The Sun.
London, England, 1819-03-04 00:00:00

GALWAT ELECTION PETITION.

In consequence of the petitioner against the
rctnrn for the County of Galway having tailed to
etio:q• into his recoguizAnces, the order for taking

ti:eperition into eonsideration on the IStii or
March was discharged.
Sir WfLLIAM GUISR presented several Petitions
from Occupiers of Land in various parts of Gloii-
c‹.steyshire, praying for protecting duties.—Laid
on the table.

ZTSBANDRY -HORSES'
lc. BRoGDEN brought up the Report of the
Ccaltulitee on the husbandry Iforses' 8111, and
taoved that the Bill he re-committed.

211. BKAND said, that if they were to impose a
duty on every steam-engine, in the same propor-
'tion as On every horse emplbyed in husbandry,
there would he a great clamour from the manu-
facturers, and they certainly would have reason
to complain. Notwithstanding that, he was far
from concurring with the sentiments contained in
the Petitions which had been presented on the sub-
ject, he roonght it was the duty of Government
tl look to the agriculfurists, at:d not to lay a tax
on the =implements of husbandry any more titan
ott 03e. implements employed in manufactories.
Mr. BanGDEN said, that the Hon. Gentleman
limbo had• brought in the Bill wished it to be dis-
cussed in the House, and the object of his motion
Was only to put off the discussion.
Mr. Cußwitti perfectly agreed with his Hon.
Friend behind him. Din tax operated most
heavily -.,:itere its pressure could be least borne,
for th, ,voi,t kw; recinit:cd the greatest number
of herses.

WYNy understood that the reason why
the isot to he printed now was, that
some eanSCS had gof into it which Ministers d:d
t was- therefore intended to rerun,-
71. it it, in order that these clauses might be struck
our.

Likc

After a few.words from Mr. BitoGDEN, the
Bill was ordered Co be re-co' 'milted On Tuesday

COAL TAX.

Mr. WROTTESLRY (we believe) presented two
Petitions from- the Comity of Salop, against any
alteration iu the duties on Coals, lie woukt take
this opportunity of saying►, that he was convinet‘d,,
!rum the knowledge tie had of that part of the
country, that any new tax on coats would Le at-
tended with the most injurious consequenek.s.—
Aft:r wilat hat; passed, he hoped that all in-
tention Of urging such a measure had been re-

Donoccd.
Mr. E. LITTL'ETON said, it had been declared
on the part of Ministers, that they had no inten-
,tion Of proposing any alteration in the present
duties ; but be• tvanted an unequivocal answer,
whether, if a Bill tvas brought in by any other
pt.rson, and a CoMmittte moved for, the Chau-
ce!ior of the Exchequer would oppose the mea-
sure.. Till he received an explicit answer on (hit
head, he would omit no opportunity of agitating
the question.

Ti;e Petition was hid on the table. •
lIEFALCATION OF ASSESSED TAXES.

Sir WILLIAM Di CRESPIGNY said, that in the
motion which be proposed to submit to the House,
he was convinced the
.Right Hon. Gentleman' op-
posite (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) would
give hint his cordial 'suilport. If the Right Hon.
Gent. had consulted his own private feelings, he
doubt would have sifted the matter to the
bottom, for he must be convinced that it required
the minutest inquiry. The object of his motion
was the detection of fraud practised by Collectors,
Assessors, Surveyors, Commissioners, Clerks,
&c. to an extent unknown before. He would 410
the Right Hon. Gentleman the justice to say, that
when these ahuses had been submitted to him, he
had appointed a person to inquire into them, but
he had not been able to accomplish what his in-
clination prompted him to attempt, and the system
of surcharges, Which bad so long disgraced the
country, was still continued. If he succeeded in
getting the inquiry for which lie Was about to
move, he hoped they should be able to put an end
to that system of surcharge and defalcation which
Mad so long existed. In the little parish of
Westerham, in the district of Seven-oaks, the
gross assessment in 1814 was 1,4381., but the re-
turns amounted only to 1,1151. Bs. I Id.; conse-
quently tiVere was that year a defalcation of
3221. Id. In 1815, the assessment was the
same, hut only 9801. 10s. were returned, leaving
a defalcation of 458!. 105. In 1816, the assess-
)of!at'. was the same, hut the returns were only
1,13.- leaving that year a defalcation of
6s. One Gentleman in that neighbourhood
p.rid 1501. a year,, but for two years this sum had
been.rcturned at vll, but put into the pockets
of thee' persons.. There were several other cases
natute, which .made the whole defal-
cation in that parish amount to 1,9681. 3s, 1

