The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-20 00:00:00

other members of the Government, particularly those
connected with Ireland, the great importance of watch-
ing the operation of the *creased duty upon spirits, and
of observing whether it leads to illicit distillation or not,
because illicit distillation net only will defraud them
of their revenue and neutralise the object which they
have in view, but will be attended with demoralis•
lug effects, creating lawless habits in the popula-
tion, which I am satisfied gentlemen acquainted
with the state of some counties in the north and
welt of Ireland in former times will bear witness are far
greater evils than could be compensated by a small in-
crease of revenue. (Hear, bear.) However, I am bound
to say that, as far as my knowledge goes, the late in-
crease of duty on spirits in Ireland has not hitherto
been attended with an increase of illicit distillation, and
I trust no such result will follow the proposition of the
right hon. gentleman. (Hear, hear.) With respect to
the penny duty upon checks, I am not aware that aay
serious objection can be made to it, and I trust not only
that the right hon. gentleman will derive 300,0001. from
it, but that it may not turn out at the end of the year
that his estimate of the revenue by customs and excise
is somewhat higher than present circumstances would
justly warrant. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. FAGAN said he feared that the proposal of the
right hon. gentleman in reference to Irish spirits would
lead to illicit distillation in Ireland, and it was a fact
that illegal distillation was going on there now owing to
the increased duty imposed on spirits in 1855. In the city
of Cork spirits were sold at sd. a gallon less than the arti-
cle could be sold by the distillers, and this was accounted
for in two ways, via., that the lowering of the price of the
article was caused either by smuggling or illicit distilla-
li"• He hoped the right hon. gentleman would not
allpose the increased duty on spirits in stock in the
Poeseesion of the retail dealer, as it would lead to great
inconvenience and hardship, but that he would confine
the impositicin of the duty to the stock in the hands of
the distiller. With respect to the proposed stamp upon
cheques he would at present offer no opinion upon the
effect of such an arrangement, but would simply content
himself with the expression of a desire to learn by what
means the right hon. gentleman had arrived at the result
that he would obtain the sum stated from such a source.
, Mr. WHITESIDE must observe that he had not
learned from any quarterin Ireland that illicit distillation
Was now going on there. He had heard a great deal of
conversation in that part of Ireland with which he was
connected, and there was a general expression of surprise
that no Chancellor of the Exchequer had attempted to
aetmilate the duties on spirits in England and Ireland ;
and be held in his hand a paper, by which it was shown
that if the duty on spirits -in Ireland were raised from
Ge. 2d. to as., the increased revanue obtained would be
620,0001., and the authors of the paper went on to show
that the effect of this arrangement would be to enable
the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reduce the duty on
tea; so that as far as these persons were concerned the
proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not
be objectionable.

Mr. J. WILSON concurred in the observations of
the right hon. gentleman who had just addressed the
house—namely, that many of the Irish spirit-dealers, so
far from being adverse to an increase in the duty, such
as was *now proposed, were in favour of it ; indeed, last
Year a deputation from Belfast waited upon him and so
'=pressed itself. He, however, warned the right bon.
gentleman and the committee against two disappoint-
runts which were not unlikely to attend his calculations.
In the first place, the right hon. gentleman the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer had taken the excise revenue at
17,800,0001., and he ought., he thought, explain to the
?onanaittee that the apparent increase of 800,0001. in that
Item of revenue had been entirely owing to the failure
of the tine in France. This had the effect of increasing
the stock of spirits in this country, but not the oon-
amuption, and the stocks being made up to the usual
amount, they would only be replenished according to
the demand of the year. Now, in his opinion, that in-
crease would not continue even with the contemplated
468istance of the additional Lich duty, unless some
equally disturbing cause stepped in. With regard to
the proposed peony stamp upon cheques, he believed
that while such a proceeding would render a very in-
"nsiderable addition to the revenue it would have the
'fleet of interfering most. materially with the economy
of the capital of the country. It had now become a
common practice for even small farmers throughout the
country to keep banking accounts—a practice which
exercised an important influence in economising capital,
and such a proposition as that now made by the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer would have the effect of re
atricting the use of cheque, and thus doing an inj ary
to the economy of capital. Stockbrokers were also in
the habit of transacting their business by means of
clues ; and he feared that this penny stamp upon
chequesA would interfere with them in a very serious
degree.

with support of this cordial nature from these quarters,
Mr. Disraeli will not experience much diffionl'yin passing
the same through Parliament.
This is, probably, the first budget on record that ob.
taised on its introduction what might be termed unquali-
fied approbation. The objections of more determined op. eiri2
ponents of the Conservative Ministry of course go for n 0..., ,rfj
thing, as these politicians would censure any proposal
emanating from this source. The testimony in its favour
of members belonging to the more independent sections of
the House of Commons may be regarded as decisive ; and '
Mr. Disraeli deserves credit for having extricated the
country from a position of considerable difficulty. The ,
now taxes that are to be imposed are by no means burden-
some, and the reduction of the income tax is to be carried
out. In fact, good faith is to be kept with the public.
This is a great triumph, and the Budget will be as popular
in the country as it is in the House of Commons. Most n a
sincerely do we congratulate the member for Buckingham. ja
shire on his success and there cannot be the least doubt it,- 0;t
that the public willfully appreciate the honesty as well as , ,„„
the remarkable sagacity of the honourable gentleman's
proposals. ) , a