The Sun.
London, England, 1803-06-30 00:00:00

INCOME TAX.

A Cot-moon Hall of the Livery of London was
a yesterday held at Guildhall, fof the purpose of ctin-
sidering the propriety of instructing the Citizens of
L9ralon, in Parliament, to oppose the Tax on In-
come., and prevent the same from passing into a
Law.
The LORD Misvoa having stated the purpose
for which the Meeting was called, and the requisi-
tion for that purpose being read,
WArrtiNtAN said, before the late Tax upon
Income passed into a Law, he had the honour of
submitting to them the first Resolutions against it,
which he was happy to say were carried by a great
majority of the Corporation of London. He now
heard 'that a Bill was in agitation, by which it was
proposed 'to revive that odious measure to which
they I,t .4qdready stated their objections. As far
as 'he had beers able, in the short time he had had
to look into the Bill, it appeared to him to differ
very little from the Bill before repealed, except
that it seemed to' be far more, rigorous than the
former. There were in the for Mer Bill some midi-
fications in favour of persOns Who delved their in.
come from trade. Those modifications were found-
ed
on the exorbitant rents they paid—they-were al.
lowed to deduti for two-thirds of their rent. He
could find nothing of.the kind Provided in this Bill,
There was another circumstance in the former Bill
which softened its rigour. It was, that persons in
trade were not obliged to make a public exposure of
their concerns. In this Bill there was no provision
of the sort ; on the contrary, persons in. trade were
subjrt ro measures far more rigorous than were
contained in the former Bill. It was not necessary
for him to rake up their time in describing she per-
nicious features of the late Bill. The whole might
be copsidered under two grand objeElions—the first
was, the injustice of the measure, because it ape.
eated on some as a Tax on Income. Persons who
might possess an annuity for a limited period, paid
the same as those who were in the enjoyment of
freehold emits. The next objeftion was, the very
unconstitutional power it created ; he conceived
that no modification of a measure that attempted to
ascertain the floating profits of trade could render it
praAicable, or that it could in any degree be suf.
feted by the People of this or any other Country
that had the least pretensions to freedom. He then
proposed several Resolutions, highly disapproving
of the Income 'fax, and concluded by observing,
that it never had entered the head of those indi-
viduals who opposed this Tax, to oppose Taxes
fairly laid, They bad no objection to contribute
their fair proportion, whenever they were called
upon so to do, in a constitutional manner ; but it
must appear evident; that under a measure like the
present, they must submit to a degree of injustice
and oppression, which could not attach to persons
who were not engaged in commercial speculations.
The several Resolutions were here read : The
first expressed a cheerfulness of the Livery to con.
tribute their fair proportion to a fair and constitu.
tional tax. The next set forth the pernicious and
ruinous tendency of the tax. Another went to in-
puma the Representatives of the City to-ske their-
utmost endeavours to prevent the tax passing into

•
a law.
Mr. THowts REEVE said, it would be unneces.
nary for him to take up much of their time. He
had only to declare, that he was ready and willing,
and he trusted every Citizen was equally so, to sub.
scribe to assist Government in the present arduous
contest ; but he could'not think of giving his con.
sent to a measure which would have the rife& of
exposing the concerns of persons in trade to inquisi.
Oda! investigation. Let any other 'Tax, more
congenial to British freedom, be brought forward,
and he was
.persuaded it would be acquiesced in
with cheerfulness.
Mr. PER.RING said, that the Income Tax, when
brought forward by the late Administration, en.
countered in Parliament the most animated
particularly from their worthy Representa-
Aive, Mr. Alderman Come e ; but the present-mea.
sure had received a different reception ; so far from
having encountered a freers and decided opposition,' it
had only been opposed by one person in the House
of Comm Ons. He did nor throw out this to furnish
grounds for their opinion, but only to slim that
the case was not parallel, and to impress on their
minds the necessity of consideration. He knew of
no other mode by which' to judge of the pradiCabi.
lity of the tax, than to,consper its operation. It
was imposed with an even, equal, and impartial hand.
The burthen was imposed on those who were able
to'bear it,-and those who were unable were exempt.
This (Neel- could not • be attained by a tax founded
solely on expenditure, for there must be many
whose income did not exceed three or four hundred
pounds -a, year, who contributed as much to the
State as those whose income amounted to ten times
that sum. It was not persons of larg.t fortune, but
of limited expenditure, wim would—be affected by
the operation of this tax. Ile should have been
letter pleased if some substitute had been suggested
-tor the present tax, which would not be liable to
the, sarnd obje4tions. He did not hesitate so say, that
they could.separate the tax from these circumstances
which were obnoxious to a British breast, he
should consider this as an eligible mode of taxation.
We were placed in a most critical situation—a
ruation in which it was incumbent on every man,
from the highest to the lowest rank, from him who
has the first stake in the Country, to him who has
nothing but his' hands and his labour to support
him, to lensthimself to the salvation of his Country.
He wished them to be unanimous on the present
recession. .