The National Register.
London, England, 1816-03-04 00:00:00

ARMY ESTIMATES.

The debate on the Army Estimates being resumed frrilit last
night,
Mr. LAW said he should vote in their fa% oar.

Lord For tWOWS r made a most able speech on the danger of
so large a force. lie felt us strongly convinced as he could be
of any truth, not manifest to his outward senses, that the re ex-
isted in some quarter a resolute determination to establish a
military government in this country.
Mr. it. WARP said, the establishment now proposed war ab-
solutely necessary for the protection of the country UII4 our
coluni<s, and he trusted the House would feel no difficulty in
voting it.
Mr, JOHN SMITH considered the words in the Regent's
speech, that the trade and commerce of the United Kingdom
were in a most flourishing 3ituatiou, a, only intended to deceive
the country.

Sir FR A NCI% BUR DETT made a long and able speech against
the Estimates, which was loudly cheered.
Mr. TIPRNEY described the financial difficulties of the
country ; he considered the props sed Estimates as no provision
against future evils, but present exhaustion and ruin ; and it
ever war did come, there must be a stop to the payment of
the interest of the national debt—sac must di fraud our credi-
tors, we must sink in bankruptcy,
The CHANCELLOR of the EacHectura replied at length._
The Wine divided--for leaving the Chair, all ; against it,
121.—Majority in favour of Ministers,V4o.—Adjourned at foul
in the morning.

TWLR'DAY, FEB. 29.
PROPERTY TAX.

Petitions were presented Irons Exeter, Devonshire. Ash-
burn ne, Ito WI-, and from Reading, against the Property
Sir JOHN Six FON wished to state fairly his sentiments on 'he
last Petition. It einitaired, es a prokoinent feature, an imputa-
tion on the C•evenoneut of a greet dereliction of piinlic faith;
as the tax was ti. be appliclde only to a state of war. and
nev..• to a :lore of to sce. t 0 desired to see the end of the
tax :is inkuth any vi the petitioners could. He had attended
P.e..;;rnciu. diligernly lest session t aml he never heard any de-
elar..'.on, liter which a nrcaA of faith could be impi d, from
any bitliviltud. whittevec imglit be his otiicial situt...ton. It
would be aluitird to suppose that Parliament made any pledge.
It was a.ways in the power and duty of Parh .tent to take
prop' r meast.ces to ,%ipe as ay eli the arreeis of a war. He
ago r!, clef- lest:times, that i; was lesitable n. t
to rt c.• . ''• 11l t ero,ll its containing evils which
not a.. '';• persons •^re
• . • wood pay n0t!.141,_ to the ti
:tvicoltural isitti,,t pecul.arly
e,:t!•ri:•,l coo,n,,.i.cis acre in many
u,- .overunient would be de-

re:.,.

di,n•

A dt it 81..11

0;11

ceived proili.ce so. the 51.
MR. Ht/ I R was t the learned gentleman's eon- I
stitneuts we It: to him., ..rri I e.t his cute against the tax,
which was the most .topurtaiii frantic of the pi tition. Certain-
ly Parliaiattit coulii but pow a pie nge ; it mast tI.. its duty ac-
cording to cirentioaate ,s; bat the ease was amerea, as
re-
apeeted Ministele, ..tio were charged with forfeiting their
!sledge to Parliament; Wheal wits the real fact, and a matter
of grave and important consideration. The aim ays
a question between Parliament and the Crown o:?lhe statement
of Minister,. 1-k had also attended diligently lest session, and
he bad a distinct recollectiou that the tax was held out as a
war tax only ; to ask now to impose it as a peace tax web a for-
feiture of a promise.
Mr. DAVENPORT disapproved of the tax as a peace tax. He
wished ILe House to stand well with the people, mid reject it.
Sir C. Mem DAL NT said, that the breach of a pledge reaterally
throughout the country was anion!, the chief contplaints he
teemed wherever lie went, and formed a strong a rgusneut against
the renewal. Petition ordered to iie on the table.
Mr. Dschixson presented a petition against the tax frow
Wellington in :..inuarsetakire, which stated various reasons for
not renewing it—the commercial and agricultural distress, and
the danger of a standing army. He was convinced that not
only the property.tax, but also many others, must he taken off,
ur the farmer would nut be enabled to till Lila ground. He could
now borrow no capital. It' the tax were not re ))))) %eel, we
should soon see one class of society sinking down ; and what
wonhl become of the lowest? If two persons in 1812 had laid
out equal SUM of money In the funds and in laud, he who
bought land could now only let it at one-half, if he could meet
with a tenant; but he who funded would hay doable the corn
lie could at The time he bought in. The difference NTS as sto
2. But the Minister wanted to do all he could to prop up the
filmic Unless a man thought the funds rotten, lie would
therefore sooner place his money there. It appeared to he
the policy to make the fluids all, and the land nothing, though
its cultivation was the foundation on which the superstructure
at national prosperity must lie laid.
Mr. STANIFORTO presented 4 petition from Hull against the
-Property-tax. lie considered that a pledge bad been maue
and orteken. He regretted to say, that if the Property-tax
was CArJ wet, many would pay nose than they ought, to support
appearances and credit.
Mr. THOMSON said, it was universally understood, in and
about Hull, that the tax- was roily a oat tax. The country
would Lave hut little reliance on parliament, it' it suffered this
tax to be renewed year after vear, when the necessity t:tr it
bad ceased. There had atit be. nin I lull in ten years so many
bankrupts as during the last tea months. The hardships ot
agriculture were excessive in that neighbourhood. Aieeeliaats
could appeal egainst the charge under the tax, and an hottest
mail's word might be taken as to what his atihirs we r. ; but the
farmer could get no allowance ; kis appeal was ageless The
people had yielded to the weight of the tax like sheep and
bad been shorn to the bone. He hoped the eat et of the peti-
tions *mild he, that sec should very soon hear that the tax was
dead and gone.
Mr. LOCK/CART presented a similar petittcn from the united
parishes of l.t. Andrew and St. George the. Martyr. He thou ht
the tax peculiarly hard on tr_ders ; yet u property tas, it' ne-
cessary, might lie so framed us to reach the me ins of those who
bad really Site aLility to p y it. Ile et-aild support a property
tax nioditied with a stew to the funis and placet and pensions.
It' this was railed a breach of faith, ne should say it was ti.e first
dun et' Parliament to adopt all uwast.res That were fair and
expedient le p Nitwit the agre•oltur of the couolly. -
Sir J. Ni WP, the Hon. Member should, in his
.opinions reject ti.e eieaiieed tae, awl bring ha a bid ace arditig
to his 0“11 V it'.ll. Li &Akita; places and pesaioue fie would give
Lint his support.