The Sun.
London, England, 1819-04-30 00:00:00

SALT DUTIES.

Dr. PRILLImoRK moved, that the resolution of
last year, that it was expedient to repeal the Salt
Ditties, be read ; Which having been done, Ire
said, that as the income of the country had in-
creased three millions over that of last year, be
was unwilling to think that the new Parliament
would refuse to relieve the country ft out tire
very great Inutile') of the Salt Duties '.phis yies-
tiou was anost impOrtant, as it affected the agri-
culture, commerce, maritime strength, u'lidsocial
habits ; and important, as it respects the finan-
cial state of the country. It was impo,sible to
say that this tax did not also tam' the Poor-rates,
since by iche vas taxed in his bread, butter. cheese,
pork, and almost every article in lite. ibis tait
was, in fact, the Income-tax on the poor. Besides,
wherever this tax was imposed,lt was the fore-
rUnner of crime and of punishment. Ile read the
evidence of many Gentlemen bet Ore theCOmmit-
'tee, to she'w that where sAlt was made, the prior
employed in tire Manufacture, from its low price,
would steal it ; and the farmer and shopkeepers
were tempted to buy it. Bat these facts were, per-
haps, strong as they were, trifling, in comp' ison
with the injury done' by this. t tx on the Fishe-
ries, the' nursery of our Seamen. It bad ap-
peared to the Committee that the Dutch, Nor-
wegians, and Danes, were rivalling ns in our
own fishing grounds. it was impossible to col-
lect the revenue on this article without the most
restrictive measnres. During the last year tire
bonds entered into by gsh-ciirers amounted to
upwards of 300,0001 It was therefore impossible
that any hut great capitalists could enter into the
.Fisheries. even the Secretary to the Admiral!y
had given it as his opinion, that if the Salt Dillies
were repealed, upwards of 20,000 'discharged Sea-
men would be placed in instant employment, If
this Tax was, as he contended it was, essentially
‘erong, then those Taxes on the articles for which
Salt was used must be unequal to the charges_
expected to he paid out ot them. As the Buy'get
had not yet bceepresented, anti as new Taxes
were spoken of, he wouhl not at present move
for the repeal of this Tax, but would content
himself with a _Resolution, contmemorating the
opinions of the late Committee, and expressive of
the great grievance on the lower orders of the
commitnit y ; arid he concluded by_moving a It eso-
lw ion to this etßict, that the earliest opportu-
nUy should be taken for the gradual repeal of
this Tax.

lion.

Mr. DAVENPaRT agreed with all the opinions
stated by the lion. and Learned G
House ninthd find, by the Reports_of all (.;ouitnit-
'lee.; on this subject, that they agreed in the int-'
policy of the The belt Tax ,was con-
sidered by writers is originating in a
most narrow-akinded.policy. It vyas hurtful
.to.
agricultme, destructive of the morals of,the peo,,
ple, mud ruinous Pisheries..
Mr. WALLApn sa:ci, that unpopular its it might
be, he must oppo,e the motion, on. the ground
that the evil to be experienced trout the loss o.t
great a branrh of levenne would he far !;seater
than the nlie`f expected from it The House might
take lip this ~nbi,et at any time when the finances
of the country would bear the repeal a 01.15 taX,

