The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-24 00:00:00

USURY LAWS.

Ma. Eorrott—According to the U.sury Laws,
if a person lend money to one who is engaged
in trade, at higher rate of interest than 5 per
cent., the lender is exposed to penalties, and
even to the Bankrupt Law, in case of the failure
in business of the borrower, and as an interest
of only 5 per cent. is frequently an inadequate
compensation for the rule of lending money to
persons in trade, much capital in this country is
withheld from active employment. Many re-
spectable and prosperous persons engaged in
commerce, manufactures, and trade, would wil-
lingly give, and out of their profits could afford to
give, more than 5 per cent. on capital, if lent them
for long and fixed term of years.. When such per-
sons want capital, for the purpose of profiting to
the utmost extent by their business, they would
rather allow 72, and even 10 per cent. on bor-
rowed capital, than take partners for the sake
merely of capital. Within these seven years,
many instances have occurred in which merchants,
manufacturers, and traders, would have gladly
done so. Had the Usury Laws been repealed
seven years ago, much of that capital, which, to
the amount of more than seventy millions, has
been embarked in Foreign Loans, might have
been employed in domestic objects for the en-
couragement of the different branches of national
industry. In such case the capital employed
would have produced a higher interest than
many of the Foreign Loans, on securities pro-
bably equally good, if not superior ; the traders
and the persons employed by them had been
partakers of the accession of capital as support-
ing more industry ; competition among• them had
been enlarged for the advantage of the cur-
rencies ; the general distribution of the profits or
such actively employed capital' had been purely
domestic ; foreign commerce might have been
extended for the advantage both of commerce,
and navigation; even the public revenues had
been improved by the greater consumption of
taxed commodities, and loans would have been
discouraged, not meaning those that have aided
the independence of South America, which have
frequently proved ruinous ro individuals,
,and
have allured capital into the Exchequers of fo-
reign States, impoverishing ourseivei, and ren-
dering them formidable.

XX.

MYSTERIOUS AT FAIR..—On Wednesday-
night.
last, about twelve o'clock, two men, who gave
their address as Military Officers, accompanied
by a police officer, entered the lodgings of a
young lady, who has resided not far from lei-
cester-square for the last two .yrars, and forced
her from her dwelling, notwithstanding the en-
treaties and exertions of her friends about her.—
The mystery of this affair will, no diibt; shortly
be developed ;•ut present, we merely understand
that it involves a question of some delicacY.

Yesterday in pursuance off' a requisition, signed
by
.716 inhabitants, transmitted to WALTER LONG, En. the
High.. Sheriff of Hampshire, a County Meeting of Householders
•
was held in the Castle of Winchester, for the purpose of con-
sidering the propriety of
Petitioning Parliament forthwith " for
an immediate Repeal of the Assessed Taxes, particularly those
on Windows and inhabited Houses." At 1 o'clock the High-
Sheriffon hiss right eat Lord Northesk, on his
Jervoise, (the County embers) ;
lethe took
Earl tolfe.c chair; 0 n
Pn the Bench, near the Chairman,
we chserVed, Sir Charles Mill, Bart., Mr. Fleming, and Mr.
