The Sun.
London, England, 1817-02-22 00:00:00

HOUSE AND WINDOW DUTIES ON SHOPS, &c.

Sir JAME* Sttaw wished to call the attention of
his Majesty's Ministers to a petition which he held
in his hand from certain Merchants, Traders, and
Shopkeepers, in the City of London. The peti-
tioners complained. of having been recently. called
upon to pay the Inhabited House and Window
Ditties on Tenements 'which had not 4een so
as"se9se(i„befn e.._"ln th,Kiast Session of Parliament,
they had applied for relief, but had. not pressed the
application, in donsequence of thefr having under-
stood a promise to liave been given by the Chau-
cellOr of the Exchequer, that their case should
be attended to. At the close of the Session,
however, these • unlawful. taxes (for unlawful
he would call Ahem)) had, been rigorously' le-
vied. The 'Barons of the Exchequer...in .Scot-
land had declared unanimously that in that coun-
try it was illegal to levy the taxes in question on
tenements used only as shops, counting-houses,
&c. [lc doubted not Ministers would afford the
country some relief, and
.had Only further to re-
mark, that the time chosen by the' Tax Officers
for imp*osing these "new burdens, was one at
which; front the markets of the Continent being
glutted, the warehouses of the Petitioners were
full Of goods, and they were compelled from the
stagnation of trade to pay the taxes and to main.
tain their families, not out of their profits, but by
diminishing their capiial.
The. Petition was then read. It set forth—

,
,4 That the Petitioners have lately been charged with the
inhabited house duty, and the duty on windows, for tette-
mews solely used or occupied by them either as shops, count-
ing-hmotes, warehouses, or manufactures, and which can in
no respect whatever be considered as dm:Wok-houses. That
the tenements so assessed to the said duties, have been in
the occupation of the Petitioners fur varioui periods of time,
namely, from five bio -seventeen years, without havint_ been
before charged with the aforesaid duties, or any of theiniand
without havitog been. used as dwelling-houses during those
periods, and that many of them would never have been Wien
into the occupation of the Petitioners, had it not been sup-
posed that they were eleaily exetiipt from the duties charge-
able acs itthaWted howkes. rbilt on appeal to the Commis-
sioners fur Assessed Taxes, the Petitioners have nut been
able to obtain either redress or any satiifactory information
ail to the ground on which they have been so charged.
That the Petitioners have observed not only that the said
duties have been very pattially levied in England, hut
that the !tight Honourable Abu Bltroos of the Exthequer
in Scotland have htionimously,decided, that no thop, count-
ing-house, warehouse, or manufactory! similar to those of the
petitioners, is chargeable-with the said duties in that part of
his Majesty's dominions. ,That a petition similar to the pre-
sent would have been presented to ,this Honourable House
during the lust Session of Parliament, 11,1t1 not an oliServation
of, the [tight Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer
led the petitioners to expect redress before its close. That as
soon, however, its the. Session was ended, the Commissioners
proceeded to enforce the assessment, and, in many instances,
levied the rates by distress.. That the paitioneri nu nut yield
to any of his Majesty's subjects in readiness to bear whatever
inueuut of taxation the, necessities of the State may. ley upon
them, ;equally with their
.fellow subjects; but they do trust
and hope, that they may not henceforth be compelled to pay
or submit to duties and:imposts which seem to he charged and
inflicted upon them with evident partiality, and, apparently,
without justice. The petitioners therefore pray the Muse
to adopt such meitsures for theierelief as to the Honourable
House may seem lit."'

