The National Register.
London, England, 1816-03-25 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

thereby had, to a certain extent, sanctioned On application for
the ways and means to support that establishommt The leap,
and means he was about to propose was, a ccatinnaucc of the
Properly-tax. Against this measure be believed a consider-
able impression had gone abroad. He trusted, however, when
the subject should have been farther considered by the House
that impression would be done away. lie had been repeatedly
called on to abandon this tax, on tin' grounds of the numerons
petitions which had been. presented to the Hens" against it.
These petitions, however, he considered as conveying the sense
nf only a very small prup,Wtion of Ihe peOple.--(Th I. ar.
even had he corsidered them as containing the sentiments
and aptairms of u majority, he shontd still have thought it his
ditty to bring the subject before the House, to have the delibe-
rate judgment of I..'arliament upon the measure. The deldwrate
.judgment the Petitioners had not had au opportunity of firm-
lig, as they had not the materials before them w hich the House
had. Even the petition pet soiled by an Hon. Alderman to-
night (Sir W. Curtis), respectable as it was, he did not consider
as convey In; the deliberate opinion of the merchants, bankers,
and traders, of the City of London.—t Hear, hear.)—Silice that
petition fell into the error which all the others had done,
namely, of stating that Pia limment bail given a pledge to the
country that the tax should expire with the war. The Hon.
Alderman alto presented that petition, had stated that it was
at a Hireling in the city that the property-tux originated.
'That was nut so. In 1;N, the meet ime in a spirit of patriotism
which did them the highest honour, taking into outsider:diem
the distressed site ot' the country, re commehtled a voluntary
contribution, which was adopted. Mr. l'itt also the AMMO
session, feeling the necessity of raisin g n 4 great a portion of the
supply as pos..ible in the year, raised the assessed taxes to a
very considerable degree. This was found to bear hard on
the people, and was next session abandoned, and the operty-
tax adopted in its room. The plan of the tax then, however,
ve as, that it should continue after the expiration of the war, for
the payment of a c:•rtain stun, for a Well it was mortgaged;
and thus the tax continued till the peace of Amiens, when
Lord Sidenonth determieed to repeal the tax, and, instead of it,
to make a very large addition, no less than use millions per
annum to the permanent taxes. At the renewal of the war,
Lord Sidmouth had again re course to the income-tax,as a war tax,
ertainly; but no pledge was given with it ; and, ht 1,306, it was
increased to 10 per cent. upon the same principle, but it never
was considered, or had he (Mr. Vansittart) as had been as-
serted in another place, ever said, that the tux was to be re-
peated at the end of the war.

(Hine Mr. Vansittart proceeded to read some extracts from
a printed speech delis/vied by him at the time alluded to, and
abm to advert to the speed; delivered by Mr. Rose at that
time.]
Mr. BARI Ku here rose and spoke to order. He did not con-
sider it as regular for u Gentleman to read his own written or
printed speech, or reports of the debates in Milian:eta.

Mr. V tNSITTAHT said his speech hail been alluded to in
another place.

Mr. est.ettarr said, that was a printed speech, corrected by
the Right Hon. Gentleman himself. 'flue Right Hon. Gentle-
man was new about to read the speech of another Right Hon.
Gentleman.

