The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-04 00:00:00

"1714; SUN, LONDON SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMB_ER 4, 1852
r.L

sub silentio. We, however, at present, merely refer to
the Taxes on Knowledge, and more especially the adver-
tisement duties, as the most lamentable omission that
indeed constitutes a "hiatus valde deflendus."
The shipping interest will receive with thanks and
gratitude the concessions made by the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman--concessions that should not be considered in
the light of equivalents for what has been taken away
by-the repeal of the Navigation Laws, but rather as
the removal of unjust and oppressive burdens which
should never have been imposed. The British ship-
owner appears to have been looked on as an animal to
be fleeced. He had to pay for lights which his vessels
could not see, harbours into which they did not enter,
and pilots of whose services they did not avail them-
selves—they were bound to surrender their best hands
and the anchorage of which they were in actual
possession to any vessel of the Royal Navy that
might come in the way, no matter how great
the inconvenience and loss thereby entailed on
the owners. These grievances were acutely felt
by the Shipping interest, and we are sure that
no unprejudiced or disinterested person will consider
that their abolition is too dearly purchased, and we have
no doubt that. the spirit in which the CHANCELLOR of
the EXCHEQUER entered on the question will elicit
universal commendation.
He has likewise acted fairly towards the West India
Colonies. The demand for differential duties is totally in-
consistent with the " unrestricted competition" to which
the House is now distinctly and unequivocally pledged.
But the privilege of refining in bond, is in no degree
opposed to that salutary privilege. It will afford a great
relief to the Colonistsovithout in any degree infringing
on the invaluable rule henceforth to be regarded.
As to the Agricultural interest the matters chiefly re-
ferred to are highway-rates, county-rates, and poor-
rates. On the former subject a new Bill will-
be brought forward, which, it is to be hoped,
will be more beneficial both in a financial and
administrative point of view than the six abor-
tive attempts at legislation by which it has been pre-
ceded. In that also, as in the county-rates, the Right
Honourable Gentleman appears disposed to permit an ex-
tension of the representative system, a matter which we
have no doubt will be cordially appreciated by the rate-
payers. Although not prepared to recommend any
change in that or the poor-rate at present, we can
easily perceive " looming in the future," an important
alteration, which will, and as we have considered most
justly, transfer a considerable portion of their local
charges to the Consolidated Fnnd. The poverty of a
nation is justly and properly a charge on its prosperity,
but there is no reason why it should be restricted to real
property, or, why the owner of 100,0001. in the Three
per Cents. should not contribute as much as the
proprietor of an estate returning 3,000/. per annum.
The reform—for it would be a great and most valuable
reform— would equalise the buidens throughout the en-
tire kingdom, relieving those requiring assistance, and
transferring the weight to those who both could and
ought to pay—would also abolish the expensive and
worse than useless litigation occasioned by the law of
settlement, and the system of passing the shuttlecock
paupers from parish to parish and from union to union.
The reduction of the Malt-tax to one-half its present
amount, and the gradual diminution of the Tea Duties to
one shilling per pound, will be received with unmitigated
satisfaction. We have no doubt that the entire of the
Malt-tax will ultimately be abolished ; for it musVbe re-
membered, that the odious excise surveillance must
still be continued for one-half as well as the
whole, and that while any charge is retained
the poor man will be unable to make his own malt, and
brew his own beer, and the virtual monopoly of the
ale-kings and porter-potentates must continue in full
force. The reduction in Tea is, perhaps, too gradual.
We have no doubt that the plan propounded by JOHN
MACGREGOR, the able, consistent, and enlightened repre-
sentative for Glasgow, of an immediate change to is. 9d.,
with an annual diminution of 3d. per pound, would have
given more general satisfaction.
With respect to the Income-tax, the subject is too
important to enter on it at present. We have neither

