The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-11 00:00:00

tosuste detail as to the quantity of cotton consumed-,........„. in-st
lee , and the benefit e hich the poor man would derive
Gentte .I.r
e reduction of the duty, but did not the Hon.
°there?: an see that if he pursued that course with any
tired r'c he would find that the amount of benefit de-
tern trete
, its reduction by each individual of the
eirt°llt4tY would be but small. Let him pursue his
lea eealeulations with regard to the 2s. a p
eound which
be Posed to take off toleteco, and calculate what wuld
the 'le saving which would accrue to the poor man upon
eThep
t, with tobacco which he was compelled to consume.
rte regard to the higher orders, the Hon Gen-
deefiell emnplitined that they would derive from these re-
%el no Sufficient compensation for the income-tax
Gem tuey were compelled to pay. But did the Hon.
ineefielaan think that the reduction of the duty on to-
Lek I:onia give them that compensation ? It was evi-
the hetet they could not by any reductions make up to
forced orders for the contribution which they were
there eta Pay to the itcome-tax.—(Hear, hear.) But
Seeoeewas one thing certain, that the income-tax did
for ti,7l;.!te directly upon the lower classes ; and it was
Ne "
t 1 °n• Gentleman to explain whether the lower
trap:: did not derive benefit from a tax which was so
ibetd as to rake 5,000,000 annually from the property
le,it, better class of society.—(Hear, hear.) Now, if
tile eight lien. Friend had come down to Parliament,
tia4rePnsed the reduction of those two duties which
Itil• Gentleman seemed so highly to favour-
-4441 mentioned
had mentioned five or six taxe..l-1e
15(14"tioned tea, coffee, sugar, tobacco, 'and spirits ;
1/44 at he had meant to say was, that if they had re-
kers airlY of these, they would have taken a better
Tie than that which they had taken.
StteTILANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had un-
-4 r - tu° Hon. Gentleman to insist particularly on
4 tileduction of the duty on tobacco and spirits. Now,
tee :,11.01e that if his Right Hon. Friend had proposed
&ilafment to devote the surplus of 3,000,0001. to the
4,n1„,e°11 of the duty on tobacco and spirits, the Hon.
Nee, f:an would himself have been the first to have
'ere kr touter against such a proposition. He would
tiq 'd them that these were not the articles in which
4re entletimi of duty ought to have been made. He would
5 tileZplailltd that they were pandering to the vices
,over
ible, instead of ministering to their comforts,
nee.: on. Gentleman would, in such a case, have
e4el-7son for his complaints than lie had at present.
Ititleetllitted that in selecting the different articles on
44 to eduction of duty was to be made they were
bald :: tee from which the greatest amount of benefit
Sen,eobtained, lie would not deny the correctness
ner' liciple laid down by the lion. Gentleman that
Palciy;re bound to consid, r what reduction it was that
7st tenduce the greatest amount of benefit to the poor.
~ itinere were other modes of benefiting the poor quite
"kii,‘„'tt'al as withdrawing from them the burden of
ttelew",• The Hon. Gentleman had spoken disparagingly
;b
ettttikterations in. the tariff, hut if the effect of those
to te°,l', s lieeld be to extend the field of employment
"kii.3.'„' forth new exertions—to induce the employ-
istlt,",resh e itacli— n'ensd—toegive increased employment
letitieuldustrioauP h thought they were con-
el4iiege °ll the lowersacsl'asses relief and assistance, inferior
Zolitt,;4lg„ cane to that which they would derive from the
fat, 4.-‘.°F direct taxation on articles of consumption..
Eh; " bald said before, the imposition of an income-
'lto ;Lin.° ttnte—did absolutely, in fact—prove a re-
Ittli `" lower classes of the community. With respect
ke lirlluetion of the duty on glass, he would remind
!ltd n• Gentleman that, since the announcement of the
N.." °I the duty had been made, several persons had
t 4 taken
Letts. _ a steps for the purpose of investing capital in
:tlltiettrt.. npfacture. 71 on a former occasion, he
i7teees"`; of the repeal of theil cotton duty and its ad-
the 'or
had not confined himself to the advantages
illtb,P,°,oter classes by the diminution of the cost of
Lt -t;eles of dress. If that repeal of the cotton duty
L,'lthl-tiq the cotrteZmanufaCtures, it would largely add
t7l. tilt said
of employment of the working classes ;
4e be "t 1 that the I I not confer a more substan-
-4,44,4y cou i . .
itri.„bLY any other legislative measure. The Hon.
