The National Register.
London, England, 1814-12-18 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL, REGT6")TER;

were acthally in a state of insolvency? In the last ten years theme
had been 13,000 bankrupts ; oinee the tax first ',mooed there feet
been 20,000. It. there was any room where so large a meltitimile
could assemble, that they might make known the sums they had
paid meter the influence of this tertibh. Inquisition, what an arconnt
would 'they produce ! —(applause.) He knew a person who had
been assessed from sonic hundreds tip to ;MM. a year, while he naa
in a state of insolvency, labouring to re-establish hia credit, in whisit
attempt, but for that tax, he might have been successful. The af-
fairs of a house had come to his knowledge in which there were two
parteeia, who carrying on business, in a ahewy manner, had never
(-laurl more than 1001. a year. Time pressure of the tax, in stu la
cast s, would be intolerable. He was that aware that any objection
emild be raised to the measure which he tiltalphi bring forward.
There was no individual, he beiieved, who would deny it was a bad
tax.--Rut it Kati been said we had a war with Ameiteme anti that,
therefore, we should coutinue to endure it. He had thought it nu-
neeeoary heave to distract the attention of the Hall on this topic,
his ease was clear enough, the terni of the tax had ceased. Thee
had a hundred times called on the Government to reform :h Hansel, to
reduce the nanecessary expenditure, and were they now to be told
that 'hey should submit to the continuance of this tax, thong!' not
name step had been taken to effect their just wishes (applause)
The War Tax, which was to be made. a pretext for the continuance
of the tax, was unjust and impolitic, it was a war for territorial ac-
quisition. An unjust war always brought unjust taxelion (applantel.
the way then to stop this unjust war was to take away the rinjuat
tax which rave the power to carry it on. A Worthy Baronet (Sir
W. Curtis) in another place, had lamented the existence of the tax,
because, indeed, it fell very heavily on him (a langh), and rave him
a great deal of trouble to make his returns to it ; but he was willing
to continue the American war mita we had given them a confoneded
good flogging (a laugh). Whether the Worthy Baronet had any
disposition to give Jonathan a good flogging from early experience
on his own person of the good effect of such diacipline. he did not
know; Wile had sailed on Lake Champlain, as might have been ex-
pected from the conspicuous figure he had made lit the Walcheren
expedition (a laugh), he might have received a goo I flogging himself.
To carry ma a war on a principle of passion and resentment was un-
worthy the British nation, and seemed ta have been adopted front
the practice of the late Emperor of the French, and it became time
duty of the people to stand up against taxes raised for the support
of sue,' a war, and to discourage any unnecessary- "hostilities with
the Americana, who were our best customers, arid had been, for the
Ltst 30 . years, time best suppofters awn- commerc e whiCh the own-
ine of time ports on the continent had shame little to revive. The
Worthy Gentleman apologized for having trespassed um much nit
their time on a question not exactly within the subject before them,
and concluded by proposing a set ies of resolutions.
Mr. FAVn. seconded the' Resolutions, and observed that it was
nectileis to say much after the address they had heard, and -till less
after the *experience they had had *Attie tax, which came home to their
feelings and pocke=ts. Indeed inebelicved it would have saved time
if the Lotti Mayor had instructed the crier in call for any one cc ho
would say any timing in favour of the tax. It was highly honeurelh
de
to the cii;zens anti the conntry at latge, to have *l4l)ns-tett the tae
so long ass they hall dune, in a aleasoll of great national klitilenlti,•.
lint they had home it under a pletige that it should cease when the
war terminated. The patience with which it haul thug been en-
dured was an additional and is resistible claim that the pledste which
had been riven should be strictly abided by. The pfr,r.ll‘ who had
been is the habit of oppnsing the measures of the Govetement, had
not thought proper to attack any particular tax, but had rmlea-
voured to strike at the root of the evil—time excessive espenditure•
It would not he said, if at last time feeling of the people ecru. excitral
against an oppressive anti nrconatitutional tax, that there was any.
thing factions or vexatious in such a proceeding. It time. opinion nt
time Whole nation was shown to he a.t unanimoua, as he haul reastan
to believe it would be after a solemn discussion of time question,
one great question would he brim:lit to the test, whether the people
were to tax themselves through their Represertatives. If the tax
was not put an end to, it w add be clear that the people were net
adequately represented. The name of time tax. :hat it was a :ma
tax,
ti\, would, if an m i
y think could, increase his
easy to t.
nlt haft
been the ease at the beginilit'g wars, as was the ewe with tart
Americaa war, that they !tall been porlar at first ;•so tint tb..y
could not be too vigilant at the beelmeeog. of apy wars, lest the.f,tci.
lity with which-money was atrooled to the Govermeneat, secournecd
them to make unjust ercroachmenta ou ()Oita power.. The tir•t
American war, and the late Freneh war, had.:been popular at their
commenceerents, and had only ceaflt„ hessie iaTen the ha:tit..l4
entailed by them were Wt.- 'Aft ietier raansideratraa

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