The CHANCELLOR Of 'the EXCHEQUER WB9 1111.
derstood to say rhe case was already under consi-
deration, and that care would be taken to guard
against a recurrence of the evil, and to do justice
to all parties. •
• The petition- was then ordered to lie on the
taGle;" •

Mr. SHAW (of Dublin) presented several peti-

riffs, , and Common Council at
the extension
ontiietaobfleth.e right of sutra,
to lie
LICENSING OF PUBLIC-HOUSE'
Sir S.. ROMILLY presented a S
Petit',
Inhabitants of Whitehorse-lane, hi
plaining of the conduct of the-Alagie
'district, in refusing to license a part,
that lane, which contained above 26
had no public-house in it: He would
it should he lie on the table, in or&
time to the Magistrates to defend
themselves, but he should ligreatt" nl°
referred to a Comniittee,-frrease his
should not move the revival of th
which had sat last 'Session, and in ".
should pi efer his petition being hex
It was desirable for the Magistrates.
ties, that the fullest investigation sir
into this transciction, because it was
evils already so loudly complained of
sent system of police. lie could
of at least: by 4ittiete°e,lo
House, that in• one street there was a
for every twelve houses, in an
sl
every eight bones, a; d in. a third s(
every 73 inliabitants.—(Hear, bear,•
testimony of. Mr. Gifford befote.tll4
personally existed, imirp
last Session, spewed me in the 111'
manner to what a criminal extent
liouse_were.told that the Magistrtitr
Ire:
rested in these houses, which the
Magistrate, was proprietor of 12, soil 1:3,1 a
tereSt in 10 besides, thus making a t°"' 116
(Hear, hear !)—They also had licensca baett,
last year, the occupier of which "100
times convicted of offences since lie eanllo, 0
house. Mr. Gifford declared he Coal 'Ol
would not attend the meetings fur ;0'90;0
tenses, as lie saw it was llSeleSS, 1)(111 01
tieing paid to the complaints he list
"buses.. Many ,of these .honses werete cosi
he should rather say
ed,. although they were known t° he " pol
moo retreat of thieves and prostitute. If ii
houses and gift-shops in the neigithl'uor,',,oll
Charing-cross, were license,' by tic ocintill
interested,
be wondered
Green Cloth, even though these houses Wer,ooo Id
notorious. -He trusted some measures:lo,d
the major Prt'l'otli
such aeuto.fits,
taken by Government' to remedy
never was there a time when such luctlistibeil
more loudly called for. The Report oil
re oft 1
last Session presented a melancholy Pictustirelp°
increase of juvenile offenders. Oa ti',111„0 so?
well as the rewards given to officers,l°°.•ittred°
thing be done ; when the House collo
inertto
very painful disclosure which bail last Onto pastll
made of the baneful effects such re
`c of 0
tile officers being induced, tbroufli'l°ve,...(ol
rewards ,to sacrifice their fellow creatares.lierelil
some length into the infpolicy of
hear !)—The-Learned Gentleman then e_',,ifluj,
a(1,..1:,tri1l to any distant period, °°`,l„Tsl)llt,..,
1..; ‘:4oving that the petition do lie onto'. • f
Agreed to, ' - •
newt
Sir. S. ROMILLY next presented a I'C',;l thc (ii
the inhabitants of New Haggerstone' 'iiino.
rish of St. Leonard, ' Shorediteb, cowl'
gs,.l'''
• iorf
ou
:pi
ett:l‘ivictll-1
which
cluolel::rvelays
