The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-10 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1853.

There was no portion of the Financial State-
tnent which occasioned more general satisfaction
than that for the extension of the Legacy Duties
to real estates. The industrious middle classes
had long remarked with indignation the exemp-
tion afforded to the lords of the soil from the
onerous burden to which they themselves had
been, and their successors in due course would be,
subjected. It was not that a tax on successions
Was regarded as a wise or judicious impost, that
it was believed to be an eligible mode of collect-
ing any portion of the national revenue. Far
from it ! It was, on the contrary, considered
the very worst species of direct taxation—one
that should, on the first suitable opportunity, be
totally abolished, when a fitting substitute
could be provided. But the chief cause of
complaint was the undue favouritism exhibited
towards the favoured class the territorial
aristocracy. If a merchant, a manufacturer,
or a tradesman (lied, the fruits of his in-
dustry could not be distributed among his sur-
viving relations without the liquidation of heavy
and vexatious demands. Before his property
could be made applicable to the payment of his
debts, or the support of his family, an enormously
expensive stamp should be impressed on the pro-
bate of his will, or the letters of Administration
granted by the Court of Prerogative. Many
vexatious forms were required, which, although
they did not materially increase the public re-
venue, filled the coffers of the numerous harpies
who, GouLE-like, fattened on mortality. It is from
such sources that the leviathan sinecurist draws the
income of his patent place, and that his worthy
brethren draw princely incomes for services which
they do not render. At last, after considerable
delay, expense, and annoyances, when the assets
of the deceased are about to be distributed, a new
claim is insisted on. A legacy duty is demanded,
and 1,3, 5, or even 10 per cent. must be paid
over to the Governmeq before the legatee can
receive a single shilling of the bequest to which
he was entitled, which, from these various draw-
backs, becomes perceptibly reduced before pay-
ment.

From all these things the great landowner was
exempted. The will under which ho derived his
title required no proof ; it was quietly locked up
among his muniments of title without any expense
either for costs or fees, or stamp duties, being in-
curred in reference thereto. Should it at any
time be questioned or disputed, it was submitted,
like any deed or instrument, to the consideration
of an upright and learned Judge, and a jury of 12
gentlemen. Nor was there any change on the succes-
sion. The heir-at-law remained a man—or devisee
quietly stepped into the shoes, and occupied the
position of his predecessor without the outlay of a
single shilling.
This was felt, and justly felt to be a grievanoe—
one too that was materially aggravated by the
fact, that the exemption was not extended to all
kinds, of landed property, but only to freehold
lands ; the limited interests, leaseholds for long
terms of years, &c., being liable to the change, so
that the smaller fry were caught while the larger
easily burst through the meshes of the net. A
deep and burning sense of injustice was thus oc-
casioned, that induced persons to look not so
much to the policy and expediency of the impost
itself as to its fairer and more equitable assess-
ment, so that it should comprehend all classes in
society, and every description of property, real or
personal, freehold or leasehold.

To the tax itself we confess that we entertain
D. Very decided objection. It is a tax upon capi-
tal, levied, too, at t time when the person coming
into possession has many other heavy claims to
liquidate—when, perhaps, the unexpected death
of his relative might render pecuniary assistance
exceedingly desirable, and when the inexperience
of the legatee renders him an easy prey to the de-
signing artsof thosewho flock around him with offers
of loans and advances of money in any form that may
be most acceptable to the intended dupe. I[7nlees
the property be in the funds or easily convertible,
be must avail himself of these
off r
debts for the purpose of liquidating' thed incursta
testa-
inentary expenses and legacy duties that must,
-unless lie be very prudent indeed, materially crip-
ple his resources for the best years of his life,
said
which may probably lead to a connection with
money-lenders, and induce a habit of borrowing
very prejudicial to his future interests: Those%
who have had experience of the -effects
•of the-
system so prevalent in Ireland, where a cOnsid-.
erable portion of the land is held for lives re-
newable for ever, and, in many cases, subject
to a heavy fine at the fall of each life, *ell
know the fatal effects of the necessity of
he,
liquidate the fine--thee
habits tho lands to
habits of improvidence 'which it engendered in-
ducing a visit to the money-lender for the moat
trivial causes. The first application wits ex neces•