The Sun.
London, England, 1815-02-09 00:00:00

tiser

On Tuesday last, a Meeting of the Freeholders
and other inhabitants of the County of Durham,
was held at the new Courts of Justice in this
city, to take into consideration the propriety of
petitioning Parliament against the renewal, of the
Property Tax.
Soon after twelve,o'clock, JOHN CARR, of Dun-
ston, Esq. took the chair, and apofogised to the
sheeting for the unavoidable absence of the High
:eherill, who had delegated bins to fill his place
upon this occasion.
SECUTON, the Under Sheriff, then read the
Tleoaisition for calling, the Meeting, after whirl),
HOAR intimated, that, according to eti-
quette, no person could fill the chair in the abe
sence of the High Sheriff, 'Without being voted
ditto it ; and he begged, therefore, to move, that
Mr. Carr do take the chair, which being se-
conded,
Sir RALPH MILBANKF. rose and said, that it was
unnecessary for hint to detain the Meeting, by
e`ntering into any minute description, of the Tax
in question, as AS oppressive nature was well
known ; but he would maintain, that never taxt
was imposed which bore so unequally upon the,
comm.:airy that its principal weight layaipon
the ni:ddie classes of_Society, and that the, agri-
eenitneist and commercial man felt its effects most
severely. It was unjust, as taxing easual.profits,
whilst it at-nailed no relief in cases of loss, The.
. intodsit oriel manner in which the Commissioners
_ were allowed to pry into the secrets of their neigh-'
hours' trade and circumstances, he thought in-,
compatible with the.character of Englishthen, and
be should ever he a foe to that which went to de-
tract from our national character. The worthy'
Baronet concluded by moving, that the Resolu-
tions be adopted.
The Motion was seconded by Mr. BAKFR.
'Tie Earl of STRATHMOKE then 'rine and de-
• dared, that notwithstanding the arguments made
use of by the Hon. Baronet, and the seeming de,
testation in which he held the tax, (the. propriety:
of continuing which, they had met to discuss), lee
. would Offer to time consideration of the Meeting a
, few observations of an opposite nature, by which
he hoped that he should Ise enabled to chew that
an absolute necessity,existed for 'the temporary
continuance of the tax in question. He, as a
freeholder of the county, had attended the Meet-
ing for the purpose of delivering his sentiments,
and he would exorcise his right. The Property
Tax was, in his opitaittn, tbaefairest that could, be
levied ; for whilst the poor man was exempted
flora its effects, the middle and higher classes paid
in proportion to their inconies. It lutd, been laid
on at a time whcu. imperious necessity demanded
itl--inoserious necessity required continuance,
and imperious necessity now demanded that it
should remain in force another year. The Noble
_ Lord then called to the minds of the Meeting the
great advantages which this country had derived
by the sacrifices she had made, and paid acCini-
pliment to the meniory of statesman who
first proposed this tax, and thus enabled Great
Btitaiu to: stand ,forth in defence-of her own
. rights,,and those of the other states of Europe.
His Lordship was of opinion that without, this
tax, Eogland could not hare raised the necessary
. supplies, and might at this time have been a Pro-
. since of France. The Property Tax, contineed
his Lordship, was levied to defray the expenees
of the war, and though the war may be at an cud,
yet considerable arrears acre to be paid off, and
therefore it appears evident that either the Pro-
. , perty Tax must he continue-:l for a year longer, or
some other must heesubstituted, and none cant be
le secs which bears nr.).re fairly upon the public
than that now in force. Besides, was.this a time,
be tvonlil ask, to diScontintie the tax before the
conferences at Vienna had ter7ninated, and before.
the treaty of Ghent was ratified ? Might it riot
enable any of tbOse Powers wild_ were hostile to
our, interests to take advantage of the reduced
state 9f our finances, seeing that a considerable.
time mast necessarily elapse before they •eaulti be
re-establisloyi. On the contrary, he had no
doubt that if the Ministers found it necessery to
continue the tax another year, they would be
enabled to conclude commercial, treaties which
would amply repay time people of this country,----
His Lordship felt conscious of the rectitude of
his intentions, and he therefore had boldly declared
sentiments. • Whetievee the tax could be ills-
' 'continued with safety to the state, no man would
:store heartily rejoice than.the individual whit had
the honour addi-essing the Meeting. His
Lordship concluded by movine, that the ReSoht-
tion which he should have the honour to-vead to
the Meeting, be substituted for those which had
alreadr been heard.
tevit Loa ever anxionslr.this Mteting lool,s forward to the
dissolution of the rroperty Tax, still tiny are unwilling un4er
thy peculiar citrumstances in which this country is at pti:sent
i„Ltred,,to pre 's= such a measure till it can be taLen
endungeri?!;-r the best intere,ts of the empire; trn•wily.:'
the wisio air, in of Parli vaen that period. shall
ar-
-1 not a inJaiia puttin; an eba.to- a Tax,
tr-,:.• eon thilance whi:.!! not hi but ektraordinary m-
ma or til.! - ilea,..nds can justify; and that
the period of its re-
not, in the erent of tL coutirtiuinee of peace, ex-

