The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-25 00:00:00

anning guit
LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1850.

Another attempt was last night made in the House
of Commons to obtain some reduction of the existing
taxation. Such motions must be of constant occur-
rence, so long as the present fiscal system is main-
tained in all its stringency. The proceedings in
almost every instance are precisely similar. Some
Honourable Gentleman exposes the.injustice and im-
policy of some particular impost, and asks leave to
bring in a Bill for its abolition or reduction. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply, states that it
is his painful duty to oppose the motion. The
Right Honourable Gentleman declares that he will
not then enter into the question of the propriety or
impropriety of the burden, of the grounds on which
it was originally imposed, or of the legislative pledges
that have from time to time been given for its modifi-
cation—that it produces so many-thousands of pounds
to the revenue, a sum which he, is certainly not pre-
pared to give up, &c. &c. &c.. A division then takes
place, in which occasionally the Minister of Finance
is signally and disgracefully defeated. But more fre_
quently the whipper-in has discharged his duty—the
independent Members,who are looking for favours from
the Goyernment, are easily induced to come forward;
they are joined by others who desire reductions of a
different description, and the proposition is negatived.
Such is the ordinary routine, and last night -consti-
tuted no exception to the general rule.
The object of Mr. BIACICATONR'S motion was the
repeal of so much of the 3rd and 4th Vic., chap. 17,,
as imposei an additional duty on assessed and window
taxes. These additional charges were sanctioned as a
mere temporary makeshift at a time when the national
income was very far below the national expenditure,
and when—the country being blessed with a Whig
Cbancellor of the Exchequer—no bold or- decided
course could be anticipated. Sir FRANCIS THORNHILL
BARING was as averse even as Sir CiLtanss WOOD
himself to travel out of the beaten path. No alter-
native remained but to sanction his proposition of
granting an additional ten per cent. on the assessed
taxes, and five per cent. on Customs and Excise
duties, or to submit to an annually increasing defi-
ciency, which would naturally be accompanied by a
diminution of public confidence and a loss of national
credit. The lesser evil was, therefore, submitted
.to, al-
though with a bad grace, and on the distinct under,
standing that matters should be replaced in their original
position on the first favourable opportunity. But, alas !
fur those who consent to the imposition of any burden
for any temporary purpose. There is a peculiar te-
nacity about Financial Ministers that induces them
to cling to any charge, however obnoxious, so long as
it can be levied. Accordingly, we find that the
additional duties of ten and five per cent. are still
maintained, and that no intimation of their
intended abolition has been given, although
the necessity for which they were required has long
passed away, and they are almost universally admitted
to have proved decided failures, the entire measure
bring based on a gross financial blunder.

W hi!e the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for
Tatnwerth remained in power this indifference was
not very surpri-ing. Sir ROBERT PEEL, from the
moment of his accession to office, was engaged in a
series of important fiscal reforms, which eventually led
to the recognition of free-trade principles, and
the abolitimi of the odious corn-laws. His
time and attention were thus fully occupied.
Perhaps, also, he had no very great objection to con
nive at the continuance of so palpable an example of
the financial incapacity of his predecessors. Nothing
therefore was done in the way of advance under his
Government. But when the Whigs again obtained
office it might reasonably have been supposed that the
matter would receive immediate attention. Sir F
BARING is still a Cabinet Minister, holding an important
office in the Government, one who should have some
influence over his colleagues, and they in turn
should hare some regard for - the public cha-
racter of their coadjutor. When, therefore, a
surplus was at length obtained a circum-
stance of rather rare occurrence to the
Whigs—it seemed almost a matter of course 'that the
ten per cent. addition to the assessed taxes would be
relinquished, even if no immediate change were made
in the Customs or Excise. But Sir CHARLES WOOD
defeated all previous anticipations. He would not, as '
he might have done, give up the taxes on light and
air, or concede any other great and much-required
boon, which would induce the people to remain satis-
fi.oite_Bdrtfhocekr
Bricks,"
some time longer "Bricks," and nothing but
7
'vaiwlaobuleld
fundhe rwenadsertofrbeee ;
apapnldiedthetmoiety
e
red
devote
tin
of the
he National Debt ?! ? He would
"?00,000
1. annum to the 'liquidation of
800,000,000/ ,or about one-fifth of a
the
pound per annum as a sinking fund. pNnney ivern
was
there a more lame and impotent conclusion. But
Sir CHARLES WOOD so decided,andentoerhimningatcioounl.d
in-
duce him to rescind or qualify
his determination
He
is resolved to show that if bef possesses no s
obsti-
nateh
er
t
qualification for his situation, he is at last a
as any of his predecessors.

Under these circumstances, then, Mr. 8118.0B118.0 XSTON B
brought forward his motion. He did not aqk for
sent alteration in the Customs or Excise. His propositionan
r placed
was restricted to the ten per cent. on the assessed taxes
and window duties, which he desired to have pyl
a p
on the same footing on which they stood before 1840.
lie showed that the result of the increase of duties
was, that the income derived from these sources is
gradually but certainly diminishing ; that the tax
on male servants prevents employment to many, who
are in consequence driven to the union workhouse,
and that there is a serious falling off in the use of all
the articles on which the taxes are imposed, notwith-
standing the additional population of the country and the
buildings in. course of erection every day. The
window-tax, which, in 1841, had produced 1,664,0i3/.,
1 in 1617 only realised 1,626 i 060/., a decrease of