Would the people bear this tax with greater Clider-
fulness when they were told that it was a duty
that ought to be abolished 1. Ile could dot, un-
derstand, the objections against this tax ; for if
the revenue must be raised by taxation; he saw
no fairer mode of tax, than that of levying
it on an article of the most
_general consump.
The objection of the French to this, taw
was not so nitwit on its extent, but on the mode
of its exaction, which was done not on what a
man consumed, but on an estimate. of what he
ought to consume ; which quantity he was. ob.
lilted to boy from the Government. He admitted
that this tax had great defects, such as the,faci-
ity it Leh) out to smaggling. Still this tax
could, not be considered as unproductive, when it
brings in a revenue of 1,500,000,1. a-year; besides,
it was a tax easy and cheap at collection, as it cost
no snore than two per cent. in its collection.
,eas a tax that bore on all ; and was of all others
that which. was least complained of by the pour.
Ile thought sufficient relict had been given to. agiil-
- as tar as salt is used in it,. by the maluction
of the Tax already granted on Salt used in that
branch of industry No man had a greater desire
for the extension of the Fib cries than he had ; hut
he did not believe, that this Tax acted as all itn-
Pedinte‘nt to that extenston, lint if any reduction
'in the extent of thefi3heries had really taken place,
it titan :have arisen liotut.* want of a market for
our fish, instead of Ihe hardship of the:Salt Tax:—
There never was a sooty prosperous year than _last
the Fisheries. Ttielloa. Gentleman had.stated
that the Dutch were able to undersell its itt the
Owing to the cheapness of their salt. If
the Hon Gentleinati hadittoked accurately to this
part of s he sohjec,, he would have found the colt,
icary to be the tact, and that theJ)inch:f7-oh, instead
of lit'ing
.cheaper than Eiiglish, were one third
der tcr. t'lie hail, tinder the present
.Salt.-laws, been
able to meet all others in t hi markels; and ,hetritsted,
seeshoulii still be oble toil° so. The How Gent.
had also stated authorities to prod• that, the Salt-
laws 10,olilie effect of d, moralizing the loWerclasses
in thOse districts in which they most. prevailed.—
als.r had anthmities ott the subject, those of
Mu'. ItittOn and Mr. Traffuid, by whore► it was,
stye(' that they had no such effect.; as a proof
of which it. appeared that out of 1,880 commit-
ments) which had tAten place in Cheshire in the
last seven years, only 10 were for offences uni!er
the Salt Laws. He. concluded by opposing the
• , .

Mr. tuawEte thought the Right Hon. Gent.
who spoke last had taken.a very narrow view of the
rpi”tiOU. The Right Hon. (-;'11( said that the
lover orders did not feel this Tax. Did t,ot the
Right lion. Gentleman know that four ounces of
salt were required_ fur every .stone of flour in
bread—that a family of five persons paid 245. a
year for .his TAX ? Did not the Right [lon Gen-
tleman know that the Taxes on the.necessit ies of
life presstid h•Arder on time lower orders than any
other? 'This was not a moment to press for the
repeal of this 'fax, oppressive and cruel as it was:
but while he admitted this, he could not allow the
argumeots of the ;light llonourahle Gendematt.
As to the allusions which had been made to ate
number of prosecutions for salt smuggling., it was
filiaciorms. It was true that numbers of prosecu-
tions had been carried through, but how many
had been compromised ? They amounted to
thousands. Though he concurred with the Reso-
lution it) the main, he hoped the llonourahieatO
Learrifq,GPritlelnan would agree, to. change the
i.‘ gradual reduction " to " total redttc
Hon." Ile would, vote (or the 1h •lutiou at: eli
events, but with much more pleasure if: -this
amendment was agreed to. •

•
Dr FfitLumnße explained.--The Words of the
Residlition were in the alternative.

Lord EBFINGToN considered, that the country
Was indebted to the [too. Member, for the tmpiim
which he brought before the 1-f use. • The coun-
try would certsinly Lave been disoppointed, if,
alter the investigations of ttvo Committees,• no-
thing shoirld have hem l)rouglit lorward this Ses-
sion, towards the repto:yal of a tax' which.
lie price of the necessaries of line forty-I.ld. The
first Act, repealed by Lord Sidnionth during. his
Ministry was it portion of the Salt Laws. `Vile
late Pict was felt as, btolliensontellt the Westin
Counties of England, and be as Weil as other
Gentlemen from that part of the country.weie re-
tittestedto oppose its enactintot,,, .
. _

Thej.-,ttAscpm.on of the EXCHEQuEtt eonld
not believe that the influence of the ditty was iii-
jillflollS, when the agricultural, the twoitirictnr-
and the trading interests of the community
were improve). Toe honourable Member who
had spoken last but oue, hat mentioved .facts,
which were not substantiated, relative to the pro-
.ectnions of persons under the Salt Laws. There
were, accordiug ro him, a thousand cases of .00111..
promises, but he had forgotten that.• in -the Re-
port -printed by order of the House this year,.
the number of casfs amounted only tot welve re-
specting the fi,b 'corers, and Thitty-five-formis.
aliptleatioaB, including all the compromises. The
observation relative to the Bond Duty was incor-
rect ; for from a authentic source it. was
evident that great improvement in the fish trade
had occurred within the last three years. A new
market for that article was opened in the:East
Indies, where a qtmoity had been sent, and whi
ther more was expected to be sent next year.—
Ile was •far. (tom feeling favourable to the mu-
tiott for every new, motion, which like the pie-
sent could not fail of being unproductivx in el.
feet, whileit tended to render. the Tax mtious,
and the Revenue less productive, .caused a stag-
nation in trade, and couttiboted to injure many.
He Should Therefore .trespass no tor;ller on he
House, but would conclude by moving, the pie-
Stioos question.
• Some further .discussion took .placej in which
Lord Compton, Mr. Wilbrabint Egertoo, Mr,
Alderman Heygate, and .Mr. Crippi, expressed
their:intentioos of voting for the Previous. ques-
tion ; while Mr. D. Gilbert, Mr...Protheroe,
and Sir C. Butrell spoke briefly, in favour of the
origi hal !Doi ,

