The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-22 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 22, 18!")7.

PROPERTY AND INCOME-TAX ASSOCIATION.

Last night a numerously-attended meeting of this asso-
ciation was held in the largo room, Exeter Hall. In the ab-
ce of Alderman Sidney, who was prevented being present
by domestic illness, Aldernaan Wire took the chair. Seve-
ladies were present in the side galleries, and the platform
was fully occupied by members or friends of the association,
but at no period of the evening was the hall more than two-
thirds filled. Deputations were present from Barnsley,
Birmingham, Bridgwater, Brighton, Deptford, Hudders-
field, Ipswich, Oxford, and Reading. Of the ten membersof
Parliament announced to be present only three appeared on
the platform—Major Reed, Mr. Apsley Pellatt, and Mr. T.

Chambers ; but, ;8 will be seen, letters of apology for non

attendance were read from other members.

The CHAIRMAN, after reading a lettor from Alderman

Sidney, expressinghis regret thatdomestic illness prevented

him taking the chair that evening, said that he had come
forward and had taken the chair with pleasure, for he
heartily concurred in the objects of the association. He
believed that the country also concurred in them. They
were, however, all aware that however general a feel-

ing might be not much attention was paid to it unless the
matter was pressed on the attention of the Government.

Every 0113 throughout the country,* whatever views he
might have with respect to taxation, would admit that the

income and property tax required to be greatly modified if
not totally repealed. It was not necessary for him to enter

into a disquisition to prove which was the best mode of
taxation, direct or indirect. Sir R. Peel had proposed a mo.

dified income tax for a short time, but since then it had
bern increased from 7d. to ls. 4d. in the pound. That

heavy impost was unequally levied and unjustly collected.
It was against such an impost that the meeting were called
upon to protest, and to demand of the Government the
abolition of what was called the war 9d. He did not

know whether the exigencies of the country would allow

of the ropoal of the whole tax ; but, looking to the pros-
perous state of trade and revenue for the last two years,

he thought Ministers could very welLsip without the addi-

tional 9d. He hoped that before the meeting of Parliament
they would hear that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was

determined that the 9d. additional tax should be repealed
at once. If it were true, as Lord Panmure had announced,
that the war estimates of this year would be 20,000,0001.

less than those of last year, with the revenue increasing
over the ordinary expenditure as it had done, they might

look to the end of their agitation, and be able to say that

they had accomplished the total repeal of this tax. But
even if that were effected they would still have to ask Go•

vernment for a revision of the whole system of taxation, so
as to make it press equally on all classes—not exempting
any class. He believed that the poorer industrial classes

had no wish to escape their share of an honest and just tax.

(Cheers). No ono would say that our taxation was equally

imposed. Everybody who had looked into the matter
knew that the poorer industrial classes paid upwards of

per cent. of taxation more than the richer classes did
That ought not, and would not, continue to be the case if
the people were but true to themselves. The objects of the

association were to obtain the immediate repeal of the acts
of Parliament which increased the property and income tax
from 7d. to is. 4d. in the pound, and a more equitable ad-
justment or total repeal of the tax on trades and profes-

.ions. As peace was concluded on the 30th March last, the

association held that the additional tax should cease from

April, 1357. The association also maintained that the
_sing of precarious incomes, and incomes derived from
realised property, to the same extent was unjust; that in
.ny future revision of taxation a tax on realised property

ought to constitute a permanent part of the financial sys-
tem of the country ; and they looked for the co-operation
of all classes who entertained the same views on the sub-

ject. As the ratifications of peace wore not exchanged
till the 27th April last the Government, taking advantage
of the wording of the act, desired to continue the addi-
tiohal tax till April, 1858. (Cries of shame.) He did not
believe that Ministers would have the impudence to get
up in Parliament and declare that they meant to stand upon
a quibble, and to saddle the people with the additional tax
for two years after the conclusion
,of peace. (Applause.)
Every tradesman was convinced of the unjust, unequal,
inquisitorial character of the tax. (Applause.) To tai
industrial income to the same extent as permanent in-
comes was to tax the brains and sinews of men instead of
realised and settled property. (Much applause.)
Letters wore then read from Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P.,
from Mr. W. Scholefreld, M.P., and from Mr. Minns, M.P.,

expressing their regret at not being able to attend the
meeting, and generally their approval of the objects of the
association. Letters were also read to the same effect from
associations at Cheltenham, Derby, Davenport, Exeter,

Hull, Leeds, Leicester, and Maidstone.
The CHAIRMAN said he wished to inform them that Mr.
Munta, one of the representatives for Birmingham, bad
made a communication to a member of the association, to
the °Met that he could not attend that meeting, but that
ho would be prepared to support in Parliament the resolu-
tions which he understood they wore about to adopt. The
chairman then added that be had great satisfaction in
calling on Major Reed, the member for Abingdon, to come
forward to move the first resolution.

