The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-29 00:00:00

TIIE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.

In the National Assembly, on Wednesday, anim
portaut financial statement was made by M. Hyppo-
LITZ PASST, the new Minister of Finance. On the order
of the day for the adjourned discussion on the Salt
Duty Bill, after a few words from M. CORDIER
and M. AUGUSTE ATOND, the Minister of Finance,
M. 11. PASST ascended the tribune and spoke as
follows :

" I think (he said) that the question will be much
simplified if I state at once with what views the Govern-
ment demands from you to maintain the salt duty until
January 1, 1850.—(Movement.) I do not mean to con-
test, in the slightest degree, that the duty in question is
a most oppressive one—that it is most deservedly held
in disfavour ; yet, with all this conviction, I feel myself
obliged to demand its maintenance for six months more
than the period recommended by the committee. The
reason is easy to be divined—that the state of the
finances will not permit us to give up the twenty-three
millions which the salt duty furnishes.—(Movement.)
What is that situation? I will tell you with the utmost
plainness.—(Marks of attention.) My predecessor in
office has already informed you, in the financial state-
ment which he laid before the Assembly, that at the end
of 1849 the whole deficiency in the Treasury would be
460 millions. Since that declaration was made, new
facts have taken place. Thus, on January 1, 1350, a
sum of 38 millions must be reimbursed to the savings
banks !—it is a sacred debt, and must be paid.—(Hear
hear.) My predecessor has also calculated that for 1849
the deficiency, after the budget had been finally settled
and balanced, would be 91 millions. But facts already
known force us to carry that sum to 107 millions, to
which it will be necessary, on the one hand, to add 21
millions, and on the other, 38 millions, which will bring
the sum to 166 millions. My predecessor has with good
reason, in my opinion, anticipated an augmentation iu the
indirect taxes ; the sum put down, according to him, is
83 millions, which I think will be received. The sum
assigned for the forests is, I think, too high by
10 millions. The produce of the customs and
of the new taxes lately proposed, has also
been set down with an augmentation. The augmenta-
tion is calculated at 99 millions for the new taxes. Idc
not think that the amount can possibly be more than one-
half that sum. The statement of my honourable prede-
cessor takes no notice of unforeseen expenses. I hope
that the augmentation arising from the diminution of
the expenses, and the increase of the receipts, will com-
pensate for the unforeseen expenses; but it would ill
become me, as Minister of Finance, to suppose that an
entire year is to pass without unforeseen expenses. In
recapitulation I have to state to you that, in my opinion,
in place of a deficiency of 460 millions, we shall
have ono of 560 millions.—(Sensation, which manifested
itself for some time.) Surely, that is not an ordinary
position; surely that is not a state of the treasury whit.)
can admit of so considerable a reduction in the receipts
as the asrount of the salt duty. The committee pro-
poses to take off the tax from July 1, 1849, and has
put forth figures to prove that the loss to the trea-
sury would be only 5,400,000 f. The committee, I
am of opinion, has strangely miscalculated, and never
in any country has an example been seen of such
results on taking eff a tax as it presents. It declares, in
fact, that the augmentation would be all at once not less
than from seven to nine kilogrammes for each indivi-
dual per annum. Such an augmentation is an extraor-
dinai y exaggeration, as, under the old monopoly (the
gitrin,aheeberneca/t/oieila,:nnh:jahotttetcwewhole consumption was only four kilo-
grammes each person in the provinces ou which the
duty weighed, and to nine in those freed from the tax.
But, however that may be, however the calculations of
consente meaayn mo
ao
kmteha may
up for
rptoitesheecdol rorresesdcutt
oc,
ttitohhne T
e. Govern
y
bored imposing new taxes; I reply, that the new taxes pro-
iiii?enp(,ts:ll,tbuYtpirllt. predecessors, such as the income-tax, I ac-
cept, ye
as er,t mh
eya
rface s
naiisn sits anynot
a other
time n
for

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