The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-28 00:00:00

3/4

sUN, LONDON,

second to no line in the kingdom.—(Hear, hear.)
"They had advanced considerable sums of money out of
their own pockets when they had no account at their
bankers, for the purpose of preventing the disgrace
of the company.—(Cheers.) With respect to Parlia-
iamentary expenses, he could say that every Bill
which had been brought before the Committee had
been examined and reduced by the Hon. Chairman
himself—(Hear, hear) the directors pledging
themselves to reduce their expenditure as much as
was consistent with the best interests of the com-
pany.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE, in a speech of some length,
and in his usual style, commented somewhat severely
upon the failure of the promises made by the Hon.
Chairman with respect to a considerable increase in
the dividends of this year.
The Hon. CHAIRMAN defended himself from the
charges of the Learned Sergeant, and contended that
his failure in the result of his calculations had arisen
from the unforeseen difficulties of the month of Octo-
ber.—(Hear, hear.) With respect to the conduct of
the directors in regard to the shares, he thonght that
the meeting ought at least to have a feeling of con-
sideration for the directors, who were then driven up
in a corner, their cheques having been refused pay-
ment at their bankers for a miserable sum of 2,000/.
—(Cheers.) There was a feeling of mutual consi-
deration in the agreement, and the directors were
anxious to do as much as posssble for those holders of
shares who were unable to pay up the required
amount.

A SHAREHOLDER wished to know whether the
amount of the dividend was all payable out of the
revenue ?

The CHAIRMAN said that most decidedly it was.
The report was then unanimously agreed to.
A resolution authorising the directors to dispose of
the forfeited shares referred to in the report was also
agreed to.

-Mr. Waddington, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Butler were
re-elected directors.

The thanks of the meeting were voted to the chair,
and the meeting then broke up.

NORFOLK ESTUARY.

The third half yearly meeting of this company, the
object of which is to reclaim a vast tract of land from the
sea at Lynn, was held on Saturday, at one o'clock, at the
British Coffee-house, Charing-cross.
Mr. Stewart was called to the chair in the absence of
Lord George Bentinck, on account of having to preside
as the Chairman of the Committee recently appointed
to inquire into the condition of the East
and West India interests. The report simply stated
that the directors did not recommend any call at pre-
sent ; they had received 560/. from Mr. Bentinch, for
the maintenance of his banks, out of which they had
expended 474/. 1 ls. id., which had cleared all expenses
on that head, and they should receive 200/. from him in
September next. They further recommended that no
steps should be taken for the purchase of the land,
or the working of the cut before the next half-yearly
meeting in August, unless any proceedings in the mean
time were sanctioned by the Commissioners at an ex-
traordinary meeting.
The receipts for the half year had been 4,929/. Os. 6d.,
the expenditure 4,8361. Ils. 10d., and the balance 921.
Bs. 10d.

The report was received, and Sir W. Follies, and
Messrs. West, Bagge, Townley, and Pryme, were re
elected directors, and Mr. Oastler auditor.
_ _

Considerable discussim ensued with respect to the
prospects of the company, in the course of which it was
elicited that committees on the part of the Eaubrink Com-
missioners and the town of Lynn had been appointed to
enter into a consideration of the matter. It was stated
by Sir W. Folks that the town was now favourable to
that ur:dertaking, and were, ho thought, disposed to raise
money to assist in carrying it out. A letter directed to
the corporation of the town by Lord G. Bentinck, i❑
which he proposed that they should seek powers to raise
upwards of 250,0001., gave much dissatisfaction, as the
proposition bad been made without the cognizance of
the directors.
The meeting then separated.

ANTI-INCOME-TAX AGITATION
MARYLE BONE VESTRY.