Major REED (who is chairman of the association) accord.
ingly rose, and proceeded, amidst considerable applause, te
address the meeting. He said that the resolution he had
to propose was as follows :—" That in the opinion of this
meeting the additions made to the property and income
tax for war purposes ought to cease from the sth of April
next, and consequently that the acts of Parliament impos-
ing those additions should be immediately and uncondi-
tionally repealed." He felt great pleasure in informing
them that the meeting at which the association had been
established, only about six weeks ago, had been followed
by a succession of meetings in the principal towns and
cities of the kingdom, at which resolutions embodying the
principles of the association had been enthusiastically
adopted. These resolutions denounced in the most em-
phatic terms the continuance for another year of the
additional 9d. in the tax imposed originally for the purpose
of meeting the charges of the late war. That addition had
been adopted on the distinct understanding that it was to
terminate with the occasion in which it had originated.
By the first act of Parliament passed upon the subject it
had been merely provided that the increased tax should
only last as long as the war. But a second act had been
passed last session, in which:it was set forth that it should
continue until the 6th of April after the expiration of one
year from the period of the ratification of a treaty of peace.
Now peace had been concluded on 30th March last, and in
the fair sense of the arrangement the additional 9d. ought
to cease to be levied in the month of April next. But for
reasons best known to her Majesty's Government, the
peace had not been ratified until April 27, and upon that
ground they claimed a right to continue the war tax until
the April of next year. Was not that a most monstrous
proposition ? (Hear.) And were the people of this country
supposed to be incapable of understanding so plain a ques-
Von ? (Hear, hear.) When the gentlemen with whom
that association had originated had solicited his co-opera-
tion, he had felt it his bounden duty, as an independent
member of the House of Commons, at once to throw him-
self into the movement, and to endeavour to assist in ob-
taining the accomplishment of what was, after all, a fair
matter of bargain between man and man. (Cheers.) The
committee had placed him in the high and proud position
of their chairman, and in that position he had watched
with anxiety the progress of the movement, and had ob-
served with much satisfaction that it had a larger amount
of the favour and support of the country than had been
extended to any other cause since the agitation for the re-
peal of the corn laws. Every man saw the injustice of taxing
to the same extent incomes derived from trades and profes-
sions and incomes derived from fixed property. He be-
lieved that, according to the best calculation that could be
made, the sums realised in the former case were worth
from only two years and a half to three yeare purchase,
while the receipts of the landowner or ihe fund-
holder were worth not less than 28 or 30 years' purchase.
No language it would be in his power to use could
strengthen the conviction which every one must feel of the
glaring injustice of imposing on two such funds precisely
the same amount of taxation. (Hear, hear.) He next
came to the inquisitorial character of the income tax.
(Hear.) He remembered that a proposal for collecting agri-
cultural statistics had met with considerable opposition
from the farmers, who complained that if that proposal were
adopted their landlords would learn the amount of their
produce, and might thus be led to raise their rents. But be
did not see why tradesmen also should not object to a tax
which necessitated a disclosure of the profits of their busi-
ness. He believed that her Majesty's Government—to use
the language of the chairman—would not have the " im-
pudence" to insist on the continuance of the additional 9d.
in that case. He took it for granted that no Government
would disregard the language which the country had held
upon the subject. He had little or no doubt but that her
Majesty's Ministers would state, at the commencement of
egu
begun.
and( (Cheers.)
theh
the session, that they were determined on surrendering the
that odious tax was bwar 9d. But the work of the people would then only have
e country
.u)n
tTrh ehraedm env arli
gohftt
to
oe 9 d
expect.w o u d only
(Hear.)b fac-
ceptedas an instalment of the change which the associa-
tionthe matter without the
syitto be continued at all it should be en-
tirely revised.
happy to say that the hOrni
gentle
House of Commons to do anything in
would be impossible for an indepen-
dent member of the
gentlemen,
eonincluded a considerable pport of the country. He was
num-
ber of independent
men who disregarded the blandishmentsThere were among them
official power, and who did not at the of the. holders of
the regular opposition—the menwL same time belong to
called "the
guerilla band"—and who were not the Obsweere*
of any Ministry. When a member of thieule
Gus() followers
brought forward a measure he never addressed himself to
these immediately behind him, because he .was sure they