ce:,i .
Ilie resolutions moved by the, Noble Lord, hay-
ing seeonaed by the .Rev.Lte..GRAY,
LAM BTON said that he rose to address the
...i.vieeting with sentiments of peculiar satisfaction.
.It was at all tittles tritst gratifying
.W him to meet
tiie Frcebolatt's, !lilt it no time, and un.no occa-
tion epa. tt ttie_stii;-Cet oetter,warrant their being
stimpioned, together. than tie present. It would
linnece4ary'-for hirn,:after what had been
so
worthy repeettd
frietftti;%(.st( Ralph t 6, point out to
A:1'411;i .tltikrol4lnce OFlthe subject on which they
weenultdo...,?liber.4,o It must, lie thought, al-
so it •- et%
be sufficiently obvious to them that the

birth-right transmitted to them he their forefa-
thers : for the rielit of Petitioning was one which
when used in a moderate anti constitutional way,
could not fail to he the most cirectoal weapon the
people-could wield against the encroachments of
tyranny 5 and although-they had not now any- ty-
ran:lieu! measures to guard agninst., yet they had
an equally jinni,' taut office to -fulfil. 'They had to
show by theis• voice, as expressed this day, that
they looked with a vigilant eye on the overwhelm-
ing expenditure which-hears with such an oppres-
sive weight on the lioances at the country, mid
pervades -edit a deadenint; influence every branch
of its internal resources. To prove that he was
not :vivant:lug unfounded, assertions,fue need only
reionol them, that the lathe expenditure of the
last year was withioa few pounds of 114 millions;
to provide for which, was levied nearly 117 mil-
lloos. It therefore necessarily followed, that. to
meet sa heavy a charge the weight of taxation
must be extremely burdensome ; but of all the
branehCs of it, none, in his opinion, not with-
st.inding what they had just heard asserted, was
so oppressive in its effects, or so arbitrary in. its
node of execution as the Income Tax.: linter-
taminir these sentiments, therefore, fie-confessed
lie felt. most happy that a requisition had been
signed for a Meeting which might enable the Coun-
ty to express, in common with the rest or Eng-
laud, their sentiments on Si) injurioas a tax. He
begged to call their 'attention to the period at.
•
kW it was first- imposed. The Income Tax,
under the name of the Property Tax, was first
imposed in 17,95; it was even then ushered into
the world! as an extraordinary call on the patriot-
ism of the people, for the- purpose of preset- 0-1 g
their country from the contaminatioA of French
republican principles ; they were told that it was
not a corium') cause of exertion, but that it was
•in support of aojust and necessary war, and They
were reininded that the Income Tax was a stir,'
render of. part of their property, for the preserva-
tion of the remainder. (Here Mr. L. quoted part
IA Mr. Pat's speech, in which •he strongly calls
tin the people to exert themselves, and to submit
to the tax, not merely for" recovering. thethselves,
but for the general recovery-of manitincl.-)
lie
now wished to ask
,the Meeting, if the people of
England hesitated at thAt call, did they demur for
one moment ? No, they acquiesced eheet fully,
relying on the, word of the Minister that the cause.
was extraordMary, and likely to be of short (tura-
tiOu. Tbeir delusion was gi.eat, their repentance,
he feared, had been long and bitter; for the war
had lasted front that time until the present period,
comprising fifteen years, during which time :the
faith of Parliament had been repeatedly pledged
to the people that die 'lax should cease with the
war, and the words of the Act confirm that asse-
veration. Was that solemn :iledge to be broken
Was the confidence Of the people to be thus re-
paid with treachery and ingratitude ? and were
