The National Register.
London, England, 1816-03-10 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Mr. Mf.TIMEN coma:Wed himself ImPerionsly called upon to
speak, haviug seconded the address to the thief.', ohieh was
so atmerally acceded to by the House, and to remind Ministers
••f the pledge of economy held out by the Prince Itegant in that
address. He coraidered himself as sceurity for that pledge,
and regretted to see extravaaance still persevered in—to see
promises there held nut, stillmaulfdled.--(Hear, hear.)-4 was
'the ditty of Milli4MlS to go to the Prince Recent, and to tell
him, as his faithful advisers. tlrd it was but just that he •houltl
have no more exces,:es is the Civil List—ao snore lamella' cot-
tages, positions, and pagodas, or things of tied kind Hear,
hear)—to tell him, that the cowl ibmions pall by France, for
the maintenance of the army there, were not the esclusive
pru-
perty of the erowa, but belonged to Parliament-- to recommend
to his Royal Highness to ndel practice to his theory, ant: then
he would win the people's hearts. Such advice might be 101-
p:datable—but rematch:mitts Wells necessary.—( Hear, kw.)
Such was the ditty of the confidential advisers of the Crov.n.
If a deaf ear were turned to their remonstrances, he hoped it
wonld not he lung before the House wont(' rise. with one ac-
cord, to approach the throne, and to coin ince the people( what-
ever might be said to the contrary by persous front malicious
or designing motives) that public spirit was yet alive withiu
the walls of Parliament.--( Load viaof hear, /ear.)—The HMI
Gent. here noticed no error which had gone abroad, that he
voted for the eitimatea going into a Committee, as implying
that hr approved of them generally. The fact was not so. lu
the Committee each item would be dismissed, and by. with-
holding his assent to the Committee be should have been rating
against keeping up any army.
Mr. LA:NO.I'ON observed, that the speech of the Hon. Se-
conder did lain great honour, and he congratulated the Howie
and the country on the general manifestation of opinion against
the tax. He also emuleled with the Ministers on the indisposi-
tion, the length of attack, and reeminnended profuse blreiline,
either by a lancet or a leach—(a iough.)--Indeed, be cool.l not
recommend a better operatorto then. than a Commission( r antler
the Income-tax. With respect to the tax, he wished to remind
country gentlemen, that tin. time had NOW arrived when it :;teat
stood mist !IV 111:4,k to ward off protbsion and extravaennce in
the public expenditure; for landlords could obtain no rents,
tenants could not find a market fur their produce., labourers
were out of employ, and the poor were obliged to abandon the
work-houses to make room for their masters and former t an-
hlovers.—(Near, hear)- -This was the issue of a war, and the
ennaing of a peace, for which the Noble Lord opposite had
obtained a blue ribbon ana a Marquisiste, and the people no-
Ulne but undimiaished taxation and a military despotism--
( Thar, hear).
Petitions were presented nainst the Property-tax from Ches-
ter and Beverley ; on preseuting the last.
Mr. Foe DES expressed his hopes that the Chancellor of the
Exclie.par would give way to the voice of the '
people,
ma thus
ocrerally expressed. If, however, that Right Hon. Gentlen
should still persist in bringing forts aril the measure, lie trusted
he %mild be eventually foiled in the attempt.
Lord MILTON presented petitions front Yarm, Gishorough,
and Leeds agaiust the renewal of the Property-tax. Ou pre-
senting the last,
Lord LASCELLES, observed that some modifications were
absolutely necessary to be made in this tax, if it was iudeesh
to be pressed upon the country, particularly as related to the
landlords and tenants tax, and commercial men. With respect
to the distressed state of the agriciatural interests. %bleb
were now invariably united with the property tax, he must
confess he did not entertain any very sanguine hopes, that any
thing the House could he, would Hindi relieve that pat t of the
community. The (listless of the agriculturist arose mostly
from the extensive failures of country banks, the increased
caution of those which remained, and the consequent &Mau.
lion of the circulating medium. In his opinion, the only relief
which could be afforded, would be a d:minotion of taxation
by an iutroduction of saving into all the departments, from the
highest to the lowest.
Mr. Pot:so:Nov said, a Noble Lord had stated his objection
to the tax as related to the tenants, because few of then were
able to pay it. He also objected to the landlord's tax, be-
cause he thought it bore hard on them in many cases; and he
objected to its application to commercial men, because in
these times of distress exposure of their eireumstances might
be ruinous to them. After these three classes were exempt,
he would ask the Noble Lord who won't! remain to pay the tax
a--and what could be thought of the Minister who should press
this unproductive and obnoxious tax upon the people.