Portsmouth; and some r. Carter, the Mayor of
other Gentlemen of the County. In
the area of.the hall were about 500 persons. . - •
The HIGH-Sli g- Entor, on taking the chair, had the requisi-
tion for convening the
Meeting read by the Under-Sheriff: "He
then entreated that they would confine themselves to the regular
business of the day, fin which he, had specifically assembled
them, and said, that in compliance with the wish of so' nu-
merous and respectable a body of requisitors, he had taken the
earliest opportunity of Calling Ahern together. The. subject
they were met to discsese was, as, he had already said, a spe-
ifico
a s - no only a eonstitietkesitol ,one in the strictest
sense, but
It w
e was,
also fatally_
free frotrelluise topics of political
party-feeling which sometimes divided their county; it was a
subject that came home to the coneiireration.of their private and
domestic expenditure, and which would, when temperately and
'dispassionately discussed, as he trusted it would that day, be
seriously entitled to the consideration of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer who had, he believed, received from every body
the credit Of doing more than any of his predecessors of late, in
mitigating the-burdens of the people. He had no doubt that
some Gentleman was prepared to offer a petition to their notice,
and if the matter were canvassed as he (the Sheriff) recom-
mended, he was equally certain the result would prove effica-
cious in the proper quarter, in securing that selection in the
diminution of taxes which was most reasonably desired by the
community at large. Let their petition to Parliament, if they
adopted otte,-be moderate and respectful ; and let those who
bore the privations of a long_ war with patience and temper,
sbew the same loyalty and endurance in their mode of seeking
relief in a time of peace and tranquillity. By so doing, and
abstaining from the introduction of any topic which might be
cetculated to.cast a shade upon, their dignity, be was sure they
would best consultthe practical attainment of the object they
had 'in view. He relied upon receiving their support and as-
sistance in maintaining- order, and in confining the discussion
to the specific object of the requisition ; and in giving an lea-
partial hearing to those who should address them. if they fol-
lowed that plan, then they might reasonably expect to find their
great county.taken as a model by others who might choose to'
petition Parliament upon a similar topic. He knew that they
would act as becathe a free and loyal county, and evince how
well they deserved to enjoy-the blessings of liberty, by their
mode of using then.—(Loud Applause.)
When the High Sheriffhad concluded, a short pause, ensued,
until, he asked whether any gentleman had any proposition to
submit to the meeting.
Mr. CARTER the Mayor of Portsmouth, -then stepped for-
wercl, and, said, thOt not until late yesterday was he aware that
he could have attended this Meeting. Certain Resolutions
upon which it was intended to found a petition to Parliament,
had been put'into his hands, and although they were .not pre-
pared by him, nor was he so partial for their adoption xs to pre-
fer them to -all others, still, sooner than see such a Meeting.
not proceed-to business, he should submit them for their con-
sideration: The Resolutions would speak for themselves, and
when he read them, it Would be for the Meeting to say whether.
they would adopt them or not. If others were brought forward
which, they liked better, then he should with pleasure ask their
leave to withdraw .those which he held in his hand. The worthy
Magistrate concluded by reading four Resolutions. ,The first
was. declaratory, of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's opinion,
that the surplus revenue would permit a reduction of taxes.
The second was expressive of the opinion of the Meeting, in
favour of the unrestricted prineiples of trade, lately introduced
into the commercial policy-of the country, and hoping thereby
that the increase of revenue would enable the Goyeronkent to,
reduce the assessed taxes, particularly the house and window-
tait and duty on men servants; the whole machinery of which
taxation they felt to be.oppressive, and now unnecessary. The
remaining Resolutions were for petitions in furtherance of .the
:tithe object, to be forthwith presented to both Houses of Par-
liarnent•in the CommOlis, by their County Members, with
instructions to support them; and in the house of Peers, by the
Earl of Cameroon, with a request that his Lordship would
support the same. The worthy Mayor, after reading the Re-
solutions, regretted that the task of proposing their adop-
iion had not Wien into the hands of some conntry Gentle Man
who was better calculated to come forward on such an occasion.
Mr. At.tatinoE seconded the Motion.
•Mr. HENIIV HUNT, when the question was put on the first
resolution, said that it
was ridiculous, for the Chancellor of the
Exchequer had already decided, and'ncarly carried into execu-
tion' his particular plan
of reducing taxation, and it was too
late for tern now to firetedd to found upon a declaration. of the:
Minister, a different course of proceeding from that which the
atone Minister was himself realizing." It was also ridiculous to:
Call that a County Meeting, untess they were prepared to say
that UM persona, met in that room, ought to be looked Upon as
the great body of HarriPshire. It was contemptible for them to
act so ; nor was it respectful to the county. It could make no'
impression upon the'llinise of Commons; for before they could
hope to make any impression there on the score of taxation,
they mug get the Chancellor of the Exchequer's consent-to
their wish ; and op the present occasion they were going in
OppositiOn to it. 'Why was it that they called for a reduction
of the taxes which comparatively fell upon the rich, instead'
of, those ,which visited and afflicted- the
poor? Why talk of
the tax upon gentlemen's carriages or servants, which could
be'diapensed with at Will, and overlook those which fell upon
the poor man's food and raiment? Why not call for the re-
duction of the leather tax, that nude his shoes dearer—the
soap duties, which made him pay- et) high for cleanliness--
and for the candle, which lit the cottager to his lonely bed
?