'eti ,-", had spoken of the advantages attending a
Ole ,°ll the duties on tea. Why a reduction on this
Vtioe.ne beneficial, most be to the extent ofb two
CLilieeeeA less reduction than that wouldbednoobbtentbeat
lleeffeutaorner. He thought. no one would
toiltho„,rflo of the sugar duties would be beneficial to
Li.,l' ,j,,,":11g classes ; and he believed it was gene-
e 114 -;`'ltted that it was not inconsistent to
e dii„,antages to the consumer, and at the
hilre,-7,e give protection to our own colonies.
tir4ielt.',.• Member had said that the removal of the taxes
thtlit fin had alluded would he of great benefit ; but
110,n,..ancellor of the Exchequer) begged to remind
1414ttiees4lenaber that the abrogation of those taxes did
%kid rrilY involve the others. The Hon. Member
cotof that those were new theories of his (the.Chan-
fttllttho Exchequer's), but he begged to remind the
il • 'tuber that, so long ago as the year 1830, he one
te/t'S ttejercPeal the duties on beer and leather, awl yet
tot ales, that those remissions would not compensate
•Zri,l., sustained to the revenue by the increase on
clall:,ees• However, the receipts of the succeedinz
leetsee;i"ed that he had not miscalculated, and that
'ksatb-`,°f those duties would not have been attended.
tos,..L•trontso.a anticipated.—(Hear, hear.) The H.
,),;,:71,„ 40site had said that his objection to the in-
it'N, -h.'att that it should be continued beyond the
`thelv6tll the exigencies of the State required. But
11411C,.►4ie1-uvineellor of the Exchequer) begged. to, sal);
vt be he had said before, that this tax wolia
10.4ittll proposed but fur the. purpose of meeting
Ve leeeetis of the State.—(Cries of Hear, hear.")
lelloete a time when the affairs of this country, and
cee, eent were such, that taxes could not be re-
tiAlkrld it was only when peace was restored, andb
10,-trfacturers were met in every
.market of t L
Lettel, itt it was felt necessary to relieve trade from
gttll3. With respect to the income-tax, he could
kihllvettilt the facility and cheerfulness with which
tit
th, Of tit:at▪ d, exceeded the most sanguine
.expec as-
dkee 4(1•"e who had imposed it. This readines.wa
t the the fact that there had been no petitions
ti a. income-tax If the Hon. and Learned Gen-
IV l'il'ed through" the records of evidence,
106,44 think he would find any proof of its un-
kl' -"ofes; but he would rather see ne.gative tes.-
c::, the concurrence of the people in this tax.
„ ,14inns people were unwilling to pay the tax-,
ikt ,.▪ so direct taxation was always more or less
tikti.44
kil, hut he thought it the least unpopular of any
tiiit,e,n, imposed. He would not agree in any IT-
ki, 544.ne amendment. If the tax must be re-rr.io-
t, filo,the minimum of income subject to taxation
NI fa"e? than at present, then there would
Vtat.„-;ng off in the revenue, and the
4141 a C' would not be able to make those redue-
-1)% ib °cation on articles of general consumption
14%140 i 4 had proposed. The only other course left
PteOf ....rn was to increase the burden on those pos-
i greater incomes, which the Government was
)%%tikltZeett to do. The Hon. Gentleman had no right
QIN." %at the income-tax would be continued be-
ItunitZ,Years but to reduce its amount durlngahat
,!Itilekt"""1 not' oe prudent or politic. They had en-
IttOti `!hired of
make the income-tax subservient to the
a°l,,';`",e poor man by reducing taxation upon some
oh, eoit'n'e'es which came into general consumptioe—
IN:: ,e- n, /ke• The House had affirmed the policy
lee, consumption—
:e 1- -:
e) a majority of 238, and he thought it
Ntfitte.li therefore, to go into any lengthened de-
Lsit.. tele,,,„Witli regard to the propriety and judgment
eN:titee-„`,.4-41 of the articles, the taxation upon which
ohe nil eeroposed to reduce, he would not now say
Nl', hf, If the lion, and Learned Gentleman objected
?JO 14_iglit do so* in a more fitting manner, when
,`Vet eti/surought seriatim under the notice of the
Ninte ,11°11 the whole, therefore, he considered that
isthilhatir-,t4kent could not' have made a better arrange-
L L
.e,,i "no present, and he should resist the amend-
-4art1k.1(5)4 the Hon. Member for Liskeard.
