The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-17 00:00:00

ARMY AND NATT.

Mr. HUNIE gave notice that he would, on Monday
next, submit to the House a proposition to reduce the
namber of the army and navy, and to assign such
sufficient reasons to the House as would, he trusted, lead
to the adoption of that principle.
ABOLITION OF CHURCH RATES.
Mr. OSBORNE gave notice that on Monday next he
would move for leave to bring in a Bill for the total
abolition of church-rates.
WAYS AND MEANS.

The order of the day for going into Committee of
Ways and Means was then agreed to, and the House
went into Committee.

Mr. STAFFORD wished to know, whether, in
point of order, it would be competent to move
in Committee the amendment of which notice had
been given by an Honourable Member respecting
the proceeds of any taxes derived from profits,
professions, trades, and offices in Ireland. Ho
was sorry to see that his motion had caused so
much excitement among those Hon. Members who
represented various parts of Ireland in that House.
He had belie informed that a considerable number of
Irish Members had left that country for the purpose
of opposing his motion. The proposition was one
which, in his opinion, was perfectly plain and
simple, and perfectly intelligible out of doors.
Nay, more, every petition presented with respect to the
income-tax in England, stated that if it was imposed in
England it ought to be equally extended to Ireland.—
(Hear.) He agreed with that opinion, because it was
one based upon justice, and was, besides, in accordance
with the opinions of some of the leading statesmen of
the present day. Sir Robert Peel, speaking in
1833, said that Ireland ought to be exempted
from the income-tax ; but, at that time, he ad-
mitted that to impose such a tax permanently upon
England and Scotland, excluding Ireland, would
be unjust. Twelve years after he said if the tax was to
be made a permanent one that it ought to be extended
to Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) And the Noble Lord
at the head of the Government said, in introducing
the Budget, " We have a right to impose the tax
upon Ireland as well as upon England," which announce-
ment was received with cheers from all parts of the
House, but ",though ke
,held the promise to the ear,
he broke it to the hope, as he added that that was not the
moment for its imposition which brought, according to the
report, " bursts of laughter," and cries of " Oh, oh,"
from all parts of the House.—(Laughter.) He admitted
the justice of extending the tax to Ireland, but he did
not give his reasons for declining to do so.—(Hear,
hear.) A few days after the Noble Lord came down
to the House, and said the Government had incurred
some obloquy, in consequence of the course they had
adopted. He must not take credit for that, as his only hope
of imposing the tax upon Ireland was by imposing it on
the Irish Members, as well as on others who objected to it.
Was there any reason because the landlords of Ireland
had not been called upon to pay poor-rates for years,
and were now called upon to do so, that they should be
exempted from the payment of income-tax a The
people of England had long been called upon to pay
poor-rates and the income-tax also, and he did not see
why the Irish proprietors should not be placed upon the
same footing. The raising of the 2,000,000/. for the people
of Ireland was, he believed, a complete fiction. He be-