were "all right," or to those opposite him, because he
was sure they were " all wrong"—(hear, hear, and
laughter)—but he addressed himself to the independent
members, and those men, if they only knew their power
and exercised it properly, might sway the House of Com-
mons. (Hear.) With the present position he occupied as
the chairman of the association he should feel it his duty,
on the first day of the session—unless he should hear from
the Government what he could consider a satisfactory de-
claration in reference to the abolition of the war 9d., and
the removal of the injustice of imposing the same amount
of taxation on incomes derived from trade and profession
and incomes derived from real property—he should feel it
his duty to place on the books of the house a notice which
would meet the wishes of the country upon that subject,
and would elicit from the Government an expression of
the policy which they professed to pursue with respect to
it. (Cheers.) The people had the remedy for that evil in
their own hands, and if they only did their duty posterity
would bless them ; if they did not do it they would dis-

grace themselves, and they would deserve the opprobrium
of future times. (Cheers.) The hon. and gallant gentle-

man concluded by moving the resolution.

Mr. T. CHAMBERS, M.P., seconded the resolution with

pleasure. A great injustice was sought to be perpetuated,
and the people had determined to resist it. As the best

way of producing conviction in tho minds of Ministers was
not by long speeches, but by gentlemen assembling and pro-

testing against the injustice sought to be inflicted on the
country he, should confine his remarks within narrow

imits. The resolution proposed the abolition of the war

tax of 9d. In all the acts relating to the property and in.
come tax, with one exception, the language was uniform
as to the period of its cessation. They all declared that it
should only continue till the Gth of April next after the
exchange of the ratifications of peace. Accordingly, in
former times the war tax on property and income ceased

on the 6th April after the ratifications of peace—the period
expressed in the act. The usual rule, ho believed, was to
copy the precise words of preceding acts, and accordingly
in the act which doubled the inoome tax for the support of
the war the language of former acts was strictly followed,

viz., that the tax was to cease on the 6th of April next

after the exchange of the ratifications of peace. But when
the additional 2d. was proposed the phraseology of the act

was varied ; 'not, he was afraid, unintentionally— and it

was declared that the act should continue in force till the

6th of April next after the expiration of one year from the
exchange of the ratifications of peace. (Shame.) That being

so the Government had an act of Parliament in their fa-

your, and that was a great matter. (Laughter.) Of course

_ .
it was the bounden duty of the Government to set a good
example by obeying the law, and, unless the people in-

strutted them to the contrary, to continue to draw out of
the pockets of the people the income tax as it stood at
present. The act would justify the Government doing
that, and therefore they had met that night for the pur-
pose of helping the Government out of the difficulty. (Rs-

newed laughter.) Analogy was iu favoar of their demand

that the additional tax should cease next April, for in the

ncrease which had been made in the sugar, malt, and tes

duties for the purposes of the war, the language used was
precisely that which was used with reference to the old in-
come tax—viz., that they should cease on the 6th of April
next after peace was ratified. The late war was a bright page
in the history of England—(no)—so far as the spirit and
feeling of the people were concerned. (Cheers.) The people
had shown a readiness to support the war, and though but

ill seconded by the public departments and those in com-
mand, they had ,persevered until the contest was success-
fu:ly ended. The people were fairly entitled, therefore,
now that peace was established, to call upon the Chancellor
of the Exchequer to forego any legal claim which he might
have for the continuance of the additional war income and

property tax beyond the usual period. (Applause.)
Mr. Jos. SHAW, one of the Huddersfield deputation,
supported the resolution, and maintained that it would be
grossly unjust if the Chancellor of the Exchequer took
advantage of the clause in the act to continue the additiona 1

auc till 185& The people of Huddersfield did not ask for the

immediate abolition of the income tax; but they objected
to the continuance of it in its present shape and for its

present amount. Ho contended that there should be a revi-
sion of taxation, and that the practice of taxing bricks and
brains alike must be stopped. (Applause.) It was a
shameful thing fur a minister in the receipt of a salary of

5,040/. to say that he was unable to devise a better tax.
The resolution was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. APISLEY PELLATT moved the next resolution, as fol•

lows ;—" That the present system of levying the income tax
by taxing permanent and precarious incomes alike is mani-
festly unjust, and leads to a general and systematic evasion;
that the despotic and inquisitorial mode of assessment is
repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen, and has only
been submitted to from time to time under the impression
that the tax was for a temporary purpose ; and that this
meeting hereby pledges itself to use every legiti-
mate means to obtain a more equitable adjustment of
the tax and an improvement in the mode of assessment, or

a total repeal of it upon trades and professions." He said
that if the Premier did not announce in the Queen's Speech
at the opening of the session that the 9d. additional tax
would be given up,
he, as an independent member, would
move an amendment to knock off that hateful impost.

