The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-24 00:00:00

EDINBURGH.

A meeting of the merchant Company of Edintitirgh was
held on Friday; Mr. C. Lawson, Master, in the chair.
Mr. JAMES RICaARDSuN, in moving resolutions on this
subject, described the er;gin snd history of thn tax, es
imposed by Sir R. Peel in 1812, and successively continued
for periods of three years, till Mr. Gladstone passed a bill
continuing it till 1860, in order to enable him to carry out
other important financial measures. In 1851, however, a
change was made on the tax, when Mr. Gladstone pro-
posed that it should be doubled during the existence of
the war, and should so continue for a year after the 6th
April subsequent to the ratification of the Treaty of Peace.
In 1855 a further addition was made to the tax by the
present Chancellor of the Exchequer, but upon the same
condition. Here there was a matter of bargain with the
community. Now, the Treaty of Paris was signed on the
30th March, 1856, but the ratifications were not exchanged
till the 27th April. It was reported that there was an in-
tention of taking advantage of those few days to still con-
tinue the tax for another year, and it was to meet that
that a general movement throughout the country had
arisen. Now, they would not press the Government
to do what the finances of the country would not ad-
mit 'of. Tho revenue of the present year was eighty-
seven millions, while that of the last year of the
peace was fifty-four millions. Now, he did not ask for so
low a state of our armaments as existed before the war—
(hear)—but all the reduction he proposed in his resolutions
to ask was somewhere about seven and a half millions, and
there was at least an ample margin between the fifty-four
and the eighty-seven millions to accomplish this, as well
as other reductions that the community called for. Mr.
Richardson concluded by moving a series of resolutions on
the subject.
Mr. MACFAILLAN seconded the resolutions.
Mr. BLACK, M.P., said that if they did him the honour
of intrusting to him their petition to Parliament, he would
not only be happy to present it, but to support it to the
bust of his power. He was not surprised that there was
so strong an opposition to the tax, because he looked upon
it as of the most oppressive and inquisitorial character, and
he must say that if it were possible they should have it re-
moved root and branch. Mr. Black referred to the recent
Amendment Act for giving back to proprietors the tax
upon the sums paid for repairs and rates, but the Act, he
_ . .

said, was so ill-worded that he feared many Commissioners
would feel themselves unable to carry it into effect. The
tax, he remarked, was full of inequalities and injustices;

they could not make it just ; while it was the source of
great immorality. But they could not refuse to pay the
expenses of the war, and for himself he would rather ray
the whole tax for another year than hang it up longer with
all its painful circumstances.
After some further discussion, the resolutions of Mr.
Richardson were unanimously agreed to.

INCOME-TAX —ln consequence of the receipt of a re-
quisition numerously signed the Mayor cf Devonport
(Mr. Watson) assembled the inhabitants on Monday
evening at the Town-hall, and, in taking the chair, stated
that he quite agreed in principle with the present move
ment against the additional 9J., which was a war tax,
and which ought not to be continued at a time when the
people bad a right to expect the blessings of peace. The
tax bore heavily on the civil servants of the Crown, so
many of whom resided in the borough. Dr. Rowe said
a
that, although the country bad hitherto submitted to the
burden cheerfully, the time had arrived when it became
necessary to show the Chancellor of the Exchequer that
they were impatient. He moved, "That it is the 0Pl•
of this meeting that the increased income-tax now
nlevied
opinion
has greatly aggravated its previous inequalities, d that
it therefore should be lessened at the earliest possible
polir tied Altheegjl:nry resolution, t
bayingh i et
period in accordance with the pledge '
seconded,Clncello Chancellor tisiher. Esxycmheoquusesru.;
was carried unanimously, as were others for the drawing
up.a petition, &c., proposed by Mr. C
Oram, Mr. Rattenbury, and Dr. Tripe.lark, banker, Mr.
line three towns
of Plymouth, Devonport, and St
pbatically pronounced against this9nehoase have now em
tax.

EAST KENT.—Sir Edward Dering, one of the membersfor East Kent, has issued au address to
his
r nstitu-
sincere
ents, in which he says,—" It is with feelings of
of my
regret that I have to inform you that the state
health will prevent me from attending
to my
the approaching
mentary. duties during the early part of
_mended me
session. My medical advisers have recommended
cold winds of spring
to seek a warmer climate until thePerlis.
on the point. of
have passed away, and I sus
thereforeentish, Gazette, adverting
embarking for Egypt." The "allg
those who have lately
to this address, observes that
pearaannced. struck with his alteredap.
seen Sir Edward have bg
er. e
ge
n
fms m an attack in his wind-
pipe.ii throat,ei a-nudir .111
hie
medicaluntil the spring. One of Sir
visiting a warmer climate
. accompany him,
and we are quite
men recommend his
Edward's friends
Eatwill Kent wilt readily accept the
.
sure the electors of
for
his temporary absence from his
apology he offers .
and will rejoice to see him return
Parliamentary duties,
with renewed health and strength."