they who, were now at peace with all the world to
be taxed, as %viten die united continent of Europe
and America were arrayed in arms against them ?
He would appeal to any one there, and ask him
if he had not felt the eilitets of this excessive tax-
ation. If he had not seen the middling orders of
society especially effected by the ruinous ope-
ration of the Income 'l'ax How, lie wished
to know could the vossessor of 5001. per annoin,
contribute yearly 50/. to that. Tax without feeling
sensibly in the diminution of his comforts, and
in his increasing inability to provide for his fa-
mily ? lint if the' effects of the Income Tax were
ruiuous and oppressive, what words could he find
strong enough to designate the at bitrary and'de-
grading mode in which it is levied ? Was it aos-
ssible that the free-bur:[Englishman. could aubmit
to the prying inquisition, of any niao, or any set
of men ? Could he allow his- privatehallairs, his
commercial accounts, his havl won :Ind precarious
profits to be ransacked by colourist:timers, against
whose decision there was no appeal ? To those
Present, many of whom were engaged in trade, he
was sure he need not expatiate ou the injustice of
being obliged to disclose to a commissioner, per-
haps to a competitor in trade, the state of their
bushiess, and the declining condition of their coin=
tierce. In that point of view, therefore, he con-
sidered the Income TaX, as a -taNupst.n industry
and enterprise. Anti if it was necessary to keep
up excessive taxation, the necessity of tt•lliclt he
denied, let it, fall on those .who could sustain the
but then, and on luxurious consumption ; but let
not tie poor tool industrious be ransacked until
they were deprived even of their very sustenance.
.11e thanked the Meeting for the very flattering at-
tention with %viiicili, they had listened to his re-
marks, and would conchultby assuring them that
he had studiously avoided any reflect Ants on the
conduct of his Majesty's Ministers, however well
they Might deserve them, wishing to consider the
question as 'a National one, and perfectly
pendent of Party considerations, and haying
avowed it as his intimate conviction that the In-
come Tax': was highly tyrannical' and unconstitu-
tional, hecould not but heartily agree in the Re-
solutiOns moved by the worthy Baronet.
Lord STRATIIMORE admitted the expenditure to
be as represented by the Honourable Member, hut
the Property Tax, on account of which so much
odium had been thrown upon the Minister who
first propoSed it, was increased. to 10 per cent.
shoring the administration of Mr. Fox.
The Bev. Wrot.taa NEsetEett attributed the
motives of certain opulent gentlemeu in opPosito,
the continnauce, or removal of the Property Tax,
to get the pressure removed froht - their own
shoulders, and have-it thrown upon those less able
to bear it. Ile had come, to use the words of
the Noble Peer; to exercise his right as a Free-
holder, and to givie his sentiments upon the sub-
ject before the Meeting, and--be would say, that
to vote for,the discontinuance of the Property Tax
at this • time would be highly impolitic. Money
is wanted,to pay off the large arrears itt windifig
up the war accounts, and this money must be
raised in one way or other ; therefore take °tithe
Property:Tax, and some other must be substitut-
ed, aud where can ally be found equal to the Tax
in question, which fails principally upon the land-
holder, who could not be made to pay to an equal
extent by any other species of taxation.—lfiat
it bore hard upon persons of limited income:, he
was ready to admiwand he should therefore be
Old to eiee the act so moth i d as to excuse all
pe,rsoos possessing less than 500.1. a-year. (The
- •

