The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

me if I misconstrue the words—that we are to adjust the
estimated income and expenditure of the years and
1859-60 188-9
1859-60 in the manner which shall appear best
calculatedto
secure the country against the risk of a deficiency in those
years. I will assume that that is the meaning of hisreso-
lution.
Mr. DISRAELI—I beg to say that that is not its
meaning.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—Perhaps
the right hon. gentleman will explain what he does mean?
Mr. DISRA.ELI— I thought the wording of the reso-
lution was extremely clear. When I ask the house to
t isolve that it would be expedient, before sanctioning the
finsneisl arrangements for the ensuing year, to adjust the
estimated income and expenditure, I do not refer to the
estimated income and expenditure of the years 1858-9 and
1859-60, but allude particularly to the estimated income
and expenditure of the present year.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—Then
what the fight hon. gentleman proposes is, that we should
adjust the estimated income and expenditure of the pre-
sent year in such a manner as should appear best calcu-
lated to secure the country against the risk of a deficiency
in the two following years. I confess I had some difficulty
as to the construction of the terms of his resolution, but I
was rather desirous of saving his logic at the expense of
his grammar. The right hon. gentleman, on the other
band, appears to wish to sacrifice his logic and save his
grammar; for by what process of adjustment of the income
and expenditure of the current year we are to guard the
country against the risk of a deficiency in the two follow-
ing.years lamat a loss to imagine. The right hon. gen-
tleman is perfectly aware—he stated, indeed, in the course
of his speech—that by law the commissioners of the
national debt are bound to apply to the reduction of the
debt the surplus of each separate year; and therefore if
there were a surplus in the present year it could not be
handed over to supply the deficiency of subsequent years,
but must be exhausted within the current year. But,
assuming an adjustment of the estimated income and ex-
penditure of the ensuing year to be expedient, how is it
to be carried out? Ido not think that a discussion such
as that of to-night is likely to have a very adjusting .effect.
(A. laugh.) The house itself cannot undertake the ad-
justment of the income and expenditure, and if that duty
is to be performed in a workman-like and efficient manner
the right honourable gentleman meat move the appoint-
ment of a select committee. There must be an " ad-
justment committee." I presume the first step would
be to refer the army and navy estimates ; the civil
service estimates would follow, and so the process of ad-
justment would proceed through all the items of income
and expenditure. Judging from the progress which for-
mer committees have made with similar inquiries, I think
I might venture to predict with considerable confidence
that the report of the adjustment committee would not be
presented much before the end of the session. The last
committee upon the estimates sat two or three sessions;
but, giving the new committee credit for extraordinary
diligence, industry, and research, I think we could hardly
expect their report before the end of the session. Even
then, however, the process of adjustment would not be
completed, because the house itself would have to consider
and, if possible, agree to the report, and all this before
the financial arrangements for the ensuing year are sane-
ti med. Meanwhile, what would happen to the income
tax? By law the war income tax is continued for another
year. Unlega some Act of Parliament to the contrary be
Passed by the Legislature before the Ist of April next, the
collection of the tax must continue. Well, then, while
the right hon. gentleman's committee was adjusting taxa-
tion the taxpayer would be paying his war ninepence up
to the end of the present session, and thus the process
which is suggested for the relief of the taxpayer would be
forme a principal means of aggravating the burden of the
taxpayer. I trust then that, upon a consideration of ihis
resolution and of the effect it. would have as regards either
the adjustment of income and expenditure or the question
of the extinction of the income nix, the house will see,that
no practical benefit can result from its a loption, and that
it will agree to the motion which I had the honour of mak-
ing that the Speaker do leave the chair, and that we enter
at once upon a consideration of the resolutions relating to
the income tax and the tea and sugar duties, and that wo
- commence at once a revision of the taxation of the country
in reference to its altered position by a transition from war
to peace. ( geer, hear.)
The right hen. gentleman having resumed his seat, a
slight pause ensued, during which cries of " Divide !"
and "Question !" were heard.
l'he t'EAK ER having road the resolUtion,
Mr. GLADSTONE rose and said—Sir, I have been under
the belief that the question raised by the budget of her Ma-
jesty's Government would excite very great interest in this
house lam still impressed with that belief, but perhaps the
reluctance of hon. memhers to address the house may be in-
tended to convey to me that they have a right to hear my
sentiments upon this question. There is no man in this
house who is so deeply concerned in the question which is
now raised as myself. I have stood at that table and have
addressed the House of Commons, and I have received, on the
part of the Government to which I belonged, the assent of the
House of Commons to financial plans which are in every point
contradictory to those which arc now proposed. (Hear.) How
is it that hon. gentlemen still sitting on those (the Treasury)
benches find a facility for giving assent te contradiceery pro
positions it is not for me to say, but of this I feel convinced,
that if I may assume to exist in the House of Commons the
same feelings which existed four years ago—l do not mean as
to questions which were the subject of party contentions, but
as to the duty of balancing income an 1 expenditure--if we
respect the express pledges which were given to the country
on the subject of the income tax—if this house which I now
address be the same house which then accepted the proposi-
tions of the Government when we held out certain expecta-
tions to the people of England, when with those expectations
we imposed the income tax upon the people of Ireland, when
we obtained an opportunity for the settlemf.,•nt of many difft-
cult and thorny questions on account of the expectations so
held out—(hear)—if this be the same House of Commons still
governed by the same motives, still sensible of the same obli-
gations, then 'I feel a great confidence in the vote which this
house will give upon the present occasion. (Hear.) My right
-Lon. friend who has just sat down has, I am bound to say,
in the speech he has delivered, entirely, candidly, ingenuously
corresponded with the description I have given' of his
financial plan. Everything for which we haze been labour-
ing during the last fifteen years is, I do not say destroyed,
because the destruction of the results of 15 years labour is
not the work of a single day—but everything in regard to
finance for which wo have been labouring during the last 15
years is in principle condemned alike by the speech as by``
the plans of the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the
Exchequ.T. Why, sir, for'several years before 1841 it was the
misfortune Of this country that there arose a series of defi-
ciencies in the revenue. We recollect what it cost us to re-
pair those deficiencies. We thought that from that time the
principle had been established that it was the first duty of the
House of Commons to provide a revenue adequate to meet the
demands of the public service. (Hear, hear.) We will see,
by and by, what are the views of my right hon. friend upon
the subject of the balance of income and expenditure. We
thought wo had been simplifying and consolidating our finan-
cial laws. Upon three separate occasions--in 184, again in
1845, and in 1853—with the general assent of Parliament--
for it was no party question--great efforts have been made by
successive Governments to consolidate our financial laws, and
we removed from our customs tariff more hundreds of articles
than I dare venture to mention. By that means we set a
great portion of our trade entirely free, which I believe has
been the main cause of its subsequent vast expansion: (Hear,
hear.) But what says the Chancellor of the Exchequer ?