time nor space to bestow the consideration it so emi-
nently merits. We rejoice, however, to find that the
distinction between fixed and permanent, and fluctuating
and precarious revenue—or, in other words, -between in-
come and property, is recognised. For that and the exten-
sion of the charge to Ireland we are truly grateful. But for
the dreadful blunder respecting the House-tax—the set-
ting of town against country—as it was justly termed by
Mr. HumE, we should hail the Budget with unmitigated
satisfaction. But even with all its faults, it is far better
than any ,that was ever offered by the Whigs. The good
points are brought out in the strongest point of view,
while the omissions and errors are excused with consum-
mate skill. Mr. DISRAELI has by it achieved a
position as a financier unsurpassed by any of his
predecessors sinc3 the time of WILLIAM PITT. Sir
CHARLES WOOD was the cause of a great proportion of
the odium that fell upon the RUSSELL Administration.
The genius of Mr. DISRAELI, on the other hand, may
possibly save his colleagues,, and enable them to retain
office for a considerable time—far beyond that of which
they could have had any reasonable expectation. He is
indeed, the Atlas on whose shoulders the burden mainly
rests.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

--~

(From the Morning Herald.)
The speech of Mr. Disraeli, last evening, was truly an ex-
traordinary effort. For more than five hours did he rivet the
attention of a most crowded house, and completed one of the
most comprehensive expositions of finance that Parliament
has ever heard; and, what is more, he left on the minds of
most of his hearers the impression of complete success--the
conviction this scheme, taken as a whole, showed such proofs
of skill as to make its entire realisation a matter of great
probability.
Mr. Disraeli commenced by taking a careful review of the
three great interests--shipping, West Indian, and agricultu-
ral—which felt themselves deeply injured by recent legisla-
tion and looked to him for redress.
He examined the case of the shipping interests at some
length, but was only able to offer them relief from some light-
house duties, to the extent of 100,000/. per annum.
The West Indian grievances were next investigated; but
the principal boon that Mr. Disraeli could afford to them was
a permission to refine sugar in bond--an advantage long
sought and highly valued.
Next came the case of the agriculturists, and their peculiar
bur dens. The highway, county, and poor rates were re-
viewed ; but the Ministers could not resolve upon touching
either of them.
Up to this point the effect of the speech was rather dis-
appointing. But, to do justice to the speaker, it was neces-
Si
sary to bear in mind, that he was addressing a free-trade
House of Commons, and that he had pledged himself to fall
in with the new system. Hence, to have proposed " Protec-
tionist measures," would have looked like a breach of faith,
and would probably have been treated as such by Parliament.
His object, therefore, was, to do as much good as possible ;
but in such a way as to compel the Free traders to fall in with
his proposels.
We now come to the main features of the Budget. These
were :

1. A remission of one-half of the malt-tax, and of the war
duty on hops. Here is a substantial gain for the agrculturists 3
of nearly three millions per annum.
2. A reduction of the duty on tea, from 2s. 4id. to ls. per 7
lb. This is to take place gradually, in the course of the next
six years. Were the tax to be lowered to this great extent
at once, the great increase of the demand would ensure a sud-
den rise of price, and thus defraud the consumer of the 10'
benefit.
3. An alteration of the income tax in the following 20
ner : man-

