The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-16 00:00:00

out notice. I shall advert to the subject as lightly as I
can, because the Chancellor of the Exchequer is absent,
and in his absence, so far as he is concerned, my lips are
closed. The house has not forgotten an 1 the country will
long remember the manner in which the right hon. gentle-
man referred to Mr. Pitt. It has been alluded to to-night,
and the noble lord, with unhappy chivalry, came forward
to vindicate the right hon. gentleman. What did the noble
lord, of all men in the world, say? The noble lord quite
contistently disapproved of the policy and, of course, of
the, financial policy of Mr. Pitt. The noble lord approves
only of that financial policy which doubled the income
tax, to which he referred with so much pride and
and upon
thu memory of wllibh
glory reposes my Lord L
(Laughter.) The noble lord says, "Mr. Pitt may have had
his errors, but he was still a great man. In 1797 Mr. Pitt
had
Chancellor *owadinag the twingecancellor of the Exchequer, the noble lord of remorse, a salutary repentance," and, fol-
absolutely recalled the attention to the important fact
that, in 1797, there was a salutary change in the policy of
Mr. Pitt. Now that the Charcellor of the Exchequer,
who was bred and educated a Tory, and who, in moments
of rhetorical emotion, may still fancy himself a Tory—
(laughter)—should criticise, but still, as he informed the
house, with a feeling of veneration for Mr. Pitt ; and that
by an adroit arrangement of periods he should endeavour
to harmonise his criticisms of Mr. Pitt's finance with
his appreciation of Mr. Pitt's policy and patriotism,
is very intelligible. But what are the facts ? What
was this year 1797, which the noble, (as I should think
to the astonishment of the Fox Club to-morrow) has chosen
for the subject of his enlogium ? What, I say, was this
period, when, as the noble lord has told us to-night, Mr.
Pitt's eyes were at length opened to the sin of his previous
ways? (Laughter.) Why, I suppose the house has heard
that this was the time when, in patriotic disgust at the
conduct of Mr. Pitt in raising those terrible loans which
we have recently heard so much deplored from the Trea-
sury benches, Mr. Fox, followed by Charles Grey, after-
wards the great Earl Grey, and the principal leaders of the
Whig party, left the House of Commons .in hopelessness to
save the country, and for along time remained absent from
it. But it so happened that when in 1797, on the very
night referred to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr.
Pitt's eyes being at last opened to the error of his ways,
he came down to the House of Commons, where he ex-
pected only to meet his followers and his creatures, with
a large proposition for a measure of direct taxation ; such
was the indignation of Mr. Fox, such was the indignation
of Charles Grey, such was the indignation of those sixty
brilliant and eloquent men who had for a long time seceded
from their places in Parliament, that—awful apparition !
they suddenly re-appeared in their places before the asto-
niihed Chancellor of the Exchequer. (Cheers and laughter.)
Mr. Fox felt that, painful as was his re-appearance on the
scene he had relinquished, it was his duty to the great his-
toric and traditionary party of which he was the recognised
leader, even in its adversity, to come forward in the house
and to denounce the new principle of financial policy
brought forward by Mr. Pitt. And it was upon that oc-
casion that he delivered one of the most eloquent, most
thoughtful, and most memorable speeches, in which he laid
down what he called the sure and permanent principles of
Whig finance—principles utterly opposed to the repentant
policy of Mr. Pitt—(cheers and laughter)—principles which
Mr. Fox never deserted nor relinquished, and which, not-
withstanding the comparative degradation of the post
which the noble lord opposite (Lord J. Russell) now fills,
I did not believe that, in deference to the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, or to my lord Aberdeen—(cries of "Oh,
oh," and cheers)—he would have relinquished in this house.
There is yet another point to which, notwithstanding the
clamour of some hon. members, I feel it my duty to call
the attention of the house. I object to this tax which we
are now called upon to vote, not merely because it is
an unjust tax, which I believe restricts industry, cripples
the profits, and in every way injures the agricultural inte-
rest of the country—not merely because it is a grievous
burden on the consumer, for I know that in time of war
the consumer must be prepared to bear his share of the
bur lens—but I object to it on account of its grievous im-
policy. (Cheers.) I think there was nothing more impo-
litic than at a time when you were selecting a tax you
should select one which, in my mind, does grievously, and
in their opinion does grievously, press upon the industry
of the cultivators and the interests of the general proprie-
tors of the soil. Though lam ready to give credit to every
class of being ready at a moment like this to do their duty
to their Sovereign, I ask, without fear of successful con-
tradiction, whether it is not a fact that from the nature
of the circumstances--from the character of your constitu-
tion, and other causes, you have been obliged peculiarly,
to appeal to the patriotism, to the resources, to the exer-
tions, and to the energies of the landed interest of the
country. We have heard recently many sneers against
the territorial constitution of our country, but I ask you in
what country could you have found those means of
self defence which you have recently found in this
country, except under the influence and immediate aid and
agency of the landed interest? In what country in Europe
could you have raised such a militia, or having raised it,
could have entrusted it in such hands as those in which
you have placed the newly-raised force ? But you have so
managed your finances that the only odious tax which you
put forward is a tax which more or less affects the in-
dustry of the soil. I call it impolitic to re-awaken a con-
test which, if not for ever dormant, would never at a time
like the 'present have been aroused by this side of the
house. You have demanded a great tax to the amount of
two millions and a half, and not a Minister of the Crown,
but by extreme compulsion, has condescended to express a
word in favour of the proposition. What was your motive
for this ? DR you shrink from discussion ? Did you
think, at this moment, a debate upon the ways and means
of the war was impolitic? or that it would create a bad
impression abroad if the House of Commons should have a
discussion and division 'upon the subject of taxation ? If
that be your feeling, do you not think that the credit of
the Government and the resources of the country have been
much more injured in the eyes of other nations by the
way in which you have attempted to raise a loan ?
(Cheers.) Is it not more calculated to injure the credit
of the country, and to diminish the idea of your resources,
that your minister of finance cannot go into the City
and obtain two millions at four per cent. than that
the House of Commons should by natural and frank
deliberation consider the taxation which you propose
to lay upon the country ? It is better even that
our foe should see that a large sum such as this
now sought to be raised—a sum larger than could be fur-
nished by many of the provinces in the kingdom of your
imperial foe, should be frankly discussed than that he
should see the churlish, undignified, and unmanly attempt
of the Government to filch this amount of money. Is it
not better that the foe should see that we are determined
to exercise our functions to-night as the representatives of
the people, and that while we are prepared to support our
Sovereign, and even a Government which e should other-
wise oppose, in a war which the country approves of, we
will do our utmost, in duty to our constituents, to provide
that the ways and means should be provided according to
the principles of eternal justice? (Cheers.)
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 303
For the amendment
Majority for the second reading —lOB
The announcement was received with loud cheering.
Mr. ELIOT YORKE gave notice that, on going into
committee, he would move that the additional tax be
limited to one year.