meats advanced by tie last '
speaker, enterel
rather 'warmly into the subject, and repeated his
opinion that interested motives actuated those-who.
spoke in favour of the discontinuance of the Tax.)
---I, (continued the flev. Gentleman,) have_al-
ways paid to the full tunnunt of my i*ome ; I.
must confess, that it would he *a very comfortiible
thing to get rid of the Tax; 'Vitt I wowed rather
pay double the present aMount than that toe bur-
then should fall upon the poor man, and here I again
ask, can the sum reinired be raised without affect-
ing the labouring classes Let us look to the last
article of taxation,- which though a trifling one,.
will be fOuml.to bear doubly upon those least able
to sustain it ; I allude to the tax upon leather.
The poor man's shoes being twice as heavy as.
those of his richer neighbour;, he is called upon;
to pay twice the amount of-duty ! and other taxes
equally burthensome May be expected to follow„
should the Property Tax be discontinued at this
time. The Rev. Gentleman stated, that a gentle-.
man who pays as much as the whole city of Dur-
ham, had intended being present at the Meeting
,that day, but was preeined by indisposition. It
was his intention-to* have given hiS vote in favour
of the contintanceof die Tux for one year longer,
and the Rev. Gentleman most heartily concurred
in his opinion of the absolute necessity for so
In consequence of -a remark during thedaeat o
the discussion by the Rev. Gentleman, who spoke
last, Mr. Lambton observed, that his name had
never been so deuraded as it had been by the ex,
itres.inns of the Rev: Gentleman.
Sir RALPFI MILBANKE explained, and declared
that-his motives in voting for the discontinuance
of the Property Tax were just and honourable.—
Parliament had pledged itself to relieve the peo-
ple from this burthen, on the sth of April next,
and no arguments could justify Government in for-
feiting the pledge.
Dr. GRAY rose to express his concern, that any
thing of a personal nature, and of the warmth of
private feeling, should have been introduced, as
tending to prevent a calm and dispassionate consi-
deration of the different Resolutions which had
been brought before them ; he had no wish to
impeach the motives of the worthy Baronet, who
was so much valued for his private worth, or of
the Hon. Member, Who had certainly displayed
tmech ability in supporting his Resolutions, and
they both—de-served: credit for having abstained
from any party reflections; but be must be -al-
lowed to observe, that it was not justifiable in the
lion. Member, to remark so severely upon the

respectable I\lagistrate ‘yhaltud just spoken, nor
was it to be suffered, tl►at he should indulge the

ebullitions of his pasSion upon one, to whom they
must all feel obliged for the useful discharge of his
duties. In contemplating the Property Tax
all its operations, it was impossible not to admit
that it must press with considerable weight upon
the general classes of the community, and
two descriptions of persons who, in his. opinion,
,suffer most materially from its effects, were
such of those engaged in- commercial concerns,- as
were constrained to disclose their circumstances,
Ad the tenants, and occupiers of lands, who at
this time are so much affeefed by the reduction in
the price of the proilnee of their farms ; it was
to be observed, however, that in the view of the
subject before them, as it was not ih the con-
templation of the resolutions proposed by the No-
ble Earl, or of thoSe generally who approved of
the tax, to extend its term beyond another year,
-all objections which had been made upon the score
of its being of an inquisitorial nature,- must fall
to, the ground ; 'since there could beno shadow of
doubt, that, for so short a time, the present as-
sessments would be continued, and ther-efore fur-
ther disclosures than what had been already made,
would not he required. Ile must consider it to be
inconsistent with the generous feelings of this na-
tion, after We have been delivered from a (Ong and
threatening war, in which the welfare and safety
of this country have been endangered and the li-
berties of Europe nearly-destroyed, and at a time
when we must feel ourselves deeply indebted to a
government, which miist be allowed by all to have
exerted itself with vigour and firmness, and to
have brought us to the prospect of a happy con-
clusion of our struggles ; on a sudden to with-
hold our assistance, to close up our purses, 'and
to say to Ciovernment, you have extricated us
from our danger, but you must provide now, new
means for the expellees which remain, and get
out of yniir difficulties as well as you can. What
would be the elect of such a declaration of seti7
timent, if it were to be general It.is to be
membered, in adverting to a subject which has
been ably stated by the Noble Earl, that we have'
Still arrangements to settle with the Continent,
and the President of the United States, and the
armies in America and on the Continent are still
to be supported, and brought home. What im-
pression wouhl be produced in Our discussion with
Foreign Powers, and how must the tone of our
Ministers be lowered at Vienna, arid in settling
the ratification, with. America, when they haVe
any point of iinPortanee to press, us for instance.
the abolition of the Slave Trade, in which. the
worthy Baronet and the Country have felt them-
selves so deeply interested, it it should be "re-
ported. that tire country at large had determined,
to withhold the colitittllatlCC of-t,hat supply,which
has so long 'supported the energies of the country,
and contributed Sc' beneficially to the deliverance
of Europe.
He then stated, that be could no\t by any means
subscribe to the 'Resolutions first brought for-
ward, because they ill eged what, in his Opinion,
was not correct or• fair, either to the Govern-
ment, or to the country; which had paid the tax ;
and he thmight that the subject should be left to
the decision of Varliatuent, which alone had suf-
ficient information to judge .of the wants and re-
sources of the country.. He could notallOw that'
the tax was unfair in its principle.: it attached to
property wherever it was to be found, and most.
usefully to those great masses of wealth, which could
not otherwise be brought to contribute to the exi-
gencies of the State: it anoiied for '
O.n rice' to
4.
rni-
nos, and persons'whose property is under the di-
rection of trustees, where there might be a large-
incoNe and small expenditure—to great :estates,
and to all funded property—to the income of lay
and ecelteliastical corporatious—to the profits of
trading companies---as that of the Beit; of the
geist India and the Soorf, C.aninanieii_ The Tax

