The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-25 00:00:00

A BUDGET FOR THE MILLION,
IN A LETTER TO THE INHABITANTS 01,
THE BOROUGH 01? IPSWICH.

Filo3l RIGBY IYASON, ESQ.

Gentlemen,—Agrateful remembrance of the kind-
ness I have always experienced at your hands, for r,
period of fifteen years, induces me to lay before you
a new-year's offering. Like all other gifts its value
will depend far more on those who receive it than upon
its intrinsic worth : if you esteem it, you have the
power of imparting to it that life which will secure
for the industrious people of these realms that to which
they have a right—of which they have been robbed
by the rapacity of an oligarchy.
Let me in the first place ask you to bear in mind
the difference between an aristocracy and an oligarchy.
The former you will often find surrendering theb
opinions and their interests to the desire of the people;
the latter reer, until compelled. Tyke Sir Robert
Peel as the beau ideal of an oligarch, Lard Snaulev
as that of an aristocrat—both lately belonging to tla
same party, nay to the same Cabinet, anti you could
not find two more apposite examples of an aristocrat
and of an oligarch.
In the constant struggle in which aristocrats and
oligarchs are continually engaged with the people ;
the former, whether victorious or otherwise, arc
often objects of personal respect—the latter of senti-
ments of a very different character. That which I
am about to offer to you will be violently opposed by
the oligarchy ; it would not surprise me if it was to
be favourably received by the aristocracy.
My offering consists of a plan to emancipate the
industrious classes in this country from that excessive
taxation, which has been, as I will prove to you, most
unjustly imposed upon them by those who have made
the laws. Ido not condescend to say, that I propose
to keep faith with the national creditor. Quis vitu-
perarit Y was the proper reply to an uncalled-for
eulogium on a heathen god; and to any shout that
may be raised in favour of national honesty, the pro:
per answer is, who entertains a contrary opinion?
It is clear that, unless we are prepared to operate
upon the National Debt, it is not posiible for the in-
dustry of the country to be effectually relieved from
excessive taxation ; the best proof of which is, that in
the plans now before the public Mr. Cobden proposes
to repeal only one-fifth of the burthen, or ten millions,
while Mr. Macgregor does not believe it practicable
to strike off more than one-tenth or five millions.
Suppose it possible to adopt Mr. Cobden's more
extreme views, the unjust income•tax would be left
in all its hideous deformity. The assessed taxes, de-
priving of employment many an industrious artizan,
would still remain—tobacco, the luxury, if not the
necessary, of the poor man, loaded with an impost
enormously greater than on wine, the luxury of the
rich—then the stamp-duties only too notorious for
their unjust inequality : these and many, many
others, would still remain.
This brief enumeration which you are all capable of
extending, from articles used in your morning's
meel to those of your evening repast, will I hope
sltisfy y(.O and all sincere reformers, that a national
etruggle for relieving the industrious classes from the
axes which bear heavily and unjustly upon them,
mutt be far more extensive than those based merely

upon economical reductions ; and you will not fail fo
remember tly_lt 1 have taken the most extensive re-
duction which his been proposed. if Mr. Mac
gregor'i estimate should prove to be more correct,
which I fear must be the care, tlkn you must add
other tax .s to those I have mentioned, to the extent
of five millions.

I am not one of those who would diminish to a very
great extent our naval and military force; economise
it es much as you p:issibly can—alter its constitution,
so as to give greater facilities for the promotion of
deserving subalterns ; but as few think of attacking
the powerful, so a well-appointed force is, I believe,
the best possible guarantee for peace.
I will, therefore, take Mr. Macgregor's and not
Mr. Cobden's plan of reduction of expenditure ;
and be calculates that the naval, army, and ordnance
expenditure mieht be maintained with full efficiency
for 14,250,0001., and he adds about 7,000,0001. for
civil expenses. Well, be it so. This sum of
21,250,0001. I would propose should be raised from
the articles enumerated in the following table, and it
will be for yeu and the people of England to say
whether the industrious classes would not be be-
nefited, beyond the most sanguinary expectations,
if the following were the only. taxes levied in these
realms :
Spirits, both Customs and Excise (pro-
duced last year) •• •••
Tobacco, one quarter the present duty
(which produced last year,4 253;7621.) 1,500,000
Tea, at 1.1. the pound (Mr. Macgregor's

... £7,500,000

3,000,000

3,000,000