The Sun.
London, England, 1832-02-07 00:00:00

FINANCE,

Lord ALTHORP having again moved the order of the
day for the report of the Committee of Supply,
Mr. GOULBIJRN did not think it requisite to apo-
logize for the course he was about to pursue, in requesting
from the Government, some definite information respecting
the financial state of the country. If apology was necessary, it
was due from Parliament to the country for bavieg ors )(mg
deferred calling the attention of the House to the circum-
stances in which they stood, and directing their attention
to what was more particlarly their province and duty__
the state, namely, of the public pufte; requiring from
Government those explanations of the past, and that infor-
mation with respect to the future, which would, in some
degree, calm that general oppression which the present
unhappy conjuncture of affairs was calculated to excit
The situation of the country was, at the present, of art
unprecedented character; it had gone through periods
of war and of peace, it had met the difficulties of
the one and the embarrassments of the other, but it
was always found at the termination of the year that
the arrangements of Government had by soma means cr
other provided a fund adequate for the expenditure.
This was the first occasion in which we had found our-
selves with a large deficiency of income as compared with
our expenditure; and that under the peculiar circumstances
that the expectations of the country had been raised to
find a different result only three ninths antecedently.
It now appeared, that whereas the Noble Lord oppo-
site had at that period promised us a surplus little
short of 500,0001., he found that these was a deficiency
of 700,0001. ; so that a change in the supposed condition
of our finances to the amount of nearly 1,200,0004 had
been effected in the short period of three mouths ! If the
calculation of the future were to proceed in that ratio, the
result would be no inconsiderable or unimport tnt trifle.
And what were the circumstances under which this fart
appeared? It wee not announced to the House by a
message from the King. It was not stated by any Minister,
with the explanation which so extraordinary an occurrence
required. It was brought into notice by the production of a
paper far which be (Mr G.) had himself moved. The fact
must entirely change the character of the financial discus..
lions in that House. Formerly they deliberated what was the
proper surplus of income over expenditure, and in what mode
that surplus might be most advantageously applied. Same
Hon. Members were of one opinion—sums of another ;
some were friendly to a Sinking Fund—others were hos-
tile to it; but men of all parties, end of all sentiments,
were agreed that it was expedient to place Ihe finances of
the country in such a state that there Awed(' be a surplus.
Tne general apprehension which existed on this; subject did
not arise from any supposition that the resources of the
country were not adequate to meet any exigency ; it arose
from the peculiar circumstances in which the Government
bad involved themselves. Under these circumstancea the
country had a right to ask why it found its,lf in its present
eituetion.- If it had proceeded from any miscalculation, the
House and the country had a right to expect an explanation
of the cause of the inaccuracy. We were in our present condi.,
tion, not only without being in pot secaion oieny ex r y
mans of forming a judgment as to the future, but even
without those ordin ti y iceans the produ,:tiort 4.1 which
was prescribed by 12.%% On the 19th of Feisenaiy. IS2i,
the House cane to a resolution that it was essentially ne-
cessary to the fulfilment of their duty as the guardians of
The public purse, whenever Parrearnetit assembled before
Christmas, the estimates of the naval and military and
other public services s!ueuld be presented by the 15,11 of
January. None of the estimates, however, had yet been
laid on the table.. And yet the necessity of the practice for
waich the eeaulivion provided had been advocated by one
of the most distinguished members of the party opposite
to him, who had himself been Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, and who, therefore, had ample means of forming a
sound opinion upon the subject. For ten years, under the
various Admiantrations which had c'onduc'ed the affairs
of the country, that resolution had been strictly observed.
But now, when in consequence of the deficiency which for
the first time appeared in the income of the country, it
became peculiarly necessary to know n hat the estimates of
the year were, those estimates were not on the table of
House ; and in their absence the Noble Lord opposite bad
not thought it necessary to give any explanation on
the subject. But that was not all. On the 12th
of December last, the House came to a resolution that
the estimates ai the public service shun] I be laid on
the tale, On the table, however, they were not—and
no reason had been assigned for their non•production.
He did not think it uucandid to attribute this delay
to some reluctance on the part of the G.,vecoment, to take
the counsel of Parliament on the subject. On the sth of
J499aly, 1831, we had a surplus exceeding 2,900,090/
Let it not be supposed that he wished to keep out 0'
et.s.sight
those arrangements of the former year, which must n
eerily lead to a diminution of that surplus from a million
to a million and a half in amount. What was our h
; t situ,-
tion on the sth January 1832 ?. That there wa, a_ i efi -
__e expenditure having exceeded the
ciency of 700,000/.
income by that amount, and having exceeded the calcula-
tion made three months before by the Noble Lord to the
amount of 1,100,000/. Under eucii circumstances the
country was paturolly anxious to know wh3 course wal