The National Register.
London, England, 1819-06-28 00:00:00

Utt itittr+

THE new taxes seem to go dawn with more dif-
fiedity, and to be less easy of digestion than we be-
lieve his Majesty's MiniAers were prepared to expect.
Our own opinion can only be once more reheated,
condemning in tote toe principleaitrilf of peace-
taxation. We are therefitre nut likely to be satis-
fied with either the time or manner in which that
principle is now acted on. But we cannot, at the
same time, in cormumi jastice, forbear stating,
that we think the administrati-en most unfairly dealt
with, by duce upon whose uniform and zealous co-
operation they had an unquestioned ground to
- reckon. Their own partisans and friends are not
only crying out, but have been putting themselves
at the very head and front of the battlu arrayed,
against them. Now that those, who have, front tlie
very outset, never failed to lift up their voice against'
that foal and ruinous system which has brought us
to the dilemma we arc in, should feel indignant at
being called upon Cm sacrifices which no act of theirs
iias contributed to render necessary, but on the con-
trary, whose warnistgs have been slighted, whose
advice has been contemned, end themselves, made
the object of oblivy and reproach, for the very op-
position they It we given, is fair and -natural ; but
where, let us ask, is the right or jttstiee of complaint
from those who have hallooed on, fl.r five and twenty
years, a most profligate-and wanton expenditure,
having harangued at Pitt Clubs upon the sublime
conceptions and daring courage of a Minister whom
no financial difficulties ever could appal, who added
above six hundred millions to our debt, and aug-
mented our taxes more than seven-flffil ; who when
a. tax was not sufficiently productive actually set it
up to sale a freehold inheritance, • and when all
the precious metals of Europe would have been ina-
dequate to supply his &minds, by the magic of his
tvand, could realize all the •falded stories of the
t)bilusopher's stone, and give to a scrap of paper
issued by a trailing compaity all the character and
currency of real gold ; who after having stunned our
ears and astonished oar senses by encomiums upon the
strength, and wealth, and resources of this great
nation, and laughed at the:idle fears and croakings
of discontented Whigs, are now seen " their
Lacks upon !heater/fees," and their darling system.
and meanly murmuring at the payment of a reekoning,
which they not only never of to tieing. run up,
but aided, supported, and encouraged whilst it was
contracted. We have seen a proffigal spendthrift
spander away his fortune. and carelessly toss up fur
the stake of his lat shilling. Bat in this there
was at least consistency. There was what the an-
cients callel the (kernel, ofn character uniffirtnly
sapparted. But we really know not to have ever
hotted am thi,ig so truly paltry, so truly unworthy
of that high •flown /o"e (/ m,. country which we had
been taught to ieve distinguished every " genuine
sill of Pitt," as their recent opposition to Taxes,
which sic are told have been rendered inevitably
necessary, by the very measures they have all
along lauded us the only system that could se-
cure to us the blessings so repeatedly promised by
the " Ileaven-born Minister" ‘Ve had thought
that the patriotism of a Pittite contained nothing
sclnsh, nothing- interested, and we are quite • rure
that their illustrious master left them on this point
ruost admirable lesson—for he cared so .little. for

!a ral/WW-
;if/PLY 1111LNDAY, JUNE 2S, 1819.

• the goods of this life, whether they belonged. to him-
self or others, that he even left it • to his grateful
country to discharge his debts, and .to .defray the
expenses of his funeral. Besides this, how often
have we heard from the mouths of these very gen-
tlemen who are nova aimost in arms against the
lawful rules, that the pressure of so tremendonsta
conflict as jr.shaii.. from mbieh we have just emerged,
must not be .expictcd to be removed at once ; that
an agitated ocean does not instantly subside into a
calm ; and lastly, that agevernment which has
conducted us to so splendid a .termination of our
struggles, and planted Old England cn so proud a
pinnacle of glory, is at least entitled to our confi-
dence, that they will guide the vessel of the State
in peace ith no less ability and regard to her best
interests than they have done in war. These sem-
timents are the burden of every political meeting
amongst these would-bc patriots. They are repeated
again and again with as much assurance as if they
were troths incontrovertible as the axioms of Euclid.
Nay, they. readily consented to give to the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer, every farthing of the three
millions he asked for, and it was not till the items
of taxation came to be discussed that the slightest
objection was urged. " Now," says one " I will not
object to any tax on seliish..,7roteids, but as member
for an Agricultural County, I cannot approve a tax
on barley." " I" says a second, "am amaltstcr, and can
as lit lc.approve a tax on malt, and more especially if
it is to attach to that already in hand." " And I,"
cries out still more lustily a• third, "am amanufactu-
rer of crapes and bombazines, and can confidently
us-rare you that any tax upon 14reign wool is impo-
litic, unwise, and unfavourable-to our rig:ie.:llure al
hAne ; and I can prove this to the satisfaction of
every individual in the trade, by a reference to the
quantity of bread and mutton consumed by both
journeymen and masters, in mamitiwtoring the said
imported wool ; and the diminished quantity
which will be necessary for their subsistence
it' this article be subjected to the enormous
impost of sixpence a pound." Now, would it
not have been better in all these deep-reasoning
7cotlemcii, it' they could neither bring themselves
to petition against or oppose the whole system of
Peace-taxation, at least to have addressed the Le-
ialaturc upon other grounds, and to have appealed to
the softer passions of Mr. Vansittart, in sonic such
terms as these,—" Sir, we conic not behir- you to
impede the wheels of Government or to object to
any sacrifices which the good people of England
may be called upon to make we know that money
insist be had, we know that so wit:: and pure and
virtuous an administration willaise it as they ought :
all we ask is, that as small a portion as possible may
fall upon our own -shoulders, and to this indulgence
our unvarying and distinguished loyalty-may surely
prefer some claim. :Have we not supported y(111
both with our souls and bodies during the progress
of the war, and does not a spirit of -high martial
enthusiasm still throb within us ? Have -wernot np-
plauded the suspension acts which placed ocr liber-
ties its such unexceptionable keeping, and praised
the energy and activity of yourapies ? Have we nut
declared the late vote to the nuke of York to be
decent, and right, sod just ? I lave we out ahnost
adored that wisdom and prudent care for our glo-
rhins Constitution which has excluded from their
civil rights five millions of our fellow-subjects fin.
believing in Transubstantiation, and haa nobly

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