Incomes from trades and professions to pay only three
fourths, or 54d. per 205., instead of 7d.
2. The tax to descend as low as 1001. from industrial in-
comes, and 501. from realised property.
4. These alterations, with an increase in the navy estimates,
would create a deficiency of 2,500,000 i. Against this Mr.
Disraeli had to set a surplus income of 1,700,0001. and
400,0001. of expected repayments—together 2,100,0001. He
required therefore some further " ways and means." " And
now," said he, turning to the free trade members, " I mean
to test you. You are in favour of direct taxation. You
dislike taxes on articles of consumption, and must therefore 1.
approve of the reductions of the malt duty, duty on tea,
and on hops. Now, will you enable me to carry out E
these, reductions by supporting the only increase of taxation
which I have to propose. The house tax is admitted to be,
in principle, a good tax. But it includes only houses of 201. 1
and upwards, and it is only 6d. in the pound on shops, and s
9d. on private houses. I propose to include all houses of 101. 2
and upwards, and to make it Is. on shops, and ls. 6d on
private houses."
This last point, the increase of a tax, is, of course, the 2121
difficulty of the scheme, and it is here only that any serious
1!
opposition need be apprehended But the consummate skill with which the plan is framed is seen in this—that every class si
of persons must gain by the Budget ; and that the remissions annot take place, except 'the increase of the house tax is Sis
5(
conceded.
Let it be supposed, that a knot of householders get to-
gether,tax to oppose this St
is disagreeable doubling of their house . But the followg considerations must surel St
y occur to
them :
50
1. Any of them who pay income tax on their trades or
professions will obtain a reduction of one-fourth of that tax. 12
2. All of them will benefit by the reduction of the duties
on malt, hops, and tea.
Thus it is clear that on a balance they must be gainers ; 12, '
but if they oppose one part of the Chancellor of the Ex. 25
chequer's plan, they oppose the whole; for the scheme must
pass in its integrity, or not at all.
In like manner a man with a small salary, or with a poor 6
1
501. a year in the funds, may be disconteutec at the thought
1]
of being subjected to the locome-tax, or the holder of a 101.
12
house may complain of having a house tax imposed on him.
12,i
But let either of these cooly reflect whether the mulct of 15s
St.
or 30s per annum will not be much more than made up to
St.
them by a reduction of beer to 2d per pot, and of tea to 2s 6d
per lb ? We cannot help, therefore, predicting the full 161
success of this Budget. It ought to succeed, as we have just
20
said, because it is a Budget by which ovary man must 5
gain more than he loses. We may also say, in a lower
sense, that it ought to succeed, because never
has there en 2
in our days a financial schame produced bearing such evident marks of skill, forethought, and entire fairnass, as that St.
which was last night offered to the House of Commons. st. :
As a piece of statesmanship, the plan of last night, and the
speech in which it was conveyed, would bear comparison—we might say, would shine by comparison with the best efforts 15
8
of Sir Robert Peel.

we are compelled by the length to which our report 10
of the financial statement in the House of Commons extends, 25
to postpone until Monday several matters of interest. 10
0 LORD FRANKPORT.—Yesterday Lord Frankfort was L"
convicted in the Court of Queen's Bench, of having published
a defamatory libel with intent to defame Lord Henry Lennox, St.
and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment in the Middle- i„,
sex House of Correction. 20
THE EGYPTIAN STEAM FRIGATE TAID GIHADD leaves
Southampton to-day for Alexandria. She will convey out aew passengers connected with the Oriental Company and Sis
Alexandria, by especial favour. She conveys out to the t
Paella four English mastiffs of immense size and strength. 1
Crowds of persons have visited this magnificent frigate during 2
her stay in Southampton docks.
SINGULAR AND FATAL CAB ACClDENT.—Yesterday morning a remarkable accident caused the death of Mr. George
Leadbitter, formerly a detective officer attached to BolVistreet
Police-office. As Mr. Leadbitter was proceeding' lioMe in a 40
~„„
cab, and had arrived at the junction of Lower Grosvenor-
''
place
with the Victoria-road, he thrust his head out
of the 100
window to speak to the driver, just as the vehicle wag on the 100
turn, and the weight of his body coinciding with the centri-
fugal tendency communicated to the cab in the act of winding •••
round the corner, threw the body of the vehicle off the
wheels, and it fell on the unfortunate gentleman. He was at 20
once removedan to St. George's Hospital, but was found to be
quite dead, d there is every reason to believe that he was
killed on the spot. 50
50
FRENCH INGENUITY IN ART.-,---We had yesterday the 100100
opportunity of inspecting, with some minuteness, the produc-
tions in art-manufacture which have been fabricated in Paris 20
for the house of Howell, James, and Co. These articles mani- 25
that happy tact of knowing how to make the most of a new
idea, and the equally valuable faculty of knowing when and 25
1
where to leave off, for which the continental art-workmen are
1000
so distinguished. The productions of this class are almost
countless, and bear proof that at the present moment the em-
5
ployment of the hands and the minds of the Paris artizans is
uninterrupted. It is further obvious that the possessors of 25
this industrial faculty have had in view the kindly influences
of Christmas and the New Year— many of these exquisite re-
sults of refinement being clearly intended as souvenirs of the 40
ennobling sympathies of affactien awiloye.—aarninglivrald.

