The Sun.
London, England, 1821-11-29 00:00:00

*ECONONIY.

TO JOHN BULL, ESQ.

ONT:ST JOHN,—It is so long since you and I

have had a little chat about the Rise and Pro-
gress of your RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES, that you
have perhaps forgotten your old friend--but I have
not forgotten you, JOHNNY, and shall have a little
further confabulation with you on that subject pre-
sently : in the mean time, my good fellow, I wish to
talk to you about the grand plan of ECONOMY,
which your Whig friends are trying to make so
much of.

Now, JOHNNY, remember that every penny,
'drawn from you in taxes, is spent again at your
own shop, or nearly so; and, therefore, it is not
lost: besides, JOHNNY, you know, as Nvell as I
can 'tell you, that a penny laid on by Par-
liament is always a good excuse for you

to lay on two pence; so you have nut quite
so much cause for grumbling. But even when
taxes are taken off, it does not follow that
your poorer children enjoy any benefit from

t whatever. Do you rernember,JOHNNY, when
he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, for the

relief of the poorer classes, gave up THREE
MILLIONS Of MALT TAX ? I dare say you do.-;--
Do you remember your beer becoming either
cheaper or better in consequence ? I dare say
you do not. Then what were you the better ?
But you are told, my honest old friend, that
even one hundred thousand, or even ten thou-
sand pounds, would be a monstrous saving ! Now,
let us see! Let us suppose that Mr. HUME
could
.produce a decrease of Expenditure to the
amount of five millions—now, JonsNY, here is
a question for your little boy, who has just got
through the Rule of Three, and is, perhaps, as
good a financier as Mr. HUME :—" If three mil-
lions produce NOTHING, what will five millions
produce ?"
But what would that FIVE miwoNs-be-in the
scale of taxes paid ? Taking our annual taxation
at SIXTY MILLIONS, which is far within bounds, it
would only amount to one twelfth,.or ONE PENNY
in ONE SHILLING ! Then he who now pays

TWELVE POUNDS of direct and indirect taxes would
just save twenty shillings ! But I can shew you,
JOHNNY, a much greater saving, and one more

efficacious.
You pay now, at least three pence more for
each quartern loaf than you ought to do, if com-
bination and monopoly were checked ; so that if
your scale of consumption is but two loaves per
week, you are taxed annually by the baker and
mealman sixpence per week, or ONE POUND SIX
SHILT,INGS Per annum,—just six shillings more
(supposing your annual taxes 121.) than you
would save by a reduction of five millions in
taxes ! Then your pot of porter is at least one
halfpenny dearer than it ought to be, y all malt
and hops ; and one halfpenny worse in quality
than it ought to be ; or one penny per pot!
Thtl4, JOHNNY, if you take but one pot per day,
you are taxed by the brewer 365 pence per
annum, or 7d. per week, or ONE POUND TEN SHIL-
LINGS AND FIVE-PENCE per annum; making a grand
total of TWO POUNDS SIXTEEN SHILLINGS AND
FIVE PENCE? Now, JOHNNY, ask any one of
your children, who are working for one guinea,
or thirty shillings per week, with a family to sup-
port, whether he would gain most by a reduction
of taxes, which it yet remains to be proved could
be dispensed with, or by a little fair play in bread
and beer? The answer is not doubtful. Your's,
IGNOTUS.