(Great applause.) In proposing the above resolution, he was
ready to do it without the concluding words "upon trades
and professions," if the meeting desired it. (Loud cries of
" No.") He would therefore propose it as it had been
drawn up by the committee and as it stood. (Applause.)
He had examined some of the former acts, and had found
that trades and professions were more justly dealt with than
they were under the present act. The farmers were for-
merly called upon to pay a fairer amount of taxation than
they were now called upon to do under the income-tax
acts. Farmers were not taxed on their incomes or on their
property, but on a permanent amount of profit, calculated
on their rental, a system which was most unfair to other
industrial interests. A return showed that the trading in.
terests paid of the property tax at 7d. in the pound no less
an amount than 1,800,0001., while the whole farnsing inte-
rest paid only 330,0001. Another return showed that there
were 3,500,000 persons engaged in trade in all England.
Half that number were employed in the farming interest,
yet it only paid a sixth of the property tax. That was an
iniustice that ought to bo remedied,as well as the inequality
of the present mode of assessing the farmer and the trader.
The public were justified in agitating the question until
the results desired were obtained.

Mr. T. A. ATTWOOD, of Birmingham, came forward
amidst cheers to second the resolution. He said that his
position upon that occraion was better than that occupied
by the Government, according to the statement of Major
Reed in the House of Commons, because he know that all
was right before him, behind him, aid around him. Above
him, too (looking at the ladies' gallery) he had the happiness
of seeing the representatives of that sex to whom as an Eng.
lishman he acknowledged the fullest allegiance. Ho had the
honour of being the chairman of the Anti-Income Tax As-
sociation of Birmingham—the first association of the kind
formed in England. That iniquitous tax had been intro-
duced with a promise that it should last only for three
years. It had since been continued under a variety of pro-
texts. It had even recently been largely increased for the
purpose of meeting a great national emergency ; and at
present it was proposed that the increase should be pro •
longed by the n loption of a base quibble. (Hoar.) Ho
need not occupy their time by attempting to show that an
income derived from a trade or a profession was less valu-
able than an income derived from real property, and that
it ought not to be subjected to the same amount of taxa-
tion. He would only repeat, in reference to that point,
the statement of a very able periodical, that that was a
property tax on income, and only an income tax on pro-
perty. The members of the House of Commons must have
been aware of the true character of the tax at the time
they had agreed to its adoption. Mr. Roebuck—a name
he always mention° I with respect—(hear, hear)--had
proposed that precarious incomes arising from trade should
be taxed at only one-third of their amount; adding that ho
did not make the proposal as one that was mathematically
correct, but as an approximation to rough justice ; but the
Government had shown that they preferred gross injustice
to rough justice. (Hear.) It remained, however, for the
country to prove that they had taken a different vi ew of
the question. He could assure the people of the metropo-
lis that in any step they might take for the overthrow of
the present tax they would receive the cordial co-operation
of the people of Birmingham. (Hear.) And he hoped they
should all soon witness the repeal of a mess re which it
had been a disgrace to the government to propose, which
it had been a disgrace to Parliament to sanction, and which
it would be a disgrace to the people to continue to endure.
(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN' observed that the meeting might de.
pend upon it that the men of Birmingham would do what
they said they meant to do. lie had much satisfaction in
stating that the ➢iayor of Oxford would speak in support
of the resolution.
The Mayor of OXFORD, who rose amidst cheers, said that
he did not intend to trespass long on their time. But he
wished to state that he had last week presided over a meet-
ing in Oxford, held for the same object which had brought
the present assembly together, and that the meeting had
been unanimous in their determination to get rid of the
war 9d. at all events. There were other points, however,
in which they had not been equally united in opinion.
They must all be aware that if they were to get rid alto-
gether of direct taxation they should add a proportionate
amount to the taxes raised indirectly. For his part, he had
always been an advocate of a well-considered measure of
direct taxation, because he believed that it was far less
costly in its collection than a system under which the pub-
lic money was levied by the imposition of duties on articles
of consumption. (Hear.)
Mr. G. BEATON here obtained leave to address the
meeting for a period, of five minutes, to which time he