3.
Partiality on the part of Sir D. "111°Lic1(1°,if
puttill'i;c:pciii
Merceron, and other Magietrates, io 0°,4,11.
.liad-been refused to a house, hdilt-f°1.11!• l':ei;
e_ootirhood, aotl.complained of vaeloos rthe Ivo'
le terms
r
petitioners,.„ and prayed relief. i cent •
With the
Bahasa BATHURST certaireyndeo,
I taC Honourable and Learned iv ite ,i
the necessity of this subject being deePilot 0)
gated, and alio in that investigation 51";(100,1
put% off. • His Noble Relation (Viicolint aooe i-
iiv.a.i extremely anxious it should be its 06/
tiiniireucillelaYnwastossiteeitil,intilliett.:,-tilil:o::,,,ti.::
? Idiotic delay, especially considtring.id of (if,f
importance to the public in everY P°14041)11
He certainly thought such a serious 'ev'.o Olt
touchtiali
many
yd
ofto tebeeistLanguidstli:weso!::::::l4l, ,'
to license vesatigation all she support he Possibly Co
tilc ti
d Mr: BANNIITT commented SCYCITIY 1'00)
wretches of every description were leryki"tit
public-houses in
and in which youth .were initiated ia evbe poriE
which tidloboati.
depravity. He Instanced the case of le iterii,,
York public-house (particularised in tit
coot 'leaf
thel'olice Committee) ,in which the tePrectdeld
tf the Churchwardens, and other rrsPoreits&9,
)habitants, had been unavailing CO V,4);' nt ilit
r ession. No later ago than Yestetli,lett ir od.
the houses were iti the situation " 4 iti!s'(
i a system described; and of time
ed, sit
01°'
corruption was evidently encourag,,, the •
nised, for the purpose-of playing Or' fie:
of those who profited h playing
spport* „IP
y.„,1 ,hop,
say, that in his opinionsthe Lord 1.-1` iag
oc ~
not done pia duty in allowi n g tiiill abut
' of
ill
gistrate, Mr. AI na."
ill
133- 'l'
ercetoo, to rel
• •It be f i
mission, after the evidence wine . to 0
.:
against himself before the •LOU)'lit ,
.:
House. . to 01° M
Th A
. e ..TTOfils.ll3Y-GENBRAI. put it - betiterdy,
able and Learned Friend opposite, 1 ili I..
'ft ' i 0
in, • •
e, an inquiry before a cominittee ' ding rf.
not yet finished, it would be hee"tgegist /
Lord Chancellor to act towards Illigd or% i,
in question as it the case were dech ebio.(th e
Lord Chancellor had referred t° 0014
collo al
torneysGeneral and his Excellent oecte tel.,
state of-t 1 '
of-the circumstances as tbeY irebsyi the roif,
persons. The individuals aiiiicve" tiitrei' !al.
of licences nn the part of ilic AP gis;be bOttri.,
file informations against them ;,hut hater'-eives°r.-.
cers of die Crown could not of spelll6,reit
Id be t° 3.
01(Ire#
cases in motion. It woo • tbe qtr It
ceedings of that house, and tit° b,a for' said
niallY, as the period was to be 100" w 0111),6
when this House having, in just ice 04bt,,,,ttkil
thoroughly investigated those cage be tlic"co.
the Law Officers of die- Crorent .61,ates°,
~
file an information against the /kiegi ,f tri
tioo `,(O
of delinquency.- any WO' coy
Sir S. H
-....0M1LLY disclaim ed a-I nicht ;a
Poring blame to the Law OffiCeri ‘'
lirP Ore
, OOP° itlf
Mr. 11 -
... ROUGH ANS Asked et
licteer Jill Ai
'warned Gentleman opposite, v."st se ittesis'
printiple that no charge made pen coot , too
in the. commission of the Vea.Ce' issiato
his being struck out of tits; 4.:°°°)