Doctor THILLIMORE. replied. After ti!e Hon.
Gentleman concludde►l, tl%e (! vided—

. ..
• For the original Two ion 5O .
For the previous qiii,..t ion 127
Majority for Nllnisters• —77.
'- :.. i CIIATIGF'AGA ,
INT :AN 11;I, irl JUI),CriE.
3 1 Mr.
.11.. i NI A lITIN said, that at that infeliour of
kiletdeening, li': witiact! to economise fis4nrotli• of

the time of the House as tie could ; be Should
therefore simply state the object of leis minion)
vvhicil was, that the Potter -Officer be ordered f°
lay before the Ilouse a copy of the bill of iodicv.
ment found at the Session of Over and Terminer,
held at Dublin in September, 11114, agrtitt,t EP
ttitinti Burke, an Attorney., for and cortort
perjury, together with the verdict of the J4ttli
and the allidatits made for the postponril °e
the trial. His Charge against M. Baron M`L'l",
lan was, that be had not postponed the trial "L
Burke, on the production Of certain affidavit'
mad by Girnsetl and others, stating the ill health
anti imposSibiity of att•endauce of certa:n wit"
nesses• on the part of the prosecution, whielt befr
Mr. Martio,hiad institored;
Sir G. 111;A: detended\ I ron.M‘Lellan frOtil
charges brought against hint; and read a .ks irtel
statement (tribe Ltarned.Jodge, giving), flat. at",
pointed contradiction tO every eiretitos:arice
tioned by Mr. Martin, and also charging 1°:;
Gentletti:6n with having offere.d him the Most i'er'ss.
persontil,insults.
After a f-e-sv words from Mr.,Brownlartr.
C. Grant, Mt. be,die Foster, and Lur 1 Castle'
reagh, all against. the mfition, tit) made!
long reply, whit h.threw'the into enova,'.
,iOll3, by -a WO:" extraordinatv detail of his
dal svabbles,,in the .cont se.ni•which -he compel'',
Ctl Baraii Af`lLtdlah to a 11,+1e tr, 8"(1
a tiger tor his. y ; he was Cal),A to 0: der h,,„
the
.Speaitervr • . .
The motion was negatived %,t it 1101“ diViii(ll"'
and tie tietter .orders tit the d,-.7
posed of, the I.°ll'

LAW lINT'IsELLIGENCE.

COMIT OF CHANCERY;-Await, 29,
.111,ENHk:01.
DAVIS Z 1 Hta GRAC_E THE TWEE OF MARLEOZ9"I::
•This tens au ,Tplication tor the Ais,fltarge
foriner.adcr of the Court, a'ploilltmg
of rtTlifS of • 11.1eWicim.,1,oiLse,.. The to „ivat
had been.. made some time .-t;zo, and stow!
fr•r ihe joilgthent of the Lord thaneeflor, .
-Lordship now sta:ed; that the-4p!ication f°ri; •
reoeiver had beenmade:on' the, ground, thatto.
estate being in the posiession of j,i'dgment Cr e.
&tors, the present plaint,ff, who hail otITY ar
equitable claim, could not proceed by
aero); •
meg at• law, and was therefore, obliged to It'
to a Court of eqnity for rebel.; awl there c() od
he no doubt that under suf h cirettiusta,,ces t
-Court would interpose. it was- true that .is
property was to be viewed as under certai • l'eg.ll.•
fat ions imposed by ACE-of Parliament ; bar 1' I
it it il appear to hint, that if a judgment credit.,,
could take. possession of Illen-IvArn-hotise
Wn-mlstock, an equitable 'tenant 'had as g!.,'"l
right to derao, 011ritht
IN,;
nt, however, it- tvll
unnecessary for hint to trouble the C(!tirt•
mullets:owl that the Duke of 'Marlborough in t.lls
.
case had offered by his answers to poY !he
hall itsyo si
; butbn i littelitteritsie
l:letotiteorkiii:
jo,wis .ft wohst.,wtehie.sr,alsil fo t3„r::[,re.
the annuity a burden on the evate• '1"): ;-
therefore, reserve the decision as the diitli'r•
of tbe receiver mum ii he had looked et the.:titswers.".
His Lordship then desire!' the answers to be
ed to him,-attil t•nid ice thonid Inr h over then) (l'ac
; and it any of the parties ,-7old wait `:c
hint to-rnom;w wonting, beforehe IGH:I,t-
House ir..aortk, he shoull-tcl4, theur,w,,-
discharged the Older Or 'thit.
begged it to be understood, that he ljt"'•
giviug..no opinion whatever as to the csesie:':
tile timber, &e. ; but was contiitirn; his; vie"' el'
thely to the consideration, ‘‘ both,- ,ht,
looking to the interests and rijlits of the bell'
peCtant, would grant a receiver. or nor.