engaged to limit his observations. Flo said be wished to
suggest to Major Reed the propriety of proposing, as a sub-
stitute for our present system of taxation, a tax of 2s. in
the pound on all incomes above 2001, a-year, derived from
real property. Ho thought that a tax should also be im-
posed on titles, to be called " the titles' poll tax." (Those
suggestions were received with much laughter and other
marks of disapprobation, in the midst of which Mr. Bea-
ton retired before his five minutes bad been quite com-
pleted.)
The CHAIRMAN was then about to put the resolution,
when a person who gave the name of Stephenson, in the
body of the hall, bearing the tvdpearance of a mechanic,
expressed a wish to address the meeting. After some slight
confusion it was arranged that he should advance to the
platform ; and after he had s.rrive I there, and communi-
cated for a moment with the chairman, the latter stated
that Mr. Stephenson wishes t to propose the following addi-
tion to the resolution—" 'By relieving all persons whose
income does not amount to 150:." The chairman further
said that he would at o',ice put that amendment to the
meeting, and this statement gave rise to some opposition,
as some gentlemen, whose opinion, however, was over-
ruled, declared that any- one who had a proposal to make
ought to be allowed to speak in its support.
The amendment was: put and met with only a very few
supporters, and the resolution was afterwards unanimously
carried.
Col. D. MWOUGALI: then came forward to propose the
third resolution, which was as follows—" That this meet-
ing recognise with groat satisfaction the strong expression
of feeling manifested throughout the country in favour of
the objects of this association, and desire to tender their
special acknowledgmo'ots to those gentlemen who compose
the deputations present on this occasion." Ho would
strongly recommend the constituencies to send no person
to Parliament who was not pledged to support an equitable
adjustment of the income tax and a remission of the gene•
ral taxation of the country.

Mr. J. NienoLLY, of Marylebone, seconded the resolu-
tion. The people of Marylebone had resolved, he said, if
the income tax were not to be altogether repealed, on ob-
taining the immediate discontinuance of the war 9d., and
an equitable adjustment of the charge as regarded the lia-
bilities of the members of trades and professions, on the one
hand, and of landholders and fundholders on the other.
One of their representatives was a member of the Govern-
ment ; but he pledged himself that, if that member were to
continue to support the tax in its. present form, he (Mr.
Nicholay) would oppose him to the utmost of his power at
any future election, The game was in the people's hands,
and they must succeed in their object if they would return
to Parliament no man who was not prepared to aid them in
its attainment. (Hoar, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN was about to put the resolution to the
meeting, when
Mr. ROGERS (who announced himself as of the Chancery
bar) said that before the resolution was put, he wished to
know whether no ono was to be allowed to address the
meeting except those individuals who had been selected by
the committee to do so ?

The CHAIRMAN said that if any gentleman wishing to
speak presented himself for that purpose, ho should put
it to the meeting whether they desired to hear him. (Ap-
plause.)
Several candidates for oratorical display presented them•
selves, but the Chairman interpreted the conflicting wishes
of the meeting as opposed to their being heard.
The resolution was then put and carried nearly unani•
mously.

