The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-01 00:00:00

J UL Y 1, T

the opinio n of maintaining the balance of public credit, and
that this L alance of public credit was not only the main
pillar of o ur strength, but the main source of our financial
prosperity. He did not believe that the public credit
rested on truch an unstable foundation as a vote of that
House. An.d he was certain, notwithstanding the present
House had come to a resolution to have the income-tax
for only one year, that next year the House would not shrink
from the duty of re-considering their determination, and
of putting the financial credit of the country on a
sure and solid basis, whatever the steps they may be
required to take for that purpose. The question was whether
they woul d not disappoint the reasonable expectations of the
country if tb ey did not repeal the window-tax and take off
the duty on. timber and coffee? He thought the answer in
this respect so clear that he could not bring himself to waste
the time of -the House with arguments in support of the case.
He would r tot follow the ingenious gentleman into the varied
disquisition with which he had favoured the House upon the
financial co. adition of the country. Taxation must be made
to adjust itself to the circumstances of the country; but the
House must recollect this, that while taxation was pressing
on the richer part of the community, the great mass of tax-
ation—whet her wo wished it or not—did press with severity
on the indu rtrious classes. So, therefore, it was that argil,.
ments whic a, taken by themselves, would not be expedient
and proper t o urge in justification of particular taxes, if
coupled wi an other circumstances would justify those
taxes. And it must also be recollected that the window-tax
was not wit bout exemptions; that tax was not very equal
in operation , for Windows in shops occupied for purposes of
trade were exempted, just us land and other rated property
had also its exemptions. The Hon. Gentleman had stated
with a good deal of parade —he hoped the Hon. Gentleman
would pardc n him for having smiled at the time—what he
proposed as part of his plan, to pioffer to the shipping in-
terest—nam sly, to give them the privilege of building ;hips
in bond. n :E.; was sorry to see the Hon. Gentlemen revert to
an exploded :system, and propose to multiply the manufac-
tures in bon ti in this country.
Mr. HUI tE would say a few words, as part of the state-
ment of the .Right lion. Gentleman rather reflected upon
him, as the originator of the debate. He did not agrees
with what 1 tad fallen from any Hon. Members who had pre-
ceded him. .It was necessary to carry out that plan and
those views r.f taxation with which the present Government
took office. lie thought, however, Government might have
carried out those principles even further. The surplus
might have been devoted to more useful purposes than
buying up aIA mtion of the debt. He approved of the aboli-
tion of the w ndow-tax. He approved of the house-tax,
but disappro e d of the mode by which it was carried out.
The house tax: was a property tax, and there ought to be no
exceptions. 11. was exceptions which generally created dis-
content towar is a tax. Then with respect to the income-
tax, was it noa ; denounced on all sides as unequal and unjust?
He had ende, al Toured to get it modified on these grounds.
The Right Ho a. Gentleman did not wish the income-tax to
be continued. He differed from that Hon. Gentleman. He
thought the income-tax ought to be continued, and even
increased if necessary. Whilst he was willing to
grant the an pplies, he wished at the same time to
relieve the in a ustry of the country. Taxes had hitherto
been levied 013 the industry of the country, and the
rich had bee a comparatively exempted from taxation.
Out of 52,000,1 WO/. of taxes 84 per cent. was raised on the
industry of the people. Would the people allow this amount
of taxation to c iontinue without requiring property to bear
its proper share of the burden? He approved of the inquiry
now going on, r Ind the result would be, he hoped, to place
the burdens of I the country on the Interests best able to bear
them. These w %ere the principles he had always advocated,
and he was sa: a'sfied they were the principles which the
country would ultimately adopt. He was satisfied the in-
terests of the cot 11 stry would be best served by placing the
taxation on aSC nd and an equitable basis.
The House tb n divided, when there appeared—
For Mr. 1) israeli's amendment ... 129
Against iit !.. ... 212