U

lu

UOlis(10
age. .".Vr WIJ
ilop
TsEs• al
Lion from ah
SterneY, go
stratesio
iiisls:ceOlioiritillaiviiifteen,:):r(i'lliel'lss,'°l::}illlll4'"'lsl:l!,,illitlil
tt;
lc Cot Mt
NhiCII Caie ,r lb,
i bCIO
1 1
and ii tie . n
Ilk
and 61 li ii 4,
iota be Di 414
100 -
s a P" ot t'q
1 iii the lot
sole I°,oo li
1 pisblic:,:ett
street, "",-0'
street, 004.4 t,
hear !)-;
Cos°l4 eti
ie o
ost au",p to Al
1 alit,ei:ligeniiil /!
t'4i were t
.0,.. tin
tries, : ill
d di

41i1 besctirdly convicted of tbe olYcnce of which
rasarciard
he ArroaNsv•GsNe
able to' ttAL replied, that no ong
anitver that 'question so well as the
°arable and Learned (kniletean by whom ,it
been pot, Ilia hi this, individual case,
he
asioeil that it was
Ictilar impossible for the Lord
(whose cominct was in all eh cum-
ts) entitled to the highest respect and vett e-
a) to act otherwise than he bad done.
r. lissuouan obsery
hi ed, that wit it induced
thin that Mr, Mercerot) ought to have
Ismak oat of the commission was drat his
onilaet as a Magis
,lisped b trate had been sufficiently
iit y his own evidence, without the
I;,'tli) Yof aoy further investigation. Ile could
regretting that his Honourable Ft lend
iiii,l been the Chairman of the Committee
te whom ilfr. Alert:err-in was examined, had
to
his wellsknowit humanity so much to get
river of bite as tO induce hint not to report
Idolise the conduct of Mt'. 'Mercer" as 3
I.tI,S.WIIICII %Vat just as bail as his conduct as a
iltme• IVith regard to what the Honourable
yearned tirmlentaii had said of the Leind
'lira
character and conduct, he most coni-
i.!l,tenetured with him. No iron had ever
._'4,t Great Seal with inure polity. Butt at the
'lliae lie certainly must regret that the Noble
404(1 Lard did not consider Mr. Mer-
)ll.4
prikettlings, as stated by himself, such as
14(%::failL4 pit liting stittek out of the commis-
.l Peace, or at least Siteli as to warrant
"tettua'Slitin ,called upon for some cx-
trriot
.., t
...g.
4,4
0,•
411i„esuittr conceived this to be a tallject
~ .
It
o,,.b!Lit •
importance to the commullit y.
17 Mein tai his Majesty's Ministers to pro:.
Altittu,ults.sores for correcting the Police of
141,)111641.iii and for suppres.i tra those (lens..oel
4,411141.
,ii!ilisied it) every quarter of
. it. H
itfi
itonttrsbstinence on this subject pro
l'Ot i 1 their 'visit to. increase the revenne
qtliwilillY ref
'a considerations of mach
4 • entree
And let iii this narrow view of the
ottli,tu
4,
,/
the
Niitly erc in el ror. Year alter year .
litill ir,"lii ti e li
.‘artnie contailicd congiatula-
-I,„l.:4ltlaltftetit on the improvement Of the
tiiiir, 'tit II" congratulation was uttered on
itiir,f,'l4l'itiiii to the morals of the rev pie.—
liii c!'"'"I he better est abli :Ii cal than that
141(1'140y or the revenue mainly depended on
4144 1114 tie ut the morals of the community;
~,411,;1(1,:,%teiftfoie that on all wounds, l'Ar-
,
4) h; '' Luiiiesly's Government would give
rialsc:iltelti the serious atteution which its iiii-
ttt : iLuitlert.
)I:, Pttilithl 146 then ordered to lie on the
lit
It
ttif); -rtr presented a l'et Won, signed
.by
111 4f Ille town of Brent ford, complain-
,,, t Nb1eiti..,,,,,, r, , t• ',ion for having
'4,11.,,i;' '.... or tout illy'
11,1,40 tcence horn Joseph Harding, of thate
I'ttitt,i 4 sufficient criuse. liarillngis hot"; i
';`tie'„'"lts.n/une•ot uniform respectability,
~1..
,1,", 'll tH' disorders had ever been sia ,
, l'etitiou concluded by praying fur