COURT OF KING' 25.

CRIMINAL INFOIINIATION.

713, SING V I'VE'. AND DAVI,'NoN..pfaR3•.-
A Rale Was obtained r lase (~1 a Lt.
nal iiiroima4 ag Aust. the t!etenrtactt,‘ for *ellid.
log a challenge to as Geutletnao 'mord F1(1% er,
11'
consequenceot sim.e IrAnsactlollB t;:e 'c
worth Election.—[l'he circuipsraco:e; of
have been already detailed to the public, and "
been reported throngh•the mediuni of THE
Mr. Gyatitay, thk day,, in arguing against
rule, ittged the youth of Mr Peel, and the
tion of his mind, in cooßtlttencP Of a :,,uppo•eti
tn
stilt to his. father, as excuses for his clients' cc);1;
duct.—Mr.SCARIATT was heard in support oti
Hole, •Oiicli was snide absolute..--The
JUS.TICE and Mr. BAYLEY being
favnur• el
granting the Rule, and Mr. justice Davi.' against
it. Mr. Justice UoLaoYD was absent.
.•
SHOCKING ACCIDENT IN 'Mitt 11011017GEL"---Vtl:
t erday an legnisltion behi at tie. Tho'3s
Hospital, in the I.3‘,rough,- before THorsiNs
ToN, E•ui , Coroner for London; on stew ot 111,0,
boAies ot Wm. Smith and Samuel Strachan, Vir,
of the unfortunate persons who perished at the
cident which occurred at the house of Mr.SMilbert
inan,Whitestreet,Borough. No new fact Caine
pre
in evidence, but two engineers 'agreed
that ty,
engine was one not only defective and tice4e,i;,-
but one of the woist and
,most dangerous ‘,10,,
scription, being ahi is pressure engine. The i,
roner said shell engines were subjects of
ment. Verdict-" Died by the butaliteg ot big,
pressure steam-engine." ,
A few days since, an extraord,ittary. eirc.Of
stance took place in the nee-glibonrhoird
t
Limerick. A man, named John`' Kett,' ". In •
was employ,ed to purchase feather's ihr°firot
the &marry, called at a fartite;i* 11011Sep "
p.'
haring agreed for the feathers of hie gee“t, ""f
c.--
.tfleDeed the operation sit plucking, by tin
gande'r's. bead under his kit arin—tl bird'o
order to retaliate for its storetings, bit the Innon
desperately, that in a d•-y or r-so. a intittilicdtin‘r
took p'ace, and he die,: in the too4t excli'icidt
agoity,

___-------
_ • DIF.O. , ,ert, - I
in the s7ih year a her age,
, 0:1 the 2Gth inst. in St. J.so)es's-placP, St. James'"sess
1'
I)owa4rr P,;uiett. - ' iiy Hells
Ott the 28th nit: aged (35. Lieut.-Colo-net Jubn 4 . ,
bait:pay thith Regiment of Foot.-
' cog reli' .
LaNDON: Printed by.). B. CARSTAIBS, of O.
—.' It'.'i'• ' ,'''
the logbt Hon. Mar), CUtlllt
Ormond-street. Queen-square; aim is ohtished OY ~t 4,, g'•
SCRIPI'S, of No. 7, South IVlolti,n-st:ert, at V•a'Ze'it
(Mi.:et No. 112. ,titrami ;, ..srittitie.Atit-ettisculenti, " .
Litt:JO, &c, iyest--puid) must be add:l:tied.

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