The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-06 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
had to acquaint the house that her Majesty had received
a notification that there had been a change in the form
of the Government of France. Her Majesty had re-
ceived a notification to the effect that the empire had
been re-established, and that the Emperor had been
proclaimed under the title of Napoleon 111. Ministers,
acting upon that policy which had long been accepted
in this country, namely, that of recognising every de
facto Government, had advised her Majesty promptly
and completely to recognise the new Govern-
ment. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) At the same time
first, in a friendly form ; and, secondly, in a formal and
official manner, had it been announced to the Govern-
ment that in accepting the title of Napoleon the 3rd,
the Emperrr of the French does not in any way wish to
assert his hereditary claim to the Empire ; but, on the
contrary, he considers his only claim to be considered
Emperor was that he had been elected to this dignity by
the voice of the people of France. The Emperor had
also voluntarily declared that he entirely accepts all the
Governments, and their acts, which had existed since
1814. (Cheers.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL asked if there would be any
Zjection to produce the official notification which the
C-lovernment had received. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought
;liera would be none, but he could not answer that
luestion at present in a positive manner.
INCOME TAX.
On the motion for receiving the report,
Mr. GLADSTONE considered that the question on
Friday would only refer to the alteration of the hou7C-
tax, and this he did not think a constitutional course.
Upon the sth of April the income-tax will have legally
ceased to exist, and it was the duty of the house to con,
Sider what should be done with the income-tax, for while
this was settled, it was impossible to consider fairly the
subject of the increase of the house-tax. The house
would not be called upon to consider the continuance,
but the reconstruction of the income-tax, and on this
question the judgment of the house should be taken in
the most formal manner. The right hon. gentleman had
proposed then great changes in the income-tax. The
reduction of the exemptions existing, though not without
precedent, he considered dangerous ; and upon the third
change ptoposed there existed so much difference of
opinion that, from some sides in the house, the right
hon. gentleman must expect from first to last the most
strenuous opposition. He hoped that the house would
not depart from Mr. Pitt's doctrine on the subject
Mr. Pitt respected the principle of public faith, but the
plan of the Government, as propounded on Friday, pro-
ceeded directly in opposition to that principle. But it
was not only the opinion of Mr. Pitt that he stood upon,
but upon the fact that it had been adopted by all states-
men and all Parliaments since 1803. The judgment of
of Parliament had been frequently taken upon this sub-
ject since then, and it had been uniform with that of
Mr. Pitt in every case. It had always been allowed that
the funds, and the income derivable from them,
were exempt from all charges and taxation.
The money was lent upon condition that no
tax should be levied upon the interest or its quality
of interest ; and now, after a lapse of fifty five
years, and after two generations of statesmen had passed
away, it was deliberately proposed to Parliament to vi o-
lath that principle. The question might seem trumpery
now, but the sum involved by way of tax was small,
but the day might come when the figure minnt be
doubled, and it was, therefore, now necessary that the
house should see its way as to the income tax, before it
proceeded to consider the other matters of the budget.
The income tax ought to be made an independent
question, and he hoped the Govermment would be pre-
pared on Friday next to adopt tho suggestion he had
ventured to throw out.
Mr. HUME wished to be definitely informed whe-
ther Government intended the income tax to be a per-
manent or temporary measure. Ho differed with
the opinion of the last speaker, because he
could see no reason for exempting incomes deriv-
able through the funds from payment of the tax.
Such incomes ought to be assessed in the same
proportion as other property, and although Mr. Pitt and
others might have entertained a different opinions, the
time had gone by when the country would tolerate the
injustice of the exemption longer. But they ought at
once, before they proceeded further, to come to some
decision upon the question of increasing the house tax.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was
still of opinion that the course which he had chalked
out for the house to take was the correct one—and
that it was to go into committee both on the house duty
and the income tax, while with regard to the extension
of the income tax to funded property in Ireland, he ap-
prehended there would be no difficulty in that as far as
the law was concerned. Incomes derivable from the
funds paid the tax in England, and Ireland was only ex-
empted through a clause which had been introduced into
the income tax. Government not only believed that they
were right in law, but that their recommedations
were founded in justice. He should, therefore, be pre-
pared to lay on the table, either to-night or to-morrow,
resolutions based upon the bold financial scheme sha-

(lowed forth on Friday. Of course, he could not expect
the house to dispose of all those resolutions at this time
of year ; but Government was quite ready to stand or
fall upon any single one of them. Their policy must be
taken as a whole, and on Friday next they should call
upon the house to decide for or against it in
.the committee
which would be taken on the tea duties and the house
tax. (Hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said he could conceive no graver
matter than that which had just been brought before the
house ; and when the proper time arrived, he should be
prepared fully to discuss it, well knowing the danger of
making any alteration in the principles of taxation
which had been established by several successive
Parliaments. It would be, however, for the Go-
vernment to select which subject they would wish
the house to pronounce upon first, but he thought
before they proceeded to make any reductions in
the taxes the house ought to be called upon to vote
the ways and means by which the deficiency should be
made up.

Mr. bOLBOURN took exception to the argument
taken up by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and con-
tended that it would be a violation of the contract which
had been entered into with the public creditor to require
funded property in Ireland to pay income tax. With
respect to the tea duties, there would be no diffi-
culty in dealing with that question in a com-
mittee of the whole house, but with regard to the
other question of increasing the house tax, that could
only be done in a committee of ways and means.
Sir C. WOOD said, the house could proceed to re-
duce the tea duties by way of bill, but the other matter
of the house tax could only be dealt with in Com-
...

mittee of Ways. He thought, under these cir-
cumstances, the Budget ought to be treated as a whole
on Friday next, though they might single out one
resolution upon which to take the discussion.
Mr. WALPOLE said the Government could not
bring the whole of the resolutions before the house on
Friday, but they proposed to take the opinion of the
house on the reduction of the tea duties and the exten-
sion of the house tax, which involved the whoie financial
place the
Policy of the Government.
Sir J. V. SHELLEY did not think there was any
necessitye for pressing the house-tax to an immediate
Lord JOHN
ion, as before any reduction of taxation could take
re-imposition of the income-tax must be
decided en.
MANNERS said, the deficit in the tea
(Hear, be
to
1 objection there coeurdas
duties would be
I house-tax, and lai,,bout made up by the increase in the
at a loss to understand what
taking both questions to-
gether.
would only bear.)produce about Doubling the house-tax
year, while the reduction in in4o(pe tea-duties would
half a million next
000/. (Hear, heor.)
cause a loss to the revenue
and his friend oh-
had decided upon the question 0
they could
Mr. S. HERBERT said whathe
not consent to reduce
the income tax, which was at present one of emainf
jta.exCteesd
soursces of the revenue. (Hear, hear.) It Was folly
Ilt:tilwa'thley