Why not take off the malt duty, which made the pitior than,
who must take leis glass of beer, pay 10s. a barrel more for it,
than the gentleman who could brew it in his own house
(Applause.)-Their proposition was therefore unjust in prin-
ciple, for it overlooked those who were best entitled to con-
sideration. Had those who now complained of the weight of
taxation hot elamotired at and opicssed bim years ago, when
at former meetings of the county, held—not as this was within
doors, but in the open air, and-in the presence of thousands,
when he' called upon them to dePrecate a system which could
only end in leaving theie burdens after it, to meet a lavish debt
„had thOse, heszepeated, not clamoured at him then, they
would not have to meet 'for their present purposes. When
he said this did he wantthem tosit down and repine now, and
do nothing ? No. Why not call on the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer to give into the poekets'Of the people who wanted it
the hundreds of thousands which he was too ready to give for
building Palaces, and new churches for the saints in the House
of Commone ?—(A laugh, and applause. )They ought to make
that call, instead of getting up a Whig requisition, and trying
to get radical signatures to cry of " No, no.'')--He
would say yes ; for there was Mr: Devereux, the organ of the
Whigs, trying for such signatures, and a letter of Lord Car-
narvon handing about, recommending them to call a County
Meeting.
The Earl of Castwanvolo—" I beg your pardon, Mr.
Hunt—l have written no such letter."
Mr. RUNT was ready to be corrected, but he had been soin-
fornied. Well, all he could say was, that they were now com-
plaining of the eXpenees of a war which had been waged to put
dowu liberty.
The Bees SuErtrwr begged ;pardon for calling Mr. Bunt
to order, but he 'submitted to Inns whether this was an occa...
'ion on which they could discuss the pollee of the late War.
Mr. HUNT mid, he was ready to bow to the Chair, and he
lathented the absence of Country Gentlemen on the preseat oc-
casion. As to die thin attendance of the people, it was not the
wetness of the day, but their intlifferenCe to a requisition so un-
piecedeutedly circumscribed in its import that kept them away.
When-reforms which could alone benefit the people, was called
for, their meetings were attauded by tens of thousands ; but
they kept away when they saw that the relief sought for was,
if accomplished at all, to be done for the rich, and not for the
poor.--(A voice in the crowd said, " It is to relieve those who
support the poor.")--Ile repeated ,that such was his opinion,
and he would stake his life that they obtained no Success : by
pursuing such a course, they would, in vain, attempepractical
good; they might as well call upop the parsons to banish the
evil, or get rid of witchcraft.—( Laughter.)
The Earl of CARNARV ON said, that having been so particu-
larly alluded to by the Gentleman who :poke last, he was
anxious thus _early to say a few words in explanation. He did

not doubt but that Mr. Emit was,tratat: Riad he (the Narl of Car-
'narvon) had written such letter as he 'nteutioned, and had.