Does he approve that simplification ? No ; but he has done
this—he has dieinterre told Arthur Young—(a laugh)—he has
brought Arthur Young before us, and Arthur Young says that
to load an infinity of articles with taxes infinitely small is the
perfection of finance. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) That, how-
ever, is a total condemnation of thelabours of Parliament during
he last 15-years. (Hear, hear.) In 18543 this house gave its
solemn assent to this principle—that the income tax, while it
continued at all, should be continued for special purposes—
(hear, hear)—namely, for the purpose of introducing
great improvements into ourfinancial system—of re-
lieving the mass of thepeoplefrom heavy burdens.
Therefore; although the tax in
itself was grievous, inquisi-
torial, unequal, a tax which it was desirable to get rid of, yet
Parliament agreed to tolerate it for a further time, but only
for that one purpose--(hear)—which m'tti.gat.(„Ltthheitraceol-lectiou of the hardship of the tax by associating
re-
collection still more pungent of the blessingslinnfsot be wrought
out for the mass of the people through
(Hear, hear.) What has become of that prinrucinipl'ut4littlY•
hands of the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor oi ethine "e
chequer ? With what beneficial change does he pro o EL
associate the continuance of the income tax ? (HearP.esemy-
right hon. friend has not avoided the subject. His candour
and ingenuousness forbade him to avoid it. He scorned to
escape it—he discussed the subject of indirect. taxation—he
knew there were three matters respecting which much feeling
prevails in the country as to the expediency of the existing
law. The right hon. gentleman knew there was the tax on
paper, which it is urged is not only a heavy burden upon
literature, not only a burden upon the manufacturers but a
restraint upon the extension of rural labour, to which the
Manufacture is so well adapted. (Hear, hear.) He took tho
HeHupon insurances, which is a scandal to England. (Hear.)
e took also the tax on wine, which he knows to be the
anteee.a hte:t impediment to our enlarged intercourse with France ;
ivecta7 wHdiedwtdhe right hon, gentleman deal with those sub-
he propose to associate the continuance of
the income taz°es.
He said that theltdth the recollection of a benefit conferred I
duty on paper was not a bad duty, that the
tax upon insuran
wine he would discuss
a good one, arid as to the duties on
and a laugh.) uks.stit,hem another day. (" Hear, hear,"
co, whether I use the language of
exaggeration, or the lan
eight honourable friend7lZe of truth, when I state that my
completely in his speech thrown
overboard, condemned, re
struggles,
one year can go—priacipaleePdaucolifatefiL'l-laese far as the act of
duccd amid difficulties which were intro-
which were first
extensively applied when thezarty opposite was in power,
and applied with the the
of that party,
as well as of the party on this pare
Opposite
vih:ctof the house. With
haven. friend—I will pot
respect to all those things my
iisthhand, lout he
say destroys all the benefits which
he has only bad one opportunity to ttevted, for as yet
has done pretty well, and I am certain that
of the Exchequer who may succeed hire should the Chancellors
ample, or if he himself continues tit labcoar his his oz.
sedulously in future years as he pi, emit to id inD iisvocation as
those labours should obtain the sal lotion of the House o'fandif
Com-
mons, at the end of the next 15 3 rewes you will find but few
relics of the great efforts and groat -acehievements of the last 17
Years- (Hear.) To pass from the speech te the Budget, I
am sorry to find that, owing to wb ,nit circumstances I cannot
tell, it has been made the means c rf proeragating throughout
the
country a series of impressions as to -matters of facterhich
are totally unfounded. amsure it was not the inten-
tion of the right hon, gentleman
but I am quite:as certantt t
have been produced,
;epraluce any such effect,
effee
oftproducion of thennacilis oy ring to the inadvertent use he has mad fi •
vases in his atement. The its.pres-
sion in the country
,at
chequer had taken off 11,970 0001
tn.o. fChancellor of t.ete Ex-
sum 9,120,000/. was on taxes, and o..at of this
a surplus of 980,000/. But the income tax, leaving
laht tight
held out no hope that the ineonhon. gentleman had
: exact impression
be taken off in
;
1850. He believed that this war
the right hon. gentleman's es la I nation ofactt impression which
pagated. The country believed that the ho budget had pro-
Exchequer was about to repeal 11,900,000/, ancellor of the
that ho would still leave a Burp] as of 980,000/. of
tales' and
dation were cut away from thi s right hon. rf this foan-
whole merits of his plans wer6 ant away wittellleman, the
large remission of 11,970000 did not d .G. But this
Chancellor of the Exchequer • spend upon- the
hat or Jim the House of C e
hat NA consisted of taxes wl .1 oounom%
we're grantee um
pup.