Mr. Rose said, such was the usual custom. If, however,
the Hon. Gentlemen opposite liked it better, they should have
a 'mat °flux spec' h from his ow a month—(a iungh.
Mr. VANSITTART then resumed. He trusted, that down to
the renewal of the tax, in 1807, he had pros ed there was nu
pledge given that the- toy should cease with the sear. Last
year, on his proposing the tax, it would be in the recollection
of every gentleman, that lie stated it would be for flame con-
sideration to say, whether it would be desirable to continue the
tax under certain modifications. The time for that conside-
ration was now arrived; and having, as he trusted, proved
that no pledge ever was (indeed how could a pledge be given
that Parliament should not at any time receive such measnres
as should appear beneficial to the peopleo risen, he should
now proceed to state the necessity. In 1797, when 31r. Pitt
first proposed this tax, the country was labourite+, under the
greatest pressure upon the money market: so said the worthy
Alderman (Sir W. Curtis). A necessity of a similar nature
now existed. In 1796 and 1799, fifty-six millions had been
raised by way of loan, and many commercial misfortmies ag-
gravated the distresses of the country. The funds were in
consequence much depressed; and Mr. Pitt, in consequeece
of this distress of tbe mottled interest, determined to raise the
greater part of the supplies in the year: What was the state
of the country now? In I 9O and 17h7 loam to the amount of
66 nullities were taken ; In !Sit and tr 41.1, no less a sum than
100 millions had been borrowed. The Niels were indeed
better, lint now they were only at 61, even at the couchision nt
a contest so glorious for the eorintry. After the Treaty of
Amiens, the 3 per rents. were at 57, Something therefore, it
appears, must be done for the money market. In the last fonts
yearsoes,ooo,ooo had been taken in loans, and :09,0410,00n
of stock had been created ; yet no one would regret this cir-
cumstance, when it was considered how honourable the con-
test had been to Great Britain; for even when the finances of
the country were alone the main spring of the operations
against the enemy, the machine never stood still for a
moment. An Hon. Baronet, (Sir J. Slum) had recommooded
the borrowing of the sem wanted; bet he (Mr. V.) could Out
agree to that mettle. Commerce wanted a spur, and the best
made of giving it such a spur would lie to relieve the money--
market. He had been told, indeed, that taking a small loan
wai; give life and ..i imation to the market. This was too
paradoxical his I to uuderstand. The gentlemen who gave
this advice seemed to have something of a secret feeling. They
vt.l e persons who expected, it' any loan were colittacted for,
that they would conic in for a share; and they, , probably, thought
it woulti be better to add perhaps yd per cent. to their incomes
than pay 5 per cent. out of them. 'flu Bight Hon. Gentleman
then proceeded to contend, that no tax could be proposed
which would press so lightly and so equally on all classes as
the property-tax would.--(Hear, hear.)—Taxes on consump-
tion must Aiwa) a be tmerial; they fa net oil a man's
but on his expenditure; and frequently a sum who had a large
tami s, add a small illeU/Ile, paid more titan his rich neighbour,
who had no family, and a larger income. The taxer proposed
last year, though adopted, atter tl:e best information had been
sought for, had proved uloqual in their operation, and enpro-
dectise to a certain extent. The income-tax was one which
pressed equally on landed and fielded property, more espe-
cially as to funded property, e. eit was impos ible a person
could be over-charged, or under rated. The system as re
queried the produce of industry was complained of, and wa.:
perhaps defective; but no phut had been suggested for its
amenument. Butt in this respect every titan was charged a:--
cording to his own relturn of profits. The Right Hon. Gen-
tleman then prneeHied to recapitulate the proposed modifica-
tions in favour of the farmer, as stated by hint on a former
night, namely that tenant's tax, instead of In ing charged oa
three-fourths of the rent was now to be taken on one-third, and
under the new regolutions a vast proportion of the cultivators

MARCH el

of tie land and growers of corn afield come within the
abatement genie. li, addition to the relief which would thus be
afforded to the fanner, he proposed to relies e hi ram from ilia tax
of Is. ed. each on leg. icultural horses; 414 %here the ailment
of rent was less titan lOW. to exempt huts alto.-ether. With
respect to the other chess of pi mons, namely, those whose
incomes arose from the prodnee of iminstiy, &e. he should
propose to take all returns at what they were last year,
and to charge 5 per cent. upon those returns. A day to be
fixed for apps a Hog. Where no a:)peal as as made, the return to
be taken a ithout further enquily ; and in (Wits of appeal it
was intended to revive the 4)141 clause, gin ing to the appellant
a right of choosing referees; mot where this ass declined, the
',emu appealing ,A as to go before the Commissioners, vhere
one Commissioner, accompanii by the (Act Iv, has ing been
first sworn to secrecy, was to investigate the appellant's ease,
and after such estigntion, to destroy ail papers mid docu-
ments whatever. The tax aas to be continued for the extra-
ordinary expenses of the war, and would be proposed for two
pars, in which time it was estimated to raise 12,000,0001. Any
amendment might be proposed in the progress of the Bill. By
adhering to this tax for two years, the money market would be
relieved, and credit would again look up. Without this means
he (Mr. Viiiisktarti could see no prospect but a long ROCCIVA.
gion of difficulties. (War, tear.) The lion. Bart. (Sir 11 .
Curtis) had said he wished the country to have breathing time,
(hear. hear) and he only called for the reduced tax for two years,
which he foresaw would hose all the effect a ished for. The
Sinking Fund would not bear more than hod bout laid upon it.
We were already beginning to feel the benefits resulting from
a reduced expenditure, but we must not be ill too much haste:
we mo.t consider the eireumstanci,s ler a hich the couodry
was !dared, and not expect to find all the benefits nereacc im-
mediately. Ile then moved a string of restdotious, that for
every ens. of rent arising from lands. It nements, or heredita-
ment.' in England or Wales, there should be paid the sum of is.
on those in Berwick upon Tweed, id. in the pound ; and in
Scotland 3d. in the pound ; and all other property front ainuitita
or offices Is. in the pound.
Sir W. Ct oris 01/1103Cd the tax.
Mr. W. Seim objected to the tax in all its branches, but
especially as it effected the persons who had trades and profes-
sions. The remedies mentioned by the Right Hun. Gent. a ere
not efficient to correct the evils, for he was assured thnt a man
in trade or commerce would sooner tray the five per trout. than
shear the Commissioners that they bad suffered any hisses. In
the City of London alone, there were 13,1100 surcharges on in-
come. The Right Hon. Gent. was very w Wing to make a C9ll-
- to the landed interest by reducing the timant's tax, but
he would advise Hon. Members not to he led away by such an
insidious representation. And if there a ere any Irish Members
willing to vote thr this tax, he avoid ask the in, him long they
thought the Gentlemen of England would sidfer this tax a ab-
out its being also imposed eu Irelaud I—i Hear, &aro—Thera
was not a page of Adam Smill; a Welt did not warn them against
agreeing to such a tax as this. The detieieuey of capital
the country, he believed, did not depend alone on the excess
of gene' al taxation, or on the manlier in winch Obit:ix had been
lle contended, that capitol lent to the public by
way of loan would lie le,s disadvantageous to the country than
taking capital by a ay of tax, when it might have been employed
in dieerent was. tie contended, that 311.. Pitt never intended
to continue this tax in time of peace. But if' it were unjust,
as he contended it was, in its nature, it ought not to be en-
dured either in peace or war. 'there were in the papers betnre
the House 509,000 persons whose incomes were hem een 331.
and 1001. a year, lie., tug one million a year to this tan. These,
lie contended, were the poorest class ot the community. These
wears hey owl all others those who should remise lie
had always considered Mr. Pitt as a Financier, such as Bimini-
parte in oar. The thriller never considered how he ought to
raise the money, but what money he wanted to raise. So Boo-
naparte never considered how he was to raise men but by die
conscription; and the Income-tax was a conscription on the
country to raise money. But he hoped that this first question
wonted di stroy this tux for ever, and consequently prevent the
necessity of entering into details on this subject.

