The Sun.
London, England, 1834-01-16 00:00:00

SEIZURES FOR ASSESSED TAXES.

Yesterday morning a deputation from the parishes of St.
Pancras and Marylebone, appointed at a meeting held
the preceding evening, had an interview with Lords
Melbourne and Howick, at the Home-office, for the pur-
pose of presenting certain resolutions passed at the meeting,
on the subject of the assessed taxes ; and in particular, of
remonstrating against what they conceived to be illegal
and unwarrantable treatment of two tradesmen, named
Thompson and Newberg, by Messrs. Rogers and Laing,
the Magistrates of Hatton-garden office. The deputation
consisted of N. A. rigors, Esq., M.P., the Rev. Dr.
Wade, and Messrs. Crawford, Murphy, Duffey, Wood,
Savage, Burford, and O'Neale ; who were followed by a
long train of person, which, increasing as they advancrd,
amounted to upwards of 3,000 by the time they reached
the Home-office. The deputation was received by Lord
Howidi, who informed them that Lord Melbourne had
not as yet arrived, but was expected in the course of the
day. Ttte resolutions, of which the following are copies,
were put into the hands of his Lordship :

" Ist. That the continued course of oppression pursued by the
Government in levying for the Assessed Taxes, is insulting
to the industrious classes of the metropolis, particularly as
many of the Members of his Majesty's Government have ad-
mitted the unequal nature of the assessments, which have the
effect of exempting the Aristocracy and rich men from bear-
ing an equal portion in the burdens of the country, as likewise
in the maintenance of many of their own order as pensioners.
" 2d. That the imprisonment by the Magistrates of Messrs.
Thompson and Newberry in the common gaol, after being
handcuffed like felons, and dragged through the streets,
under a pretended charge of obstructing the Sheriff's officer
in the discharge of his duty—refusing to hear evidence in dis-
proof—requiring 24 hours' notice of bail, and rejecting a re-
spectable tradesman as bail, on the ground of his having been
levied upon for assessed taxes, though he was ready to swear
that he was worth 501. after the payment of all his debts, by
which Mr. Newberry was detained in prison from Friday till
Monday, and Mr. Thompson until Tuesday, was an arbitrary
and despotic exercise of Magisterial authority, and an outrage
on the liberty of the subject."

Toe whose of the deputation proceeded forthwith to
Lord Melbourne's official apartment ; where they found
his Loidship, and his p:ivate Secretary, Mr. Young.
The resolutions were lying open on the table.

. -
Lord Melbourne said he bad read over the resolutions.
roe first he found was strongly condemnatory of himself,
and he supposed they did not expect him to express his
assent thereto. Toe second contained charges against
certain magistrates ; and he need nut tell them, that if
those gentlemen had acted illegally, or had, in any way,
exceeded their authority, they were amenable to the law
for their conduct. He had no power over the magis-
trates, nor was it, indeed, fit that the Crown should pos-
sess any such power. Their presentment should be pro-
perly inquired into, and having said thus much, he pre.
Burned he had answered all they could require of him.
Mr. Duffey said they were anxious to point out to his
Lordship the dangerous consequences that might ensue if
the arbitrary conauct of which they complained, on the
part of the subordinate ministers of the law, were not
checked by the Government.
Lord Melbourne apprehended, that having placed the
resolutions in his hand, the object fir which tin were
deputed was at an end. He regretted they had been kept
waiting so long, and which would not have happened if
they had given him any previous intimation of their in-
tention of eading upon him.
Mr. Savage could assure his Lordship, that an opinion
began to prevail that the acts of oppression committed had
the s„inetmn of the Government ; and if this were not so,
the sooner the public mind was disabused of this prejudice
the better.

Lord Melbourne sa'd, it could not be expected that he
should admit that a seizure for taxes was an act of oppres-
sion, and repeated that the complaints pteferred should
be fully inquired into.
The deputation, after thanking his Lordship for the
courtesy and patience with which he bad listened to them,
u ithdrew.

On reaching the street they found several hundreds still
waiting, and having formed in procession, they marched
for the Mechanics' Tavan, Circus-street, Marylebone,
where the particulars of the interview were communicated
tad di cussed. •

GOOD EXAMPLE.—In one of the Sydney
papers is the following:—" Mr. Justice Burton, hap-
pening to be about ten minutes late at Court, one day
last week, fined himself half.a.guinea, which he handed
over to the Sheriff 1"