The Sun.
London, England, 1806-05-13 00:00:00

PRORERTY TAX.

, •
Lord H. PETTY moved the Commitment of the.
Property Tax 'Bill.
Mr. FRANCIS did not mean to objea to the
Speaker's leaving the Chair, bUt he thought. it in-
cuMbent upon him to state ,his opinion of the prin-;
ciple of the Bill. His objections to it were funda-
mental,"and not to be done away. But he knew
the difficulties under which the • Ministry. laboured,
and his obje& was only to clear himself from the
charge of inconsistency, for he was not one who
held one opinion while on 'one side of the House
and another when orr another; side. His opinion
was the sate as before, with this addition; that his
objeaions to it had•been rendered more powerful by
the augmentation which had taken place in it., " He
objeaed to it as being Misnamed, and called a Pro-
"perty Tax, when in fa& it was an incerne Tax, and
as,such unjust and unequal, and in-some cases cruel
and oppressive., Having thus stated his objet ionS
to the principle, he would, when it came into the
Coniniittee, give his assistance to render it in its de-
tails as 'unexceptionable as -possible hoped it
would not escape the attention of the House that we
were now come to times of difficulty and necessity.
The Noble Lord had found a difficulty in carrying
his first Tax, and he would feel it more and more in
future. It was not that he wished to oppose him,
but he really trusted that the House would consider
that we were come to 'the life-blood of the Coun-
try in Taxation, and in proportion as our difficulties
increased we ought, to attend to other resource 4
These were parsimony and a rigorous levy of the
Taxes at present in three. Great frauds were com-
mitted, in, many branches of the Revenue Depart
ments, especially in. the Customs, which . might be
prevented by a vigilant'Ministry. Ministers had no
right to demand .more Taxes while waste was per-
mitted; and abbseS remained uncorre&ed. it was
an old saying, and, a one, that "- Parsimony
• was thebest of all 'the sources of Public Revenue."
H. hoped this would be attended to.
Lord, HENRY PETTY said, that every attention
wot.',ld undoubtedly be paid to economy by the Mi-
nister. •

Mr.;Wir.Linm SMITH agreed tl;ith.the Flon:Gen,
tleman on the bench below (Mr. Francis) in most of
o:)servations, nor was it necessary tbr him to add a
)vo;;;.1 to what Le 144 before saki on this Tax. But

[;fie:rnfiaer 4reiell from the Mil. tentletinn as to
f tlie.r7.pf.rom; collealoti -,of the, Taxes. Au impartial,
sco.liottion ought lundoubtedly: to be made; but the
4'ol-lift?' in lonfo,,as well aA in re, would render the
i Taxes ten times more oppressive Lan at present. He
believed: hnwever;that the Hon. Gentleman meant
the same thing .by7the word'rigour which he did by -,
1 the word impartial. . :
Mr. FRANCIS agreed that what he meant was an
1 -exaa' -ctilleelion... By rigiour he did not mean

cruelty...
- Mr. FULLER wished that the Tax had really been
an InCoine Tax, and' in that case it would not bear
so heavily on the- Landed Interest.
Afteria few words *from Mr. TYRWHITT JONES,
the Speaket left the 'Chair.
In -.the Committee, on the reading of the First
Clime, Sir ROBERT BUXTON, Mr. HOLT LEE, COL
BASTARD, and Mr. FULLER, ohjeaed to the Assess-
ment on the Farmers by an: average of years, in-
stead of taking the profits of the year, as in other
cases.

- VANSITTART replica, that it was impossible
•to colic& the individual profits with sufficient ac-

curacy.

The Clause then passed as it stood in the Bill.
Several of the clauses were gone through, and re-
ceived,verhal Amendments.

On'the Clause being read by which Masters of
Families are obliged to make returns of every person
in his employ liable to the Tax,

. _ .
.
Mr. ROBSON 'staled,- that, if the meaning of
the "Ar& 'was 'that a' person having 701.-or even 1001.
:per...a annin a .Clerk.,-. nd shaving probably . four or
ti‘-c.childr,eoj. was to be sut)jeet to its..operation,-he
'should, before the passing 'Of the Bill; take the sense
of the. House Upon it. '
tSir :ROVERT BUXTON objected to the Clause
by which the full duty of 101. percent. was im-
posed on the Landed_ Interest, Without allowing
them any deduEtion for repairs. He moved, as an
Amendment, flitit a dedu6tion- of 81. per cent, on
the rents, be alloFved.on.dwelling-houses, and of 51.
per-cent. on. farm-houses.
On this question .a pretty, long discussion took
place,- when the'Cornmittee-divided--, • .

