The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-23 00:00:00

DEPUTATION TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE
EXCHEQUER.—THIS DAY.
The deputation appointed in the metropolis, and the
loantry, to wait upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
in reference to tb- income tax, had an interview with
the right honourable gentleman, at his official residence
in Downing-street, this morning, to urge upon him the
views of the country on the continuance of the war 9d.,
and the better equalisation of the income tax, if it should
be continued by the Government.
The deputation comprised the following gentlemen :
Major Reed, Mr. Deputy Bernard, Mr. J. Hopwood,
Jacob Bell, Hosegood, W. T. Bedford, J. Bartrum,
W. Waite, H. Potter, T. Lovick, W. S. Burton,
Highain, Smart, F. May, C. Hawkins, W. C. Jay,
J. A. Nicholay, J. Shaw (Huddersfield), G. T. Prince,
(Reading), T. S. Gowing (Ipswich), Oliver Hartridge,
W. Payne, J. G. Hatton, G. Walter, E. Roundtree,
J. Edmonds, G. H. Elt, G. Scalumwell,J. Read, &c., &c.
Major RaED, M.P., in introducing the deputation to
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said that the gentle-
men who comprised the deputation were members of an
association to obtain an immediate repeal of the acts of
Parliament increasing the tax from 7d. to 161. in the
pound, and for a more equitable adjustment or total
repeal of the tax in reference to trades and professions.
The gallant gentleman then referred to the feeling
throughout the country against the continuation of the
93. after the sth of April next, and reiterated against
the continuance of the act in its present form the argu•
ments used at the meeting held on Wednesday night at
Exeter Hall.
Mr. Deputy Bernard, Mr. Nicholay, Mr. J. Bell, Mr.
Shaw, and Mr. Gowing also addressed the right hon.
gentleman on the subject.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply, said
h had great pleasure in fixing that day for
receiving the deputation, and the satisfaction of
showing them that he bad not the least re-
luctance to give them such information as was in
his power in respect to this question. He was aware
that both the deputation and the country felt deeply
interested in it, and he considered that the subject bad
been brought before him in the opening statement of
Major Reed, and followed by the other speakers in deli-
berate and proper language, and he bad no doubt from
the means of information they all possessed that the
statements made represented the feelings prevalent
throughout the country. (Hear, bear.) He must begin
by saying in order to give a full answer to all that had
been that day advanced by'the deputation, it would
be necessary for him to enter fully into an explana-
tion of the state of the expenditure and revenue of
the country, and, in Let, to anticipate the an-
nual financial estimate it would be his duty to make
to Parliament, and to Parliament alone ; but he could
not consistently with his duty anticipate the nature of
that statement, and he thought they must all be sensible
that it would be impossible for him to take that course.
He would, nevertheless, offer to them such remarks as
it was in his power to make in answer to the statements
that bad been advanced. The observations that had
!seen set forth turned upon two questions—first, as to
the nature of the tax itself; and, secondly, with reg ird
to its amount. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the nature
of the tax, their observations went to its very being, viz.,
that it was inquisitorial, and that it made no distinction
between precarious and fixed incomes. That objection
went, as he had stated, to the very essence of the tax,
whether it was 5d., 7d., or 16d., and therefore he did
not see on that occasion that any advantage would be
gained by his going at length into the nature of those
arguments. He was quite aware of their existence,
and he had stated his opinion on them, and the proposed
differential duty on permanent and precarious in-
comes. It appeared to him that the difficulties that
beset such a plan were not sufficiently estimated by the
people, but he had no wish then to go into that question.
He was quite prepared most carefully to considerany facts
or arguments that might be laid before him bearing
on the question, and to take into consideration any de-
clared plan for carrying those views into effect. (Hear,
hear.) They must be aware that the great difficulty in
arranging a plan of taxation consisted in the actual
scale that must be adopted, and they must be aware
that it was no easy matter to propose any direct or
indirect tax that would produoe 16,000,000/. within
the year like the present income tax, without
some complaint being created against it. He was
afraid that those gentlemen who talked of a perfect
system of taxation, when they came to levy large sums
would find the reality very.far short of their anticipa-
tions. He now came to a more practical point, the
question of amount in reference to this tax, and he
begged them to dismiss at once from their minds any
notion that the Government loved taxation in the ab•
stract, or had any wish to maintain a tax that was not
necessary for the public service, or any wish to take
advantage of the words of any act of Parliament for the
sake of continuing a tax not: necessary. (Hear, hear.)
The right hon. gentleman alluded to the war taxes
lately imposed, namely, that on malt, which he said
had been discontinued in accordance with the Act of
Parliament, so that the Government thereby had not
only lost the extra duty on malt for the remainder of the
year, but also the drawback to the extent of 800,0001.,
making together a deficit of nearly 1,000,0001., showing
that the Governmenthad no desire to make any alteration
against the people when the law was in their favour. The war
duties on tea,sugar and coffee would terminate by law on
the sth April next, and no proposal was made last sea•
sion to continue them beyond that period. It so hap-
pened that the words of the statute with regard to the
income tax continued it one year beyond the sth of April
next. All that he could say was that Government would
not take advantage of the particular wording of that
statute, but act in the same manner towards the
people of this country, as they did on a recent oc-
casion, with reference to the Ki❑g of Sardinia,
relative to the payment to him of the additional
loan of 1,000,0001. Of course the Government would
not think of continuing the tax on account of the word-
ing of the statute if it were not needed. Having made
that statement be must add, with regard to the rate of
the income-tax, that it was not a question of taxation
but of expenditure, and consequently the question
was, what would be the expenditure the following year,
for on that the ways and meatus were founded, and,
therefore, they must see that the Government without
they, the deputation, proposed another tax, and that he
did not take to the their meaning, the Government
could not, then, be expected to give up 8,000,0001.
the amount of the proposed reduction. That was all he
could then state to them, and he had endeavoured to be
as explicit as circumstances would allow.
The deputation shortly afterwards withdrew.