Mr. Rosg defended the financial character of Mr. Pitt; and
stated, that in 17e4 the country was exhausted from the Ame-
rican war, yet be laid on 900,0001. fresh taxes a year, which
brought up the means of the country to its expenditure, and
also established a Sinking Fund of one million a year. He Con-.
tended that Mr. Pitt established this tax before the Re.clutions
of the Merchants and !Nuists of London, by si Inch they raised
this tax from ,i,GonahMl. a year to 6,000,0001. an unprecedented
instance of liberality. He also contended that Mr. Pitt never
intended this tax to be may imposed in time of cur.-01w
cries of coolest ! he,...atite here so fund that we could not gather
any more of his arguments.)
Mr. W. KEENE tubed (as tunas we could hear) that this tax
were laid on absolute property merely.
Mr. H. DAVIS had always considered this measure us not one
to be supported in peace, except for two years, to pay oti part
of the debt contracted in time of war. He wished to know if
the Chancellor of the Exchequer meant to charge this tax on
landholders, if they proved to the Commissioners that their
tenants were unable to pay their rents. The continuance of
this tax would give his Majesty's Minions-0 ;mild Itsaghl—.
he meant Ministers, time to reduce the other taxes, which lure
heavy on the country. It would raise the farmer's price on
his produce, anti enasequently the credit of the country, which
would be a much greatt r advantage than removing a small tax.
'this wits his opinion, although he was sorry to give a vote
against the opinion of so large a body of his constituents.
Mr. V.IPIISITT.SitT said, that the east• of a landlord receiving
no rents, in consequence of the distress or insolveucy of his
tenants, was one a hich had occupied his attention, and would
be yrovided for.

kr. BARING would not occupy the Committee long in the
tenker it then was; but he thought die a 11211111V111 oft c Mem-
ber for Bristol (Mr. H. Davis) would neither be soy satisfac-
tory to the Committee nor his constituents. The Chanel:ll°r
of the Exchequer had not pledged himself to discontinue this
tax for ns o years, but it was to be LI pt up fur the extinction
of a war debt of 14 millions. It would theret;,re he emitinued
ut long as Mioisters could show the tail el• what they called the
war debt. If Ministers could once get this taut established it;
•'e•tce, 111/11C of us would .ice the end ol•it , for it would be an
easy mode of raising taxes to supply a waster... expenditure.
The case of 17t17 was the reverse of the p., fur now we
have a rich Exchequer and a poor country. (Moe. hear.) And
;Mit distress was not to hr al:esiated by biking more money
out of the pockets of the people.
Lord CAIITLCRLAGII said, the Yill) jert had been so much di.-
cossed, that it would be rid.culons to use any arguments et this
hour of the night. Ent he owed it to the country to state the
nceessity which muted Ministers to oppose ii•rtf to the s cry
natural desire of the country to act rich of lb, He wished
to speak with ail renfect of dm petittonei, out he did ni,i think
that tins deliberate aeul►v GrPeitibiairnt eat tit 'oink as to 1,-r k
beyond the walls of the. 'loose for advice how to act. He was

VIII