ititsta ;,,leli thought the Right lion. Gentleman
k%
he
asn'gularly unfortunate iu his attempts to an-
hi,..,vt i'lleeeh of his Hon. and Learned; Friend the
V*,lll4qciLiskeard, particularly. in those arguments
aN'ue,Posee°n• and Learned Friend had used against
st l'. '" tootle of dealing with the finances of the
° INZlii, - It
ikelf must have been obvious to every one that
Nlie Sveeet°l of the Exchequer had throughout his
t\ltii. -e° entering into details and calculations jus-
v e Pes he professed to entertain of the in-
li*:lke 44116
'. t 4,., al prosperity, and the limited duration of
,44,74 e e''ax• Ile spoke in general terms, and said
‘l4- tail "Ile tax was-taken off another source of re-
-41 iletall •
ash. Y increased, and the Right lion. Gentle-
lye 16..4tzed this position by an argument which he
tl. troth) thought peculiarly inconclusive. Ile
ArkkitStetne year 1830, when, by taking the !ax
klee eotte on malt greatly increased. The Fircum-
ikb% arid then were, he thought, entirely different.
kteefilla tlie-4 the tax on beer it was very natural to
htektletes", e°nstleeption of it would be increased, and,
aloe 11, `,,tY, the malt tax would increase in the same pro-
NIOT ,„Inain the country was then recovering from a
y
el44l4ea`-eee'seettet depression—there had been bad harvests,
o!tyl„„n distress, which led to those unfortunate.
kiti4'7tin itli'tt that had occurred a short time previously.
N. iirj.,l"l" Year were several good harvests in sue-
Itz, t the‘i trade and commerce had improved. At
Naha Y had had several good harvests, unbroken
• : fel, tl,_ revival in trade and manufactures, and a
. be 'le worse might, in the natural course of
Ad than anticipated. But how were they to meet
t_'‘Oti h-le ? lie knew not ; nor could he see much
110e2st(,)},- 211 the budget of the Right Hon. Baronet.
4N,l,l;ishisliwoe:er, decline giving
.his support to the mo-
eettitl. Mei ". and Learned Friend. He did not like
eellethe tab any better than that Hon. and Learned
17e ,aot afford
he thought the finances of the count.ry
'4441-t u,-“nrd its abolition or reduction. If the in-
iltptit,oeder,_° abolished, some new tax wou'd be pro-
*.!..• how" could not see, under present circum-
N 74114,, Mitteea tax less oppressive could be levied.
tiah. and- that the tax pressed most un-
" f that there were abundant in-
leNe° ham ,
..ti ‘-o h - -snip under its operation, but he could not
I,llke;lttogtc:rdeAartY system of modification or classifica-
-41 oe vzivitici‘! incomes and salaries. could be devised,
*,,0,3ht, , log from the operation of the tax some
11174lleklib tr."),be subjected to it, and others included
the - (te exempted. The income which a man
:544, erinlti disposable varied according to circiimi
0.1446.. 12,0 degree of knowledge sou the part o
114' e1:1.0,u by the Government—no degree of care
ht, ttk, auto tt:ern to overcome that difficulty. But
111)1 t Ile ° could
it !ti ectee, do this themselves. Each. mankn e-
,Neap,,aci attrd. If they founded their calculations
teglite.at th 'tore and not upon income, they wouldat
* kikitaai.,,.,("bject of this tax, they would arrive
ON L'lleor,„"nnal could fairly expend; but all attempts
-e, •,..e
Nit Cue, a and property would end in doing what
t °tilt! seoeiitl to be equally unjust and oppressive. But
01,4,,1neet, there'd system of taxation on expenditurell
i: tee'' d t,„ e object they had in view of having awe -
V;te ,h.d Ittrt,ll each man would judge for himself what
144rei,-,' steitl' to spend, and on that expenditure, be it
ev 1,,, Pro,,_
.tlie State would require him to contribute
N,"%l tr ion to the exigencies of the State. That was
(416tletttleel3,hrY ()I' taxation, and he concurred with the
'' De en-11 in sayie that this mode of taxation
'utled to cases of great emergency, such as