heard that the meeting Was Called foe Whig purposes; tuft
neither was the fact : neither could he tell for what purposes,
or by .whom the meeting was solicited, having never seen the
signatures to the requisitien, or any thing farther of its Object'
than the requisition• itself purported tti convey. He had not
-signed the requisition.; but being in _the county, he thought he
could not do wrong in attending the meeting.—.(Applause-)--
•
With respect to the practicability of their proceeding, now that
theythey 'ae
assemble
be
might chance of success, still, if it •
were their opinion, as it certainly was his_, that the Assessed
were
havingd'all he could say was, that however late
the best
Taxes and their whole vexatious Machinery ought not to be
continued, they ought to express that opinion, and put them-
selves at least in a fair chance of having the subject considered
by the Legislature, if not in tile leursc of the present Session,
certainly early in the ensuing one.—(Loud applause.)—Un-
doubtedly he could not express a very sanguine 'anticipation of
what might be the course of an Administration which he had so
long opposed in public life ; but it would be injustice were he
to deny thatthe policy of thepresent (government appeared now
to be more liberal than it had been for a king course of years,
and he congratulated them upon. the cliange.—(Applause.)—
Though proud of the name of Whim, of which Mr. Hunt had, ha
supposed, taunted him, yet he should be.ashanied of that name
were he, upon feelings of general political dissent, to withhold
praise where praise was really due, and to deny the merits of
a partially good system,' although he disapprOved of the gene-
ral political acts of those from whom it sprung.—(Applause.)
He approved of their better policy in cqmmemet because he
thought it was calculated, in its operation, to improve the
commercial character of the country. He wished to see the
Assessed Taxes repealed, not because they would relieve by
such means one class at the expence of another, but be-
cause they would take a weight from all, and add thereby to
the general prosperity of the people, without endangering the
interests of any.—(Applause.)—ey should recollect that the
salt-tax was not yet finally fettled, and that the Chancellor of
the Exchequer had pledged himself, ir Parliameut wished to
retain what remained of sucha tax, to afford an adequate equi-
valent in some other.—(Hear, hear !)—H e confessed himself to
be one of those who would prefer to have an equivalent by a
proportionate reduction 'in- the assessed taxes. He differed
from those who thought that thereduction of duty upon men-
servants would be a relief to the-rich and not to the poor, and
thought that this was really one of those taxes which did parti-
cularly affect the poor ; for it restricted in the country that em-
ployment which the poorer- classes stood So much in want of.
As to the votes for new palaces and churches, he confessed that
he though they ought for the present to be postponed until the
more pressing•wants of-the people generally were put in a train
of redress.—(Hear I)—But he would not in point of policy se-
lect this moment to complain in terms of asperity, when they
. ought rather to urge a further diminution of taxes upon a Go-
vernment which appeared to be revising and improving its sys-
tern.--(Applanse.)—The .first ••lesolutifin referred to the time
past, and was perhaps. unnecessary. As unanimity was al-
! ways desirable, perhaps the worthy Magistrate would with-
draw it.
Mr. CARTER immediately complied with this request, and
the first declaratory resolution was withdrawn.
Mr. CARTER then said, in explanation of the other resolu-
tions that he was ready to go ats far as any man in seeking a
repeal of taxes, but he thought they had better stick to the as-
sessed taxes in their demand, for in them the people must at
once receive relief, which might not be the case with the taxes
which affected the community through intermediate channels ;
for the brewet and shoemaker might, with respect to other
duties, put the amount into their own pockets, and make the
poor pay the same for the artiele.--(Hear, hear!)
Hausa' said, that if the second resolution respecting the
assessed taxes were persevered in, he should move as an amend-
ment, that the repeal be deSired, " for the malt-tax, the salt.
tax, the soap.taX, and those on coals and candles."' He must
deny, that if this amendment were carried, the mannfactuter
could intercept the benefits from the poor consumer; and he
had rather, in the first instance, that the poor man was relieved
in the manner he pointed out, than left to be relieved by the
rich, after the rich had got rid of the taxes which more imme-
diately pressed upon them.—(Applause.)—For.twenty years he
had teen struggling to press upon the attention of the 'Govern-
ment the necessity of relieving and doing justice to.the great
body of the people, and to cast off those extravagant sinecures
Which the want of reform had suffered. Why was an extra-
vagant expence kept up ? Why,' for instance, was 50,000/. a
year given to the German Prince of Coburg ? He did not
want to cripple, the just and necessary expenees of the Govern-
ment; but he did want to remove, or restrict, at least, corrup-
tion and a profligate waste of the people's money. Every thing
in the way of expence increased tenfold upon the poor, while,
as a farmer showed him yesterday, he was only paying the same
wages to his labourers that hisgrandfather paid 50 years before.