,51
129

For-the Amendment
Against it • -
Majority against the Amendment=7B

Mr. FRANCIS repeated the'obje6tiOns- he had
formerly urged as to the facility afforded under the
present , Bill of entirely screening unfunded pro-
perty front the Tax. - He therefore submitted the
propriety of having the duty on Exchequer 'Bills
levied in thq same manner with that on Funded.
Property. ,
Lord HENRY PETiY said he had inquired, and
found that the deity On this species Of property was
fairly accounted for, and there. was a delicacy in
changing the mode
,of collecting it. .
Mr. W. SMITH supported the idea of Mr. Francis,
when it was agreed that :the:' mattes 'should lie over
for after consideration. .*

Mr. FRANCIS then moved, that.the -Exemption
from Duty grafted to Foreigners StOck in.
Our Funds, &c. should be done away. He con-
tended that Foreigners were bound, as well as the
Stockholders of this Country, to contribute to the
proteEtion of their own property. As to the
matter of convcniency, there was, no other place,
.where Foreigners .could so securely lay out their
money. _ _

Mr. Sei-retary FOX felt astonished at the sug,
gestion of his Hon. Friend : he• should regard the
acceding to the propasal of the tion. Gentleman'as
nothing short of the Con4scation of the, property
alluded to. This was not a Bill taxingthe pro-
pert), of ':Foreigners, but ' of the subjects of this
Country. He hoped we should never so far forget
our own honour as to avail ourseltos of the un-
prote&ed situation, of, the rest of the, world ; and
because they had no other asylum for their pro,
perty but this Country, make so unjust a use of ou r
monopoly.. • ,_ _ _

, .Mr. W. SMITH and Mr.. BANKES. supported the
sentiments of Mr. Francis ; while Lord H. PETTt
declared: his to be similar to those df Mr. Fox.' •

The Question was then put, and the Amendment
was negatived without a divlsion.
The Cliairma.n then repoTted progress, and oh,
tained leave to sit again to-morrow.
Mr. TIERNEY postponed the farther consideration
of the Report of the Treating Bill to Monday.
Mr. PAULL gave notice for Thursday of a Motion
relative to the Papers fornierly moved fur by hini
concerning the Rajah of Bhurtpore.
The Scotch Judges' Salary Bill was read a third
time, and passed.—Adjourned a; one o'clock.

MAILS.
ARit tvEn—t Hamburgh. DUE-2 Dublin, z Waterford.

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THIS LittY AT,TWELVE O'CLOCK.
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SOLEM QUIS DICERE EALSLINT. AUDEAT ?

L 0 N D 0 AT,

TUE3DAY, 24.4. Y 3; 1806.

THE Hitmburgh Mail due on Sunday arrived this
morning, but it brings no information respe6tingthe
hostile operations' between Prussia and .Sweden of a
later date than that which we Jhave already received,
neither does it contain any account of the expeded
changes in the Government of Holland. There is not,
however,the slightest doubt that the nominal Batavian
Republic will be immediately converted into a'No-
narchy, and 'that BONAPARTE'S Brother Loins will
be the new Sovereign. It is stated in private Letters,
that the Deputation which was sent from'the Hague
to 'Paris have returned, and have brought with
them BONAPARTE'S final determination resped-
ing the, appointment of Louis, who has been ,
for some time ill at Paris, bat who is expeted
in Holland during the course of the present week.
The Teople of Holland, we believe, without a
single exception, would be adverse to this change in
the form of their Poliqr4rpta4, even if they liad the

paver of eletting their own Saveeeign, but ttisii
dislike to it must be considerably augmented, when
they find themselVes transferred, without ceremony.,
by a Foreign Usurper, to one Of his • own IW
latiOns, who. is a stranger to their language and
to their manners, a per Son wholly unconned
ed with, and unlcnowa to them. But-, in the
present state of the Continent resistance, would
be hopeless, 'and could only. tend to aggravate the
miseries_ of that unfortunate People. BONAPARTE
has now very nearly completed his favourite plan of
surrounding France with dependent States, and go-
verning them by his Relations Or his Dependents.
Italy, Switzerland, Baden, Bavaria, Uurtenzburglt,
Cleves, and Holland, are either in the. mmediate

possession, or under the controul of France, and
form a complete barrier between her and the only
Continental States of whom she can entertain any

apprehensions.

There arc no further accounts from Dalmatia.

