The Sun.
London, England, 1833-02-07 00:00:00

RESUMED DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS.

The Noble Lord then moved the order of the day for re-
suming the adjourned debate on the addres, which was
read, and

Mr. HUME, in rising to recommence the adj 'tuned de-
bate said, I will beg at the outset to recall the attention of
the House to the real question before it. Although I
think the great length of time which has been bestowed on
the question ought in part to have been otherwise occupied,
I must say that I do not think it is the fault of the Hon.
Member for Dublin or the other Irish Members who have
spoken, that the debate has taken the tur❑ it has ; for a
more pointed attack I never heard than was male
upon them. Whilst the mover of the Address attacked
Hon. Members on this side of the House for their con-
duct not here but elsewhere, they did not utter a word
a'mut England or Scotland, but spoke as if no such
countries existed.—(Hear.) 1 will state my view of
what I conceive to be the duties imps, d upon
us. More is expected front this Parliament than front
any ether that has ever been assembled. But it strangely
happens that there has hardly been a speech from the
throne which has paid less attention to the questions which
uow interest the body of the community. I was in
hopes that a Reformed Parliament would have had
addressed to is something clearer in the shape
of the King's speech than has heretofore been the
practice, and that it would at least have contained an
out:ine or intimation of what the Government intended to
do. Now if we may take the speech as indicative of the
iatention of the Government, we must conclude that noth-
ing is to be done this session for England except with regard
to the Bank Charter, the East India Charter question, anti
the reform of the Church.—(A laugh.) If 1 look to the
speech of last year, I find that more attention was paid
to the internal condition of the country, than is now
exhibited.—(Mr. Hume here read an extract from the
King's speech last year, respecting the necessity of alle-
viating the distresses of the country.) Now the question
I would put to his Majesty's Ministers is this—Whether
the country is now in a better condition than at the pe-
riod I refer to ? They certainly cannot consider it to be
in a prosperous condition, or they would have congratu-
lated us upon it in the usual way. The conclusion I draw
from their silence is that they intend to do nothing to relieve
the distress felt by different interests in the country. I
can assure them that they are misinformed, or mis-
judge the wishes of the people of England if they
suppose that because they have not petitioned,
they do not expect a large reduction of expenditure
and taxation, and also relief from an alteration in the
mode of levying its amount. Not a word is said
in his Maje,y's speech, however, of the necessity of modi-
fying or reducing the taxes. We know, however, that
the middling classes, those who, as the phrase is, are
endeavouring to p,y their way, it is who want relief.
Sir, when I think of the intentions of Government, as
far as I can collect them from their acts—when I consi-
der that in answer to the question which I proposed,
whether they meant to abolish a military sinecure office,
they stated .‘ N.,"—l am afraid the country will feel
sadly disappointed.—(Hear.)—l wish most anxiously
to afford the Noble Lord opposite an opportunity of
stating explicitly before the conclusion of this debate what
their intentions are upon the subject of taxation—whether
they mean to propose any alleviation of the burdens of the
people, and whether they mean to put others in the place of
what it may be their intention to repeal. At present I so-
lemnly enter my protest on behalf of my constituents.
They expect, and the people of England I believe gene,
rally expect, that something decisive should have been
stated upon this subject, either in the speech from
the Thone, or in explanation by some Mem-
ber of his Majesty's Government. I say this
is the feeling of the country generally ; and although
nothing was stated by the mover of this address, respect-
ing Scotland or Ireland, if I cin judge from information
I have received, they ezpect relief, not merely by
the withdrawal of taxes, but by the disband-
ing of useless establishments, and the reduc-
tion of over-paid salaries. I think, Sir, I am
therefore warranted in saying that much disappointment
will be felt in every district of the country at the silence
which prevails in his Majesty's speech on the subject.
I am therefor anxious that his Majesty's Ministers, before
this debate is concluded, shoeld take an opportunity of
stating whethea they have any intention•, and what, both
as regards the reduction, eharste, or substitution of taxes.
The Hon. Member, .1 believe, ft om Worcester, has
given notice of a motion on the suhject of property
tax, but I do not think that the question of the reduction
or charge of taxation should he left to any individual ;
it ought, indeed, to come before his Majesty's Ministers.
I cannot, therefore, but express my deep regret that all illu-
sion to so important a subject should have been altogether
omitted in his Majesty's speech. Sir, from the experi-
ence which i have Fa f in these matters, I know, that
when things were prosperous—whenever there was
the least probability of relief, or of an intention
to grant any relief, from the great burden of
taxation that pressed upon the people cn intimation to
that effect was to be found in the speech, and 1 take this
opportunity of saying, that I am now convinced more than
ever of the truth of the maxim laid down by t►.e late
venerable, and, I hope, venerated m As, Jeremy Ben-
tham, that no Gevernment will ever yield one shil-
ling to the people, unless the people t xert themselves,
and calls on them until, in fact, the ruling few
are made a little uneasy in their situations, and
are obliged to yield. Sir, I will state candidly that when
applications have been made to me whether Parliament