The Sun.
London, England, 1822-06-04 00:00:00

grounds it would be unjust to leave that portion of the tax.
Besides, the retention of it would serve to perpetuate the Ex-
cise laws rclativcio this branch Of the revenue—the Most exe,-
erable and oppressive in our whole jurisprudence. It was for
the House to consider: whether it was Worth while to keeptfP
all this machinery fOi-300,0001. a year of revenue.
The Maiquis of LONDONDERRY said, that from the
representations orfhe Hon. and Learned Gentleman, it would
be supposed that hii RiFht lion. Friend had' preached the
delight of laying on taxes. But he -put it to the House whe-
ther he had argued the queition otherwise than as likely to
afford relief to the country. It was the proposition to break
faith with the public., anddoan act of dishonour, that, he con-
tended, would be followed, as all dishonourable acts were,
by'increisteld suffering-.'' With regard to the cost of collection
for the remaining portiOn•of, the Salt Tax,, the whole amount
of it would be 7,0001., or at most 10,0001., instead of 35,0001.
and the patronage of this, 'of which the Honourable and
Learned. Gentleman talked so much as belonging to Govern-
ment, was administered by the Commissioners of Excise.—
(Hear !)--Those Officers of the longest standing and most fit
for the situation were appointed to the Collectorships. The
House needed not, perhaps, to be told why the lion. and Learned
Gentleman was always upon this subject so much opposed-
to them. He had been bmten in every part of the discus-
sions so much, that he could not let pass an opportunity of
repose to endeavour to give force to his insinuations. He was
always trying to appropriate to himself all the merit of his
Right Hon. Friend's measures. He could never lose sight of
those beautiful, though, in his opinion, disfigured sketcheS
with which he favoured them at the commencement of The pre.;
sent Scssion.—(A laugh.)—He was trying to-night, as he always
had, how to induce Parliament to degrade itself. Lethim'but
once get the edge of.his wedge in, and -he. would. go on.; and
. unless the House were disposed to retread Its steps, and give
their cohfidente to the Hon. and Learned -Gentleman," they
, would not listen to him on the present occasion. He Warned
them that he would not stop here, but go straight on to the
Sinking Fund. But he thought he knew the House of Com-
mons of England' too well-to expect that after the declarations
they had made ther would . allow themselves to be misled.—
(Hear, hear !) • .. - •
Mr. DAVENPORT opposed the Amendment.
Mr. RICARDO said, that as the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer thought the 'annuity plan was an infringement on the
Sinking Fund, he should recommend him to prolong the tern
to fifty or sixty years, and then see if there would not be ehough
of money to remit the remainder of the Salt Tax. ' , •
Mr. R. DOUGLAS thought the proper time for proposing
an amendment like the present, would be after they had been
in a Committee upon the Bill for the repeal of the tax, when
it would' have undergobe all the modifications-intended-by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.
General GASCOYNE thought that neither the House nor
the Right Hon. Gentleman were aware of the extent of produc-
tion from the two shillingS a bushel on salt. He did not think
the present a proper time for the proposition before the House.
He was of ,opinion that at least it might be well to try the ef-
fect of reducing the tae to two, shillings the bushel. It would
not be long before Parliament would have an opportunity of
considering the subject again, and in the mean time he thought
as much was done as the country had a right to expect.
Mr. BENETT (Wilts) supported the amendment. He dis-
approved of a tax on Salt altogether, and objected to retaining
any part of it to serve as a nucleus from which it might be any
time increased.

Mr. CA LCRAFT, though he had said he should propose
nothing further on the subject of the Salt Tax, had not pledged
himself not to support any motions that might originate in an-
other quarter. It had been stated the Chancellor of the Ex.
chequer had gone further than he (Mr. Calcraft) had proposed
to go. This was true, but he (Mr. Calcraft) had looked to the
ultimate extinction of the tax, and doing so had thought it neces-
sary to frame the proposition he first brought forward in such a
way as was likely to make it palatable }to the House. He was
surprised that the gallant General (Gascoyne) should not support
the amendment, as he had always been of opinion that the pro-
position which he (Mr. Calcraft) submitted to the House did
not go far enough. If the fisheries were left as at present, it
would be necessary that additional officers should be appointed
to protect the revenue. When it was stated that the tax would
produce more than had been calculated, the Gallant General
mustmean to tax the fisheries.—(" No," from Gen. Gascoyne,)
If he did not mean this, the tax could not be expected to produce
more than had been calculated, for it had been assumed that
the produce might increase 50 per cent. ; and how largely must
the consumption increase to bear out such a calculation. He
however calculated with confidence on the improving state of
the revenue, and it was not to be doubted that the repeal of
the Salt Tax would increase the other excise duties. - It could
not be supposed that the poor would hoard what they gained
by the repeal of this impost, more beer would be drunk, and
generally more excisable articles would be consumed. He had
no doubt that the Noble Marquis looked at the whole country
with a view of carving it into taxes.- But it was for 'Parliament
to guard against this, and he for one, with this feeling, was
anxious at once to get, rid of the whole of the Salt Tax, and
should therefore vote for the amendment of his Hon. Friend.
The House then divided, when the numbers were—
For the Motion - . - - 111
For the Amendment - 67
Majority against the total repeal of the Salt Tax —44
When strangers were re-admitted a short conversation took
place on the Duty on Salt imported to Ireland, and the resolu-
tion on that subject was ordered to be re-committed on Wed-
nesday. The other Resolutions of the Report were agreed to,
and Bills ordered accordingly. _