On Saturday, at a very fully attended meeting of the
Marylebone Vestry, the Rev. Dr. Spry in the chair,
The VESTRY CLERIC read the notice of motion
given by Mr. Nicholav, calling upon the vestry to
petition the House of Commons not to allow the pro-
position of her Majesty's Ministers for an increased
income-tax to pass the Legislature. lie also read the
following communication on the subject from Sir Ben-
jamin Hall, Bart., M.P.:—
" St. James's-place, Feb. 25, 1848.
"Dear Sir,—l have just received your letter re-
questing my attendance at a public meeting on Mon-
day next on the subject of the income-tax. I regret
exceedingly that owing to my having been selected to
sit upon the Lancaster Election Committee, where my-
attendance is imperative each day from eleven till
half past three, it will be impossible for me to be pre-
sent at the meeting. I am truly glad that the me-
tropolitan districts are moving in this matter. I
voted against the income-tax when it was first pro-
posed. I see no reason for continuing it in all its
present irregularities, still less for its increase, and I
shall vote against the proposal of the Government in
every stage.—l am, dear sir, yours truly,
B. HALL.
" Flood, Elie Vestry-clerk, St. Marylebone."
The communication having been ordered to be en-
tered on the minutes.
Mr. NICHOLAY brought forward his proposition.
He denounced the income-tax as a most unjust and
iniquitous measure, and he did hope that the events
which had just, lied were at that moment taking
place in a neighbouring country, would be a lesson
to the English Government, showing that the rights
of the people were not to be trampled upon with im
punity. When the income-tax was proposed by Sir
Robert Peel it was but fur three years, and he would
ask, if the present proposition was carried, what faith
could the people of this country ever place in the de-
claration of Ministers ? It was true Sir Robert Peel
had given them a sop by his alteration in the tariff,
but although the duty had been reduced on seven
hundred articles, and there was less work required at
the Custom-house, there had not been a diminution
in a single officer. Lord John Russell proposed an
increased income-tax of five per cent. for two years.
Why, if they once allowed it to be put on, were they
such fools as to expect they would ever get it off?
The Government were perfectly playing upon the
people of this country. First, there was their pre-
tended sanitary measure ; secondly, the imposition of
this five per cent. property-tax; and, thirdly, the
gross injustice of refusing to tax the property of
Ireland. He moved—" l hat a petition from the
vestry be forthwith prepared and presented to the
House of Commons, praying them to refuse to
sanction the proposition of the Government to raise
the income-tax to five per cent."
Mr. STANTORD seconded the resolution. When
they looked to what was passing in France at the
present moment, he thought that this was the time
when any Ministry, however powerful, should pause
before they attempted to force upon the people of
this country any unjust system of taxation. The
English people were not opposed to fair and equitable
taxation, but they were opposed to unequal and unjust
taxation—to taxation by which the industry of the
country was crippled and destroyed. The Ministers
must have a sense of the injustice they were perpe-
trating towards the industrious classes in proposing
this increase, and it was not enough that they should
only partially let Lord John Russell know the senti-
ments of the people. The resolution of the vestry
would be the first shot fired from Marylebone, and
I on Monday they intended to repeat the dose.
Mr. H. C. WensoN expressed his concurrence in
the motion.
Sir WALTER STIRLING hoped, whatever might be
the feeling of the country with regard to the income-
tax, that at the present alarming crisis nothing would
be done by the people of this country to embarrass
her Majesty's Ministers. If ever there was a time
when the English people should rally round the
Throne, it was at the present moment, when events
were taking place in a neighbouring country, which
might involve England in a long and savage war of
bloodshed. What signified the demand of an increase
of two per cent. upon the income-tax at such a time ?
To rally round the Government, and give it support
at the present time, was indispensable ; for depend
upon it, and he (the Hon. Baronet) knew something
of the history of republics, that if a republic was pro-
claimed in France, it would be the prelude to a bloody
and desperate war.
The Rev. CHAIRMAN thought the Hon. Baronet
ought not to indulge in such observations, more par-
ticularly as he believed the position of affairs in
Fms
erlalgvnihcaortet.fi
otb
jhhneoaesdli:kf npitsnohuodteml: ing whatever to do with the question.
For his own part he believed there was no apprehen-
sion
ie
mo
ne a expressedsßu
ar
re
oh
nni se v t a. i siwhn
am:
whate
tnrtu ea
wast
Et
nh the
passaonb d-
ing on the continent, for it
was more than probable
that within a week they would have, instead of one
sovereign to support, to support three' or four others ;
namely, Louis Philip 1 Philippe, the ope of Rome, and Lola
LAMER denounced the Government, and said
MoAnir te.s G.
that if, instead of a tax upon
passed
ona4lpyreoapresrtayg,oa,
onetax
upon real property had been se
hundred millions of money would have been realised.
lie hoped the Revolution in France would read the
Ministry of this country and the aristocracy of this
country a useful lesson. Why should not the nobi-
lity of England be taxed as well as the poor man ?
There were four noblemen who held nearly the whole
of the property in Marylebone, and if they died, there
was not one farthing paid upon the transfer; but if a
poor man died, leaving property to his next of kin to
the value of 201., there was a tax of 41. imposed for
probate duty.
The resolution having been unanimously adopted,
Lord DUDLEY STUART rose to address the vestry.
He said he begged to trespass upon the vestry, to
offer an explanation upon a subject which had just