lir:,
,„..., ,I Hit
Ntik Titußszt and Mr. Noon severally con ..,
h,. 'IO,A , ,
it,t, Itt -, tiouSe of Commons was
Nii:l`4.i'ulging in the first instance, ot
not the
1..31011..1441'pl tar grog
0
,ZT. ing 07. Suititta declared his intention
.the l
,''',ltitit„, " Petition, and complained at
1/I"_"tit,4sl'Lr:t cut of attacking
I,r, impossible for theta to defend the
Magistrates,_ln
CH% 111,
'till ..4.1;w
h ,'N0t.„,,,, Nutt express,rl his satisfaction
.‘t.aii,lie,ieings had been instituted against the
I:at . 14;4 er,parte evidence.
14 tit t trr, in allusion to What had
4 di fallen
4101, 'IL Member for Surrey, said. that he
.1101.i'l4tia.4.41,"taeli un Mr. Merceron, •but what
, ...i „„
It.tt4ttlire 7 his owo evidence, the whole. of
'Bk roatinued system of contradictions.
Pin • "tici 1
,i,'"uy 14 4 hiltitittett that his Hon. Friend's
,- it illill "tilted liin) front acting as became
tr.lterotluan of the committee, saki bringing
illito, Nittl l'ef4re the aise. With respect to
he
ti"qttit,Rile'4 opposition to the petition,
litly4ll pi,
.I,thilt ii hue should be carefully draw"
,114.'1e ,I:,t4',l's tit for the House to entertain,
riiii %."‘ett 0111,, for Court of Low ; but the
it it „ettaion
.., a .
it lil nut • 'a' IlOt of the latter description,
4trt. linpute corrupt motives; to tlie Ma-
lt i',e ATI•Nt
'"ie (h,
~14v-CictiattAl.-1` Whit then can
4"4eeied ctise--w hat practiCal measure
~,,,t, 111044;i:tat we ean adopt P' . .•
11 411 Y." 1"4"--" The prayer' is for redress
, 4. ‘.„
iii 4' troliNey ~., -
Nie'he 411 "•ntwertm...--‘‘ I do. not see hose
I,ettiit,et haytertein' the Petition ; for what
it i • ...
4,', 111,(,ut,n view t
, ‘ll,ttli, itt.iNt.....,, I call upon you,
Ili% ttt h l'ttill '
because
Ilit "r relief
~ , (ni lu to be rejected, Sir, to
kin,. v's,oittb P;t:llerallyi,,,
S 41111; 'tilt et Certainly,, not on that tic-
iti'l allieent.""4l nature of the prayer is no
ilh; iNtler wi:''' to the Petition, hilt the House
III!" tilioi, I,'lber the 'Petition is such as it
Ira 1) lair I 1 • ' ion .
t" its Lill ryn tile table.
•lir it lt
`lto,,CNisitTlL,4:‘()lll)Flt'S REPORT.
le it vtlier ii, i v,(blitil ask the Noble. Lord oppu-
-14 ttftrit „ 144 received any ' f truiltion when
Pi IL". ' ittliart w 1 i 14 in
( ' I t his
'll,O .;;10h,54
~.
.. ?tti oe rescntet. o
hi,. ece; . , ill crince ire cut, Fire per-
1. I+l 5.., 4,1 helltel • .
*'."29.'lltttiTib,i, . lie of heath in July,. and
'!livith,l.,lloll its ,i 14 October, 29 ; iti Deoem-
it% qui were :oanttary, 21 ; in all nearly 100
tlt l't,itt, kilt.. „;", Ntwgate tinder sentence of,
thi,; , at: 41 , " cit'ek yesterday, He then al-
,i, (ty. , Ot diitr . I. .'
.4
it, :II whio, ; ess, despair, .and horn
l'iiii,,tl'. IN
~,,,_ lutist people remained, and
ittlit
41nf his. nrillessed himself with a Noble
,:,4'itt(i :,olatas t,f,s,e.Y,, wQra perfectly indifferent
4rLth4,
cult pita_iiretitir sittraticrn, and said they
. ,
~',Hte 11.141,,'2,_ flap
~ tile older for execution,
~tl
,:is : tai,re6sK:te,s4litli death at the end of the
,44411 hellspeoce.4 ',luctory than the long anxie-
l'ttte 1 elite e'
_t.te hoped the Noble TP..ord
1.,, ' It. wit 11
41 'I e Hit answer-411 e country
iit, _,, 451144_
he
,i1111:1111,e,11:.1'.11(14;,:eitIlerbt.lati 'utitlerstood that t lit(' "utliv•""ivs mad ". bad been occasioned
sty
0, itliih, , e into 'the various cases in
i tatt' 414,4 been sentenced. The Se-
''! rteivtd talc , Royal Iligll-.

