The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-31 00:00:00

THS ANTI-INCOME TAX AGITATION.

GLOUCESTER, DEC. 30.
A second public meeting to petition Parliament for the
entire and immediate abolition of the income-tax was held
here last night, and the event derived additional import-
ance in consequence of the attendance of Admiral Berkeley,
who made a speech on the occasion. The meeting was con-
vened by the Mayor, who presided ; and was most nume-
rously and influentially attended. Both the city members,
the Right Hon,. Sir M. F. Berkeley and Mr. W. P. Price,
were present, and most of the merchants, professional gen-
tlemen, and tradesmen of the city.
The lkle.YOR having opened the proceedings,
Mr. S. BowLY proposed the first resolution :
" That this meeting deprcsates the principle of an
Income-tax roi'llitaoquA4 -441,d,Ulaiost ils- > .11114datiOn, op-
pressive in its execution, vexatious in its assessments, de-
moralising in its tendency, and from its inquisitorial cha-
racter derogatory to the freedom of Englishmen, more par-
ticularly when applied to trade, professions, and uncertain
incomes, and should therefore be immediately and totally
repealed as far as relates to schedule D." (Cheers.) He
condemned the inquisitorial and unjust character of the
tax, and said the arguments of its supporters furnished
ample grounds for its abolition. To the objection that if
the tax were repealed a substitute must be provided he
said the duty of every honest Government, as of every
honest man, was to limit its expenditure to its income.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. T. M. ST URGE, who
strongly denounced the tax as iniquitous, and said the
meeting did not deserve the name of Englishmen if they
submitted to the tax any longer.
Admiral Sir M. F. BERKELEY, M.P., on rising, was
r ceived with loud applause. He said,—l should not have
risen to address you upon this occasion if it had not been for
some few words which fell from my hon. friend who
seconded the resolution ; and also to explain to you that
when I came down here through the kindness of one of the
committee, I was fully led to understand that there would
not only have been a direct censure upon the Government
to which I have the honour to belong, but that there was
also an intention expressed in that resolution to tie the
tongues—l will not say the hands—of myself and my hon.
collague, Mr. Price, binding us in that sort of way that
we were no longer to be your free representatives, but tied
down and told that if we did not choose to be put into
leading strings we were no longer fit to be your represen-
tatives. (Cheers, and a voice; " That's true.") My hon.
colleague can speak more eloquently than I can attempt to
do, but I will say this for myself, and in all kindness and
goodwill to you, citizens of Gloucester, that I am glad the
resolution has not been so framed, and that no attempt has
been made to bind us; because, although I am growing,
and even now am, an old man, yet have I the spirit of an
Englishman about me, and I never would be a bondsman
as a representative. (Cheers.) Mr. Sturge has slightly
touched, and in a gentlemanlike manner, upon a subject
that has been alluded to elsewhere ; I don't complain of
the
be
enwhayanindlewdhiienh eh e has
coarsetr eaant edd it,ung
ebeut
eeles
ne
ihkeer es
tyi tl
eh; as
mean as to whether the Government intend to take advan-
tage of some 28 days having elapsed over the financial year
to impose the increased war tax for another year. Some
have gone so far as to say that it is the intention of the
Government so to do. Some say that it is a quibble ; some
that is worthy only of a pettifogging attorney, who would
be struck off the rolls for such conduct; and they at once
assume that because a man is a member of a Government,
and is in the proud position of governing a body of free
men, that he would be guilty of a dirty action. (Cheers.)
Now, let me say this—it has been prophesied, it is
so stated
by the Financial Reform Ass, ciation of Liverpool, and also
by certain country gentlemen (who, I think, in meddling
with the income tax before an agricultural population are
knocking their heads against a stone wall), that, this petti-
fogging conduct will be pursed by the Government. It is
even said that such is the intention of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, as we
all know, is a very hard task-master; it is his business
to make a bargain for the country ; and it is his busi-
ness, also, to stand by it when it is made. But the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer has a master over him in the Prime
Minister. Now, I will venture to contradict all those who
have said that it is the intention of the Government to take
this advantage of the people. (Cheers.) Let me not be
mistaken ; I do not say this upon authority, but I say it
as a subordinate of that Government. I do not believe
that it would be capable of taking such an advantage.
(Cheers.) And why do I say so ? Look at the antecedents
—look at the character the noble lord the member for
Tiverton, who is now at the head of the Government, has
established for himself. His is no sneaking policy ; he makes
no attempt to obtain anything by a quibble that he can
obtain by asking for honourably and honestly of the repro-
senta.tives of the nation. Therefore do I say wait till the
time comes. I will not believe it till I sea it, and I, for
one, would not be a party to it. (Cheers.) Mr. Bowly,
proposing the resolution, told you to abolish the tax at
once, to do away with it altogether. (A Voice.—" That's
what we want.") I should be very glad to see it. (A
Voice.—" And we must have it.") Mr. Bowly told you
to abolish it, and in the same breath to reduce your ex-
penditure to meet your income. It is very well to say that
now, but unfortunately we have spent the money. I would
ask this assembly whether it would be willine.;
land from her proud position—whether it is prepared to
take down from her high position tb Co take Eng-
belongs ?We stand foremost by country to which is
our wealth, intelligence,
courage, love of freedom, :sled Christian charity, in the
;se of the term—we stand forth the
most comprehensive ser
champion of the wo
:id against slavery, despotism, and the
the weak.. (Loud cheers.) you,
to take that advice which will
remove you
strongthe,
censer overpowering
from that "high pedestal, and place you in the lowest scale
of naf:ions ? (Hear.) It is well to say we are not to keep
up an army, that we do not want a navy—but where
would you be without them ? If you reduce your army
and navy— mind, Ido not wish you to keep up a useless
expenditure—but if you reduce your forces to that lo w
point that you cannot upon any sudden emergency
bring into operation that power which you Englishmen
alone throughout the world are able to wield, then I say
good by to the English character, good by to the greatness
of Great Britain. (Loud cheers.) I would willingly go
o
with my friends who have addressed you to take off this
tax ; and I agree with the Liverpool Finance
Reform Association, though they are rather harsh in their
terms, as to the intentions of the Government. That asso-
ciation, after stating Government mean to eon dune the
present tax for another year, goes on to say
or
which her
Majesty's Chancellor of the Exchequer
deka to justify the
" We agree with you that the quibble una-
extension of the extra 9d. imposed r
the express stipulation that or war purposes, under
after the time _.,g of a treaty of peace, for a full year
prescribe 1 is one worthy only of a petti-
attorney who
has been struck off the rolls for chica-
nery and dishonest purposes. _
.
period after the signi' ..s was to cease within a certain
with you that it is
unfair to tax proomns anti totn 31t
W_ e agreQe.nom ea
at
pre.