The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-04-22 00:00:00

c •
A \
\

i•

count of the situation it) "Lich Ireland was plact.l
on the consolidation oldie two treasurit s, she tupl tin
right to expert a greater seinission tit taxes tha. blot
been extended to her. To England, 17,000,000/.
were remitted—to Ireland, 300,000/. Why VlV4tlii*
inequality ? Because Ireland faikd to support bur-
dens which were heyorid her st ren2th She, however,
took all that her capacity enabled her to fake: Minis,
ter. pressed more upon her, leitl:er cap..eity was in-
sufficient to bear a greater bu,alen. This might
easily be proved by a reference to facts. Iu 180431
the revenue of Ireland amounted to 4.417,0001.
Since that period taxes were imposed ou the bug.
gestion of the Finance Mit ister, to the amount ,of
3,500,000/. What was tie, result ? flow +noel§
did the revenue of Inst year exceed that of 1808'
It exceeded it in the sum of 50,1300/. Yea, taxes
estimated to produce 3 500,0001. really brought is
only 50,000/.! This was a decided proof of the in.
ability of the country to pity. Worn the debts of
the two countries were consolidated, Nliiiisters ex.
peeled to realise a large aunt by it. Their exi•er.
tatious were disappointed, and their projeet pro.
duced only 50,000/. If ant otle Woof of this fact
were winding, it was to he found in the Report of
die Committee that sat op stairs for the iiivestiga.
Linn of the finauces of Ireland. That Report stated
" That for several years Ireland bed edvancrd in
taxation more rapidly their Great Britain lierself.:—
motwithstandiug the immense exertions of the latter
country, with respect to the war taxes." The naves.
sary inference was, if she had made more exist sive
exertions thou even Great B. dein, including her war
taxes, that, when the period of peace came, she
ought to be entitled to an equal reinissimi with the
former country. Ile should now tall the attention
of the [loose to the increase of taxation saucy the
Union. At that period the window tax was, front
one to four shillings per window—it was nosy limn
three to 14s. At the period of the Union there
was no horse tax—there was now a horse tax of
41. 17s. Tea, of the best kind, paid 7d. per Ih. the
worst sd.—the tax was now Japer cent. std rulore.a.
The tax on wine hail increased in the proport. of
live to two, and the revenue had decreased its
the proportion of two to live. Oa an average,
the taxes were more than doubled since the
Union—and thus individuals, depsived of their
comforts, were induced to become abseriteee.
He would submit but one question to Administni-
tion—Was it their iiitention to increase the ahsenteo
evetem in Ireland ? if not, would it be prudent in
diem to augment taxation, together with all the
other inducement' to absesitoesillip ? The prerwrit
system undoubtedly had that tendency. But the
worst feature of all was, that all Irelaird had looked
upon tks us upon other taxes of the mine devcrip.
time a, axes depending on the coutintottloti ofgbe
war.f 1 lear.)— fie had entered thus far ietolfie
details of the state of Ireland regard:tie taxation,
inertly to justify the conduct of Ireland respecting
the exertions she had road• in the common cause;
end he was happy to say, that esen the R, port of
the Committee on this sulject had home low out
in the representation lie had attempted to eat iblish.
namely, that Ireland had failly and conscientiously
discharged whatever ought to hove been expected
of her at the period of the conclusion of the Union.
Mr. PEEL assured the Right Hots. Baronet, lie
had not, in any part of his speech, attesmard to
inculpate the conduct of that Right Hun. Gentle-
man, when at the head of the Irish Govertimeat, in
1807.

Sir N. COLTHIURST Strongly insisted that, upon
grounds of good faith between the two emintui,s,
upon which Ireland had most scrupulousli• aco.d
hitherto, this tax should be repealed. If there
were wanted a proof of the propriety of its repeal,
it might be found either in the result of those in-
quiries instituted by the Right lion. Gent letnatt, UY
the notorious circumstance of the poorer order "f
people hiviog been obliged to shut up altogether,
or temporarily stop up, the windows of their miscra.
ble residences.

Sir FREDERICK FLOOD was surprised at the op-
position which this 610111eis hail received from the
Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
more partir•ularly Its the indulgence sought had
for its object the devising of the hest means to pre-
serve the lives of the people of Leland, whose suf-
ferings that Right Ilion. Grahams') had inhumed
to be extremely severe, one-fouith of ishich, had it
beers experienced in this country, would have pro-
duced the most alarming effects. Tl►ts burden of
taxation lie would call it mortal burden ; because
it affected most tnateriatly the lists of mane in that
country, as had been sufficiently . proved' by the
Report of the Medical Gro• :emelt of Dublin, who
had asserted in their Report, that not less than 3.000
persons had suffered from the effects of the conta-
gious disease then raging in the capital of Ireland.
Would the Right lion. Gentleman insist that they
should still continue to close up their witri!rms, al-
though thereby they opened for thenisr.lves site
mid certain graves ? That Right lion. Gehtletuats
should recollect how lie had entreated the House
formerly—" For God's sake, withdraw your oppo.
salmi for the regent, and I will withrli:its after fire
years, or the exptratio.► of the war, the tax !"
Such had been the understanding respecting the
Income Tax ; and would it he ar,-,sted, that after
so considerable sum in taxation as 17 millions, is
the shape of Income Tax, had been giveit up upon
a point of honour, that Ministers should tura •
deaf ear to the suggestion of honour iu this case,
and refuse to withdraw so trifling a proportion of
the general taxation, which had so eagerly hies
solicited by the Irish people ? If the tax were riot
given up, the fact would be, that the produce of
it would be (tails reducing. It would, therefore, he
advantageous to Government to reflect upon thase
two political truths—"l s wail NUJ'S," and Les
non potest impossibilia." In simpler phrase, there
was no use iu attempting to levy a •tax •.where it ails
ninrally impossible to enforce its paynient—a fact
which lie was Sat;htlt:ii would he proved upon a re-
ference of the matter to ir•Committee, and he
shotild tker-fore vole for it.

Mr. GRATTAN >tuted the various ground+ upon
which he suhinitted tile tax should Ise taken off.--
The lint was, that the endeavours to increase lIS
1 roductiveliess had all failed, and that notelet
thereof, the produce of the it has fallen flran
350,000/. to 3u0,1100/. The second consisted in Oct
itvowca insolvency of the Imre- order of Ve011:e to
pity the iiIX. Elie third reason for its .abolitiint
would be fount! in the broach of .e on the.
partof his Nlajest)'s (govt r. iiionr to th„ people. et
Ireland at the time of its ennetntent. The 10(11111