( From the Times.)
In the statement made last night by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, there is one point at least which will give general
satisfaction, for if the proposition pass into law, it will be the
fulfilment—the tardy fulfilment—of a great act of public
justice. Mr. Disraeli has at length recogni?ed the principle
that a distinction exists for fiscal purposes between income
derived from transitory sources, and income which issues from
realized property. The difference thrqughout has been as
clear to the eye of common sense as the difference between
capital and interest, or between property and income. The
present rate of payment is to be retained for all kinds of fixed
property, but on transitory incomes it is to be reduced one
fourth. This we conceive to be the true principle—it is the
one we have always advocated from the very morrow
of the day on which the tax was reimposed by
Sir Robert Peel. We next come to the chapter of
exemptions. Hitherto, there have been two principal cases
of exemption—namely, Ireland, and all incomes under 1501.
First, with regard to Ireland,—why should Ireland be ex-
empted from the payment of this impost ? Sir R. Peel saw
difficulties in the way of collecting an Irish income-tax, and
imposed instead an additional spirit duty and an increased
duty on stamps. The former he was soon compelled to re-
move as affording encouragement to smuggling, the latter has
produced from all Ireland, in lieu of her proper contribution
to the Imperial burdens, the magnificent sum of 16,0001.
The calamities which have befallen Ireland have also
prevented the redress of this glaring disproportion ;
but great as they have been, Ireland is now rapidly righting herself, and instead of complaining that a por-
tion of her property is now to be subjected to its
fair share of taxation, we trust that the house and the
country will assist on abolishing the exemptions which Mr.
Disraeli is still inclined to make in favour of her landlords.
According to his proposal, the land of Ireland is to remain
exempt for the present, but Irish funded property and Irish
salaries are no longer to maintain their unjustly favoured
position.
We now come to the second class of exemptions. Why
should incomes less in amount than 1501. per annum be
spared, when all classes of the community are compelled to
contribute indiscriminately by indirect taxation ? According
to Mr. Disraeli's new modification, the tax will strike incomes
derived from permanent sources as low as 501. per annum ; in
other cases it will only affect incomes of 1001. per annum
and upwards. The intention is still to exempt those who
live by' weekly wages, at the same time that the small
landowner and fundholder will be compelled to pay their
share. This is fair enough, for there really was no reason in
justice or common sense why owners of small properties
should not be compelled to pay upon their realised properties
as well as upon their tea and sugar. The case of the hired
servant stands upon different grounds. It should be added, moreover, that at a certain point the cost of col-
lection would overtake the produce of the tax. There
can be no reason, except such as those we have just
stated, for the exemption of any great class of the com-
munity from a scheme of direct taxation. There
is, however, one very special case. The clergy
have hitherto been placed for income-tax purposes
in the same schedule as landowners, although it is obvious
they only have a life-interest in the income derived from their
livings. Mr. Disraeli, considering this fact, and at the same
time the very moderate pittance upon which "the great bulk
of the clergy subsist, has removed them to the more favoured
class in his new scheme—that is to say, they will only be •
taxed at the rate of sid., in place of 7d. in the pound as now.
The species of property is no doubt of an abnormal character, 1
and the new arrangement may pass unchallenged on special
grounds.
Such are the leading features of the new income tax
arrangement ; and, although we think that in fairness a greater difference should have been established between the
rates of taxation, still we give Mr. Disraeli credit for the
recognition of a sound principle, which, once introduced, will
render subsequent modifications easy. For many years the 5
red-tapists have denied either the justice of the distinction, or the possibility of carrying it out in practice, if the prin- 1
ciple had been allowed. The Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
has admitted its justice, and is at least about to test
the possibility of carrying it out. He deserves all com-
mendation for the course he has pursued, and we may con- 2(
gratulate him upon it the more heartily that we have been 2(
long struggling to obtain the result—struggling as men will 1(
struggle when they know that the truth of the principle they St
advocate will one day or another be acknowledged. The
thought strikes one over and over again, how easy it would St
have been for the Whigs to do all this, and to have gained a St,
better hold on the respect and affection of the country. But St,
no, the self-satisfaction of a coterie was too strong for the St.
suggestions of sound policy or the dictates of justice.