One of the collectors had been allowed to collect
arrears, and to retain them for 15 monThs in his
own hands, at the end of which tune it was found
necessary to sell the furniture of his house to pay
his debts. Utu4er such ciicumstatices, was he not
justified in bringing for,vard his mm ion, and in
claiming the sanction 'of the House ro stop this
,ystem of peculation ? He hoped the Right lion.
Gentleman would assist hitu in purging this Aegean
stable. The Hon. Hart. then moved for an lin-
mense number of accounts, and other papers, re-
lative to the collection of the assessed taxes, and
other taxes, in the district of Seven Oaks.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that
if the Hon. Baronet had done him the favour to
call on him relative to the circumstances now
brought before the House, he would have found
!bat there was no occasion for occupying the time
of the House with the subject. Undoubtedly,
frauds had been committed in the collection of the
revenue, but whenever they had been detected,
(and no 'lidos had been spared to deieet them),
they' had been rigorously punished. Time could
be.no objection to the production of some of the
papers which had been moved for ; but lie would
Suggest to the Hon. Baronet, that instead of per-
sisting in a motion so extraordinary, he should
withdraw it for the present. It was undoubtedly
true, that two years ago a Mr. Wilkes had called I

complaining of these frauds ; and on tha

occasion he had directed that the circun►stances
should he inquired into. He thought that when
the lion. Baronet had communicated with him on
the subject, he would be satisfied either that his
motion was unnecessary, or that he ought to bring
it forward in another form.
Sir E. ENATCHRULL thollglit it unnecessary for
_

hit►► to say any thing further on the subject atter
what they had heard from the Right Hon onrable
Gentleman. Ile gave the Ho►n. Baronet credit
for his motion ; nod if there was any foutylation
for an inquiry,- he should be disposed to sift the
matter to the bottom ; but he hoped that ti►e
Hot). Baronet would see time propriety of with-
dravri,ng the present motion, and bringing it for-
ward, if necessniy, in another form.
Sir %V. De CIIBSPIGNY Slid, that with that un-
derst muting, he Should withdraw his motion.—
Since an inquiry had been thought necessary two
years ago, and since the same abuses still existed,
he could not see how the necessity of an inquiry at
resent could be denied.
Mr. LUSHINGTON said, that in the case of which
Mr. Wilkes had complained, the Surveyor had
been prosecuted. The Honourable Gentleman
read a paragraph from the Report of the Board of
.Commis9ioners, in which it was stated that their
attet►tion had first been directed to the abuses in

that district by the information of Mr. Wilkes.
Mr. TIERNEY said, he understood the Honour-
able liarmiet to withdraw his motion for the pre-
sent, in the prospect of receiving the assistance
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He hoped
the Right Hon. Gentleman would refer all this to
ra Committee, because it was a matter of great itn-

poildnee, 8m: requited minute inve3tigatir,n. 6.;
less the Hon. 114ronet, on investigating the sub,

ject farther, and communicating with the Trea-
sury, should be satisfied that his motion was
unnecessary, he hoped he would persist in bring-
ing it forward.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not
say that the matter should not be referred tu'a
Committee, when brought forward in a proper
shape. —The motion was then withdrawn,