was tow pro,lcietiv-e to a great extent : all the pas-
sages through which it passed. were cleared, and
the produce' floWed in, with a Lull stream to Go-
verroneot. if such_a supply_ were abruptly cut off
before the expellees of war terminated; it would oc-'•
casion, the ticcessityof a great.. wei;;-ht 'of .neW
Taxes, which must, foe threwn upon.the great body
of the cumimmity. If the produce of the? tax were.
reekonefl atl4 millions, the very-interest, to be
imposed as apermaneot charge, would amount to
seven hundred thousand a-year; or a further sun),
must be raised, for a gradual liquidation ot the,
capital.- The Tax was certainly considered as,
a war tax, and it ,was,enacted to remain till. the
fitli of April next„ after the ratification of a defini-
tive treaty of peace : he did not, however, under,
stand what other positive pledge. could have been
given, that Parliament should not, if it thought fit,
revive thepowcrs of the , Act, either partially, or
to its full extent, and continue it beYond that pe'
riod, it exigencies 'should so require ; and the
Hon. Member well knew; that no Minister could
constitutionally. so attempt to fetter Parliainnt.
The war with_ America had not commenced 'when
this tax was imposed, and that war had necessari-
ly'produced considerable expellee ; he therefore
disapproved the Resolutions 'first proposed, and
should vote forthat which had been brought for.-
ward by the Noble Earl, to whom he thought the
Country was much indebted for his attendance, and
for the firm and judicious manner in which be
maintained what appeared to him to be consisteot
with the sentiments of very many of great proper-
ty and respectability in this comity. He regret-
ted that such short of insufficient notice bad been
given 'of this Meeting, which he was, convinced
was the reason why so many persons hail not at:-
tended, who might have assisted with their judg-
ment ; and he was, fully persuaded that if the opi-
nion of those whose authority, ought to have
_weight were to be fairly takeu, it would be, not
to interfere by petitions with the wisdom of Par-
liament, and to submit cheerfully to the continu-
ance of the tax, if necessary, for another year. ,
Mr. Hoax descanted at considerable length,
and with much ingenuity, upon the various ope'
rations of the Property Tax, and Maintained,
that as Government had promised--which the
very words of
,the Act co»finned--the discontie
nuance of the tax six months after the conclusio
of a definitive treaty of peace, the paople, who
had so long 'borne the burdeit, had a right t°
expect to be relieved from it. The Learned.Crelr
tleman considered as the greateSt evil:,, or the
infringemeet no the Constitution, 'the suspension
of the Habeas Corpus-Act, the declaration of Oil'
litaty law, and. the Income Tax, a measure which
he conceived might be dispensed with by-a systea:
of retie:l6lll(.lft and economy. The Noble Lor
et
and the Rev. Doctor had said much upon the a"
rears to-be paid off, and upon. the interest of the
national. debt ; but would they tell him that there
were no other means of obtaining the money than
by continuing the oppressive tax Let GovetV
went adopt a. system .of frugality, let them-di':
band the twenty-eight regimynts which
still remain embodied, and use every exertion !r'
t
a
lessen the national expenditure, ►and they
have sufficient tu. meet their demands. If the e'4l
gencies of the present year, are to be set up as, 3:
plea (continued the Learne4 Gentleman), for it;
continuance of this tax, a similar pretext 'nig'
be mad 0e next year, and so the tax which '5
originally intended as a war tax, will become
peace tax, and, instead of being temporary, 11%4
become firmly and permanently established. T"ed
-Noble Lord had said, that the tax was increase
to 10 per cent. during the. Administration of
Fox) it was so, but for what reason'? liecause
he found the affairs of the country in that state
I.
when lie came' into office, hanging like a nrit
stone round his neck, that necessity compelleo
him to go
.on. The Learned Gentleman tiled
passed some' witty remarks upon the naval victor'
on the Serpentine River, the appointment of I‘ll-;
Canning as-Ambassador to Lisbon, where the'
was no Sovereign, nor any Court to receive Ilia);
and concluded by recommending the original 111°'
.tion to the attention Of the Meeting.
On the suggestion ot the Rev. Cu ARLES THOOl'
the resolution proposed by the Earl of S,tratil
more was put, -as an amendment to the 0ri035
motion, and a spew of handl''being called, it 0'35
negatived by•alarge majority.• 'The Resolution,
proposed by Sir Ralph Milbanke, were then gd
spectively aed. carried by a very considerall
majority,- as jvas the Petition founded upou th°s
Resolutioes.
Mr. SitAtero moved that Lord Barnard and j)ir'
Lambton, he-requested to present, the Petition
the House of Commens—Seconded by Mr. 1331014
Mr. LArdwrow.,declared his readiness to cooP
.with the wishes of the Meeting, in conjuncts
°
with Lord Barnard. to
The thanks of. the Meeting were then, vote(' if
"Ali. Caul;, 'the Chairman, and the Meetnj°
broke up. ,

