, and W. Macmichael, of Bridgnorth, Sa-
lop, hankers, Dec. 16, 17, and Jail. 21, nt eleven, at the Castle Inn,
Brilguorth. Attornies, Mr. Bigg, Southampton-buildings ; and Mr.
Pritchafd, Broseley.
W. Bolton, of Bury-street, St. James's, plumber, Dec. 17, and
J-au. 21, at el-ven, at 4bildltall. Attornies, Alessrs. Richardson, Fishtr,
a. d lake, Bury -street.
A. Harrison, of Parliament street, Westminster, linen-draper. Dec.
17, 21, and Jan. 21, at twelve, at Guildhall. Attornies, Messrs.
Sweet and Stokes, Basinghall-street.
AI. B. 'Wellington, and 11. ‘Vellington, of Crown-street, Soho, opii-
&dos, Dec. 17, at one, Si, and Jan. 21, at twelve, at Guildhall. At-
tot tiles, Alt ssrs. Ttlson and Preston, Coleman street.

DEC. 11.

the country would get rid of ibis war tax, and meetings were held
(the fir-t was their own Common Hall) throughout the conetry, be.
cause it was apprehended that some attempts would be made to
continue it. What was the consequence? The Minister was so
intimidated by the general alarm which was felt at the idea of its
continuance by all classes of the community, that he determined
to, withdraw it, rather than incur the odium and the constitutional
resistance which he would have to encounter by persevering (Hear,
hear, hear !) He begged the Court would bear that fact particu-
larly in mind, as it would Aerve for a precedent in their present
proceedings. Sir John Anderson (then one of the Members in Par-
liament for the (Pity, and of course a Ministerial man), came to that
Court and announced the iniention of Ministers to withdraw the
tax. Since that period, however, it had not only continued, hut it
had undergove much alteration, especially in the manner of levying it.
He wished to speak upon that point without giving offence to those
Geotlemen who were nominated as Commissioners to carry the Act
into afect : but in his selenin opinion, the tax itself was so odious in
principle, so hostile to freedom, so destructive to families, abhor-
rent to every mind. that it was impossible for the Commissioners, how-
ever they might be chosen, to collect such a tax without oppression,
without tyranny, and without cruelty (bear, hear!) There was oue im-
portant variation with respect to the practical application of the Act,
which had silently crept in since its first passing. The appointment
of the Commissioners had been taken out of the hands of public bo-
dies and of the people, and vested in the Crown. That change had
imperceptibly taken place, and it was therefore the more dangerous.
The individuals to whom was entrusted the levying of that tax were
thus under the controul of the Crown, and receiving emoluments
from the Crown ; in many cases their office was but a sinecure, a
pretence inertly to reward them for enforcing that Aet. With re-
spect to its operation, it had been grievously felt by various classes
of society. The lauded property, indeed, which complained that
it-compelled an exposure of the amount of property often highly in-
jurious, had found relief; but how was it with regard to the trading
interest ? All the heaviest consequences of the war had fallen upon
that body, and none heavier than the Property Tax (hear, hear !).
A man engaged in trade, subject to all those fluctuations that at-
' tend upon mercantile pursuits, might be worth 100,0001. more iu
one year than in another; and was it not a dreadful evil, one not to
be borne in a free country, that an individual, whose misfortunes,
perhaps, had shaken his property to its very centre, vi ho bowed
down by his calamities, was afraid almost to look his very family in
the face, that he should be dragged before the Commissioners to dis-
close his distresses, to unfold his poverty, to proclaim his wretched-
ness, in order to be exempt from the previsions of this most iniqui-
tous tax? (hear, hear!). Where trade was carried on to any great.
extent, it might happen that the losses of one year exceeded the
profits of seven, and yet the trader must pay the Income Tax to
the ruin of his family. In cases of bankruptcy the injustice of the
tax was equally evident. In many of those banking houses which
had failed, the different partners had been paying perhaps to the
Property Tax, italividnally, for incomes at the rate of two or three
thousand a year, from the style in which they lived, and the appear-
ances they kept up. The period of peace has now arrived, and af-
ter having severely endured the evils of war, after having patiently
borne those hurthens which the necessities of the time imposed,
they had now a just right to look forward to a relief' from their
taxes. No scheme, however, had yet been introduced to accom-
plish that end ; nothing was held out that promised the accomplish-
ment of it ; but, on the contrary, an intimation that our blather's
would be continued. Now, therefore, was the time for the peo-
ple to spe k, as Parliament would not receive any petitions against
a Money Bill when once brought in ; it was their bounden duty
do so ; and if the whole people would stand forth with one voice
and one heart in the cause, where was the Minister who would dare
to persist in defiance of the universal appeal? (Ivor, hear !). He
should not trouble the Court with any more observations, but should
submit to it a series of Resolutions, which he wasted would inert
with its concurrence, as he had caretidly worded them according to
the identical expressions used on a firriner occasion. If the Court
adopted them, be should offer to its notice a Petition to Parliament
grounded, in substance, upon the said Resolutions.
Upon the first Resolution being read,
Mr. Waithman observed, that his objection, as an individual, was
to the principle of the tax, and that he should equally oppose it
were it reduced to one per cent. as a gross violation of personal li-
berty, in this boasted, laud of freedom.
Mr. Alderman Wood seconded the 'notions, but said that if would
be unnecessary to take up much of their time after the able manner
in which they had been introduced. There was one or two facts.
however, which bad come within his own knowledge, of the aura!