Mr. PATIIIDGE (of Birmingham) next presented himself
and succeeded in getting a hearing, but not without inter-
ruptions at the outset of his remarks. He claimed for
Birmingham the honourof establishing the first anti-income
tax association in England. He denounced the income tax
as unjustand inquisitorial, and contended that if the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer could not find a better tax he
should resign and give place to an abler man. (Applause.)
If the House of Commons had exposed the public to some-
thing like actual robbery they ought to acknowledge their
error, and not insist on the fulfilment of a manifestly un-
just contract. The income tax, laws he maintained, wore
based on false principles, and were productive of several
grievances. It was unfair to tax industrial incomes to the
same extent as incomes from fixed property. It was also
unfair to tax the gross income from house property instead
of the nett income. Annuities terminable at short periods
were another instance of the false principles of the tax, fot
they paid on principal and income. There were also
grievances respecting property exempted from the tax, such
as reversionary property, woods and forests, household pro-
perty, and property producing less than 1001. a year. Me
maintained that the sound principle was that all property
should contribute in proportion to its value towards the
expenses of the state. (,Applause). Great dissatisfaction
was felt in Birmingham at the mode in which the lewd
commissioners were appointed. The commissioners for
general purposes had to hear appeals, and then there were
additional commissioners, selected by the other body, but
whose names were utterly unknown to the inhabitants of
the town generally. An impenetrable socresy had been
preserved upon that latter point. The consequence was
that the people might be entertaining at their own table
men who would be able to use against them in aecresy
knowledge obtained in the confidence of friendly and un-
suspecting intercourse. He said that such a system was a
disgrace to England.• (Hear, hear.) He had no hesitation
in stating that if the opponents of the tax in Birmingham
had made the question iu any case a personal one it would
have been impossible for the commissioners to have
continued in the town, braving the universal hostility
which the exercise of their functions had created. They
had resolved on no longer assuming a suppliant atti-
tude towards the Government upon the subject. They
would send them no more deputations. A. deputation
from the town had already had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and at that deputation they
had told him that they looked at the tax, in its present
form, as a wholesale public swindle. But they had got no
redress from the right hon. gentleman. They did not ob
ject to a system of taxation under which they would have
to pay the full amount of their fair share of the national
taxation, but they did not believe that the present income
tax was justly levied. They had already held a meeting at
which they had adopted a memorial begging her Majesty
not to continue in power any ministry that would insiston
maintaining the present income tax, and they had asked the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to present that memorial—
(laughter)—but they bad since learned that it had been
confided to the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment. He felt persuaded that if the Government and the
House of Commons were to continue to run counter to the
wishes of the country upon that question they would drive
the people to insist on the formation of a middle-class ad-
ministration ; and with the establishment of such an ad-
ministration the domination of the oligarchical faction in
England must cease for ever. He was quite sure that i"
London would pull ahead in that cause, and if Birmingham
would push from behind, they must succeed in attaining
their object. (Cheers.)

Mr. Gown G, of Ipswich, was the next speaker. Ho
said that a meeting had been held in the town which ho
represented upon that occasion, at which the most vigorous
determination had been manifested to promote the objects
of the association, and similar meetings had since taken
place in all the towns of the county.
Mr. VICKERS, of Southwark, expressed the earnest de-
termination of the inhabitants of that borough to aid in
the movement.

Major REED said he had ben in communication with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer in order to ascertain his
wishes with respect to the reception of a deputation from
that association, and the right hon. gentleman had been
pleased to fix Friday next at one o'clock for the purpose.
He (Major Reed) hoped the right hon. gentlema❑ would
make such a declaration at the interview as would be satis-
factory to the country. (Hear, hear.) Tho hon. and gal-
lant gentleman then concluded by proposing a vote of
thanks to the chairman.
This motion was seconded by Mr. ATTWOOD, and was
unanimously carried and duly acknowledged by the worthy
Alderman, who said he wished it to be understood that
that was not a public meeting, but merely a meeting of
the members of the association.
The proceedings terminated at ten o'clock.

THE CHARTIST FROST.—Last night Mr. John Frost
gave a lecture to a numerous body of the working
classes, at the As- etubly-rooms, Nottingham, on " Trans•
portation." Mr. E. Hart, a town-councillor, was chosen
chairman, and introduced Mr. Frost to the meeting. The
lecturer was received with protracted cheering. He
commenced by an attack upon the aristocracy, and said
he knew that any man who attempted to shake their
power, or to make them disgorge their plunder, must do
so with his life in his hand. Mr. Frost proceeded to say
that he bad converted one of the most eminent judges in
Van Diemen's Land to the principles of the charter, and
then described the treatment of convicts in that colony.
From 1783 to 1852 more than 10,000,000/. of the public,
money had been expended to degrade and brutify their
fellow subjects. In conclusion the lecturer adduced
various statements to prove the prevalence of crime in
the penal settlements. He said it was a very common
thing for murders to be committed there, and apparently
without any cause. But the victims were destroyed
because they would not submit to the propensities of
their fellow convicts. The lecturer expressed his inten-
tion of compelling the Government to bring him before
a committee of the House of Commons. If they refused
he would appeal to the people of England. It was evi-
dent, he said, that there must be a change in our present
system, and he believed he could point out a sure remedy
for the horrible state of things which at present existed.
Mr. Frost resumed his seat amid tremendous plaudits.
A vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer, and chore
were given for "Ernest Jones.