The National Register.
London, England, 1819-07-05 00:00:00

No. 119G.—VoL. XII.]

olitfcat llttropect.

1.; PON the general subject of Taxation, as well as
•';he particular bearings of our burdens, we have per-
•haps said enough already to satisfy our readers, and
certainly much more than can afford any gratifica-
tion to ourselves. We are not-such determined par-
tizans as to glory in public misery, or derive pleasure
from causes which-bring woe to the bulk of our fel-
low creatures, though even such causes may contri-
bute to rouse the indignation and Reorient the
hatred against those whom we.candidly .avow•ctur-
:,elves to believe to merit, as public. characters, not
one single sentiment of veneration or regard.—
But we cannot be unmindful that Taxation is a fuel-
ing, point of public policy, and that a very numerous
description of persons may be purely and effectually
roused to reflection by this-Tort of appeal to their
peckds, when every appeal either to their heads or
hearts would be vain.and useless. If this were not
the case, if a low.and calculating selfishness were
not the character of the times, would it be seen that
Itepresentativv. in Parliament would dare to vote
away oar liberties one day, and our money, millions
after millions in tl.e gross, the next, and support
items ofexpenditure which outrage every feeling of
decent regie-d to the public weal, and then calculate,
yes, :and truly too, upon riding home, as it is called,
to the bosom of popular affection and esteem, on a
vote given in favour of some paltry local interest,
..iven as a sop to their constituents, and applied as a
mantle by themselves which is to cover every base
and unmanly sacrifice offered at the shrine of power.
No man can deny that this is a game every day
played, and more especially when the day of rec-
ktming is het at some distance, when five or six
ears of sweet oblivion are in imagination before
them. A return to the old Constitutional period of
Parliament is therefore every day more and more to
be desired. The accounts of Represeteatives and
Constituents are like the accounts of debtor and
creditor in common life, best settled and adjusted at
short intervals. Fraud arid folly .are then more
cautiously indulged, u well as more surely visited
by their proper recompense. The present Taxes
would not, could not have been carried at the 'lose
elan old Parliament.

-But our principal waive in again adverting to this
topic is to offer a few observations on the Tax upon
foreign wool. As an useless and unconstitutional
.demand of money on the part of the crown, we entirely
.condennt As a Tax, suppasieg'theanmuntit was to
raise were really needful we-chould view it in a dif-
ferent a.speet. To the claims of C,otnineice fin• pro-
tection and support, we are ttotiusensibk, and we
sincerely deprecate any opinion of that kind being
laid to our charge. ikt there arc to o !voiles of ra-
tional policy which we have always tlenoght laith
oGovernment on one hand, and .Commercial Men on
4he other, to have too much lost sight of. These
era the great and paramount importance of Agricul-
ture to the well-being of a State, and the ruperior
value of the honse-mar;cl- to any advantages which
our foreign Trade ever did or can afford us. Every
writer on Political (Economy bus laid thefoundation
of national strength in the means efnotional subsist-
ence, and has judged a Government to be well or
ill conducted, in proportion as it has fostered or neg-
lected this solo and inexhaustible source of solid
greatness. GlZia Britain has inherited Jkom nature