been touched upon, and which affected him (the
Noble Lord) personally. When he entered the room
a newspaper had been put into his hand which con-
tained, in connexion with his name, that which he
could only designate as a most extraordinary notice.
The Noble Lord then read an advertisement headed
" The French Revolution," in which he (Lord Dud-
ley Stuart) was announced to take the chair at a
public meeting convened at the Crown and Anchor
'tavern on Tuesday evening next, calling upon the
Government of this country not to interfere in what-
ever government the people of France might choose
to adopt for that country, whether monarchical or
republican. Now, although he (the Noble Lord)
entirely coincided in the principle of such a meet-
ing, he begged to say that he had never given
his consent to take the chair at such meeting,
and that a most unwarrantable use had been
made of his name. He quite agreed that
the Government of this country had no
right whatever to interfere with the internal affairs of
our French neighbours. But he assured the board
that a most improper use had been made of his name,
and he was not aware of such a meeting being about
to be held until his attention was called to the adver-
tisement by a member of the vestry that morning.
He begged to assure gentlemen that he (Lord Dudley
Stuart) always considered very seriously before he
consented to take the chair or mix himself up with
any meeting on political affairs, and he certainly
should not have allowed his name to have been used
on the occasion to which he referred, because he
thought a meeting calling upon our Government not
to interfere with the internal affairs of France alto-
gether supererogatory. He could not apprehend for
one moment that anything could occur which would
induce our Government to interfere, either for the
restoration of Louis Philippe, or to dictate to the people
of France the form of Government which they should
adopt. It would have been time enough to have called
such a meeting when the Government showed a disposi-
tion so to interfere. It was highly proper that the:people
should meet at any time when they apprehended any
danger to their rights and privileges ; or when, as in
the case of the disgraceful attempt to impose such an
injustice as this increased income-tax. On such
occasions, he (the Noble Lord) was quite ready to
attend, as they would find, when the great meetings
in Marylebone and St. Pancras took place. He was
quite ready to take a part with the people in his pro-
per place, and in doing so he considered he would
have enough to do without taking part in the un
called-for meeting about the events taking place in
France.

The Rev. Dr. SPRY expressed his deep regret that
the ill state of his health would prevent him having
the pleasure of presiding over the meeting to be held
on Monday, demanding the withdrawal of the pro-
position for an increased income-tax. The object had
his hearty concurrence.
Mr. JOSEPH moved, " That in consequence of the
inability of the Rector to take the chair, John Wil-
liams, Esq., M.P., the churchwarden, be requested to
preside on that occasion."
The resolution having been seconded, and carried
nem. con.,

Mr. JOHN WILLIAms, M.P., expressed the plea-
sure he should have in complying with the wishes 01
the vestry.