pleasitrt., that a Council should be. holden
and the Recorder's Report should be received.
This had, at first, been fixeditir Wednesday, but
the Secretaries of State had been much employed
with equally important business, for eight or ten
(lays, and the Couticil had been unavoidably post-
poned. ft now stood for to-norrow, whets his
Royal Higiatess had signified his pleasure that the
Report should be received.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated, that when
points of law had been reserved, the opinion of the
Judges could not always be communicated imme-
diately. The cases of persons under sentence of
death always came under • the earliest considera-
tion possible.
Mr. Br ETT maintained that the Noble Lord
had not answered that point, why the Report for
October had not been presented. Many months
had passed since, and the Recorder must have
long been ready. He then moved, that the Pa-
pers, for which • he had asked last Wednesday,
respecting the Prisoners in Newgate, should be
printed.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated, that some
days before the Hon. Gentleman had mentioned
the subject, in, the House, he had reason to be-
lieve that the Recorder was not ready to"make his
Report without any distinction respecting October
or any other month.
Mr. Alderman SMITH stated, that the delay in
making the Report arose from the length of the
Sessions and from motives of humanity. It was
spent, in fact, in' making inquiries into the va-
rious cases. The prisoners in Newgate, where he
had been this day, did not complain of the law's
delay. At three o'clock this very afternoon, the
Recorder had told-him that be would make his
Report to-morrow, and was happy to say that he
should have hut few to execute.—The Motion was
then agreed to.
PETITIONS FOR REFORM.
Sir It. HERON presented a Petition from Gainsborough, in
favour of Parliamentary Reform. The Hun. Baronet said,
this Petition prayed for triennial Parliaments, and that Suf.
frage should he hounded by direct taxation, and for Election
by Ballot. !n the two first objects he agreed with the Peti-
tioners, bat lie differed from them with respect to glectiou
by He could not, however, let this opportunity
escape of expressing Isis hopes that the wishes of the people
subject wi.•,ltl be so far complied with, that the gees-
tiun of Reform would be entertained by the House, and re-
ferred to a Committee .—The Petition was read, and ordered
to lie on the table. •
Mr. BROUGHAM postponed the mot'on of his Hon. Friend,
the Member for Dnehitat (Mr. Lamhton), 'respecting the! ay-
master, to Thursday next.
General FERGUSSON presented petitions, in favour of
Parliamentary Ittform,froin the Boroughs. of Kirhuldy and
Leuchers, io •oe county of Fife.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. M. FITZGERALD gave notice, that on Weduesthy
next. he shuuld move for leave to bring in a Bill to exempt
small Portions of Laud in I: eland !thin the payment of Tithes,
.and to ascertain the Tithe* to be paid on
b lax.
Mr. IUtOGUEN brought it. the Report of the Committee
of Supply on the Navy Estimates.
The aesolutiuns were [CALI and agreed to,siftera few words
from
Mr. LAW, suggesting the propriety of reducing the number,
of ships on the peace establishment, rather than that of men,
which he wished should be kept on the war complement. In
that manner sumo expense might br sand ; and at the break-
ing out of 4 war, fleets. would nut be almost entirely manned
with merchaot sailors pressed into the service, but with able
and experienced seamen.
WARItENItER assured the Hon. Gentleman, that
every item of expenditure had been minutely examined with
a view to effect. every possible 'reduction. As to the other
part, it was a consideration which he should leave to lire-
fessional men to discuss.. •
A petitionin favour of Parliamentary Reform was present-
ed from the Borough of Boston, in which the petitioners
stated that, 1000 years before the Revolution, annual Podia-
Ments existed—(Laughter).—Ordered to lie on the table.
COMMITTEES OF SECRECY.
Mr. TIERNEY wished for a Copy of the Report of the
Lords' Committee, td which he supposed there would be no
objection.
The SPEAKER observed, that the mode was to appoint a
Committee to constslt the Lords' Journals in such cases.
*Mr. TIERNEY framed a motion for a Committee to:con-
sult the Lou ds' Joni nals, touching certain seeret papers pre--
sented to the Lords bY order of the Prince Regent.—Ordered.