COAL MARKET, FEa. 8.
Sh;ps at Marta. • Sliiin sold. Price. 04„
1 tk 445. Od. to 7-7's'

BIRTHS. /it e.
. •
On the 24th ult. at TynernOuth, the wife of Captain -
ander lanes, It. N. of a daughter. 30,
On the 9.9 th ult. at LadiAon, in the County of Westne_
the Lady of Malt Lecinge, Esq. of a daughter.

.„ . ..
DIEU. ' t't
.On Saturday list; at his son-in-law's, in Bishopsgate-stre°
Mr. John. Bircb, of Hammersmith, aged 77 years. ar °I
bri the.2sth vit. •at Moffat, Scotland, in the 79th Ye
hii agt.,, James Johnstone, Esc!. late of Seleuth. Nlortil
0,. Momlay se'nni,gl.4, at his hou!e-in'Tyne-street,!l-
- GG,.Jolin Arinstrong.
O. M.D. • , Ail"
Sarah Lemon, a pauper brlonng to St. James-s 11;oir
aged 102: she rvt:ained all her faculties. .except that oi
ing, until tii,e List. ►ti h
Qn the 28th 'ult. at Shadoxburst, Mr. John liield, ''''
_,
woollen leg, to Miss Ann Terry, quite bri;aft,

LONDON : Printed by J. B. CARST,kIB.S. No. 7 01?
; anti 'published by W. A..SCRIPP.S, of t" rtise
'at the StrN-oFitec, No. I 12, Strand ; where Ad"' 01.
moot, Clrtlerg. Lette.rs &c. must be adtll°

f