There is strong ground to hope that Sir JOHN
BORLASE WARREN will fall in with the French
Squadron which has been for some time successfully
cruizing off the Coast of Africa : it consists Of ono
74-gun Ship, two 40-gun Frigates, and a Brig, and
has captured the Favourite Sloop of War, and 18
Merchantmen. The'ast accounts from Sir JOHN'S
Squadron state, that he had received intelligenCe of
the Enemy, and of course he would 'lose nn time in
going in search of them.

This morning Mr. PLOMER, leading Counsel for
Lord MELVILLb, opened his Lordship's Defence.—
The Court was crowded beyond all example. It is
expected that the Learned Counsel will conclude his
SPeedi this day.

THE MeSsage from lin MAJESTY) which was
yesterday presented to both Houses of Parliament,
will be read with particular pleasure by all who
know how to revere distinguished heroism euiploy-
id in the best of Causes---the support of the Civi-
lized World, as well as of the British
The splendid provision made for the Duke of
MARI.BOII6UGH was a due tribute to the merit of a
I‘lilitary Chief who had increased the glory of his

Country. But the convulsed state of the world, .at
the present periud, rendered the services of Lord
NELsox still more important ; for he not only aug-
Inented.the glory, but essentially contributed to se-

cure the independence of the British Empire. Every
heart, therefore, as well as every hand, must libe-
rally open to second His MAJESTY'S gracious desire
of rendering due honour to heroism unexdmpled in
the Naval Annals of any Country.

Mr. JACKSON, the late British Minister at the
Court of Berlin, arrived yesterday at Yarmouth,
Baron JAcoBI, lIIC—PrIISSiaII Minister at this Court,
has not yet received his letters of re-call.

A Cabihet Council was yesterday held, at two
o'clock, at Lord Grenville's House, Downing-street,
at which the Loan CHANCELLOR, Earls IVIOIRA,
SPENCER, ',Ord Howtcx, Lord HENRY PETTY, and
-Mr. Secretary WINDHAM, attended.
Mr. ROBERT ADAIR, who is said to be appointed
our Minister to the Court of Vienna, is related to
Mr. Fox, his late father, Mr. ADAIR, the Surgeon,
having married a cousin of that Gentleman.

The Marchioness of STAFFORD last night opened
again her magnificent house in' Cleveland-row to a
numerous assemblage of the higher .orders. The
DuKE ,of.CAUBRIDGE was of the party. A delicious
Concert took place under the dire&ion of SALOMON.
RiGHI, RovEDINo, Madame BIANCHI, and Signora
Gatoeiwyrr, were the Vocal Performers. The
whole Entertainment was of the most subci b de4.
scription.
Mrs. R. Titerrsoti, of Grosvenor-square, who
is one of the chief props of fashionable entertain-
:nents, had her last Concert for the season on Sun=
day. It was, as usuld, a very fine perfortwuce, and
v.as attended by the ParNcz, as well as a large con-
course of the higher orders. CR °MILL'S violoncello
afforded an exquisite treat. The amiable hostess,
we understand, found it necessary to abide by her
arrangenients fir the season, but has very properly
resolved that none of her future entertainments of
the same kind shall take place on a Sunday.
There was no Court of Aldermen held to-day, but.
the LORD-MAYOR, after inspe6ling the Returns of
the Meal-weighers, ordered the Price of Bread to.
remain as last week.

The Hon. Mr. EARDLEY, Mr. EDWARD HOLLAND,
and three Ladies, detained in France since the com-
inenceinent of the War, landed a few days ago at

Yesteraay morning, between and ten o'clock,
the•Collee Committee met at the India-House;;
after which, CHARLES pIIANT, Esq. the late Chair-
man the Hon. Wm, F. ELPHINTONE, the present
Chairman ; Mr. PARRY, the Deputy ; the Secre-
tary ; Mr..WibuNs, the Librarian, and the rest
of the Members of the Committee, proceeded from
the House in two carriages ibr Haleybur, near Hert-
ford; in order to assist at the ceremony of laying the
first stone of the College,- to be ereded there, for
Students intended. fur the. Company's Civil Service
in India.
We have the pleasure to state, that the following
account has been received' at the East India House,
of the Ships outward-bound, under
,Convoy -of the
4dainant Man of War, being all well on the 29th
(.)f March last, in lat. .29. N. long. 19. viz. Elphin-
yone, Lady Jane Dundas, David Scoit,•illnwick
Castle, Winehelsea,, Ceres,'Lord- Castlereagh, Sir
Bensleib Perseverance, Warner Castle, and
liaga Inglis. Two Store-ships, for the Cape cf
Coo' Hope, and two' Whalers were iu company..