All this arose because the people were not represented in Par-
liament.
The HIGH SHERIFF here reminded Mr. Hunt, that the
question of reform was foreign to their present requisition.
Mr. Husre.—That is what I complain of; the requisition is
confined to householders. Why was six unprecedented a course
taken ? 1 never heat:d of such a thing before.
• The HIGH SHE am only bound to adhere to the
terns of the requisition ; I had no hand in framing it.
Mr. HUNT complimented the Iligh Sheriff, and said, that
he was not responsible for the shape of the requisition, which
Certainly shut out from their consideration all that was really
worth discussing, ,and the High Sheriff could not, without im-
propriety, put his signature to a petition so got up, as that of
the county at large.—(Some hissing.)—Would hissing mend
the requisition, he would ask ? And had not the county a
right to complain of this imposition ? Was this to be called a
county meeting, when they were comparatively small in num-
ber, and pent up in a room ?
The HIGH SHERIFF said, that he certainly should have
convened the Meeting in the open air, had he not thought that
it was more consulting their.comfort by assdinbling them under
rover from the unfavourable state of the weather.—(Loud cries
of hear !) _ _

• Mr. HUNT said, that he highly approved of what the High
Sheriff had done, although he complained of the conduct of
others, whose act compromised the county. He was glad to
see that the London press had an eye upon them ; and he trusted
that as their proceedings would go abroad, they would take
care and not make themselves look ridiculous.
' After some conversation between Mr. CARTE% the mom'
sllgitlFF, and Mr. HUNT, it was determined that Mr. Htint'S
amendment could not be put, according to the terms of the re-
quisition; it was therefore withdrawn, and the original Reso-
lution, with one or two verbal amendments, was carried unani-
mously.
The Earl of CANNANVON said that they ought, in all Their
proceedings, to look to what waslikely to promote the employ-
ment of the poor. The demand for men during 20 years of
war had so much exceeded the demand for labour when a time
of peace arrived, that much misery was felt in consequence.
The Legislature ought to Throw open, as • widely as possible,
the means of general employment, and to afford eyery induce-
ment which a reduction in taxation could hold out to those who
lived abroad to return home, and contribute their share toward
the support of the lower classes.—(Hear, heir !)—Reducing the
direct taxes would do that, he thought, more than the din:ann.'
tion of some of the others which had been pointed out to the
Meeting.
Mr. WniTE, of Paul's-grove, proposed a resolution, " that
it is the opinion of this Meeting that the discontinuance of the
whole of the Assessed Taxes would contribute more than Any
other measure to the employment of the poor, and the , happi-
ness and comfort of the middling classes of the people." This
Resolution fell to the ground for.want of a seconder..
On the Resolution being carried for the presentation of a
petition to Parliament for a Repeal of the House and Winslow
Taxes,
Mr. FLEimio, M.P., said, that having the honour or being
one of the Members for the County, it would give him the
highest gratification to present and support their petition to
the House of Commons. lie could not, however, flatter therri
With any strong hope of success at so advanced a period of
the Session. He congratulated himself on having the honour
of representing them at a time when taxes, instead of being
imposing upon them, were repealing, and when the only dif-
ficulty seemed to be in the selection of those which ought to be
reduced first. lie was himself in favour of a reduction of
the Assessed Taxes, because he thought the people Would
derive a more certain advantage in that way; than in .any
other. He approved of the, commercial change which bad
been effected, • and hoped that next year increasing prospe
rity would enable the Government' to make a still flirther
diminution of taxes. He could not concur in what bad
been said respecting the grant WI. New .C.:hurel?es.—lie
was as anxious ax any nian to' see • taxes repealed; but
he would frankly avow, that he should not wish for taller