The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-24 00:00:00

oust y than the '0 orting to the income tax. There are the taxes
made-servants, on four-wheeled and two-wheeled carriages, and on
carriage and riding horses, which had been reduced to the amount
of 700,0001. At various times there have been other taxes re.
duced, the assessed taxes, for instance, and I will say at once that
it would be far preferable to resort to those as-
sessed
,taxes, than now to inflict an income tax,
on the country.—(Hear, hear.) The `Right Hon. Baronet had
found fault with the calculations of his Right Hon. Friend the
Member for Portsmouth, because he did not take into account in
the last year's estimate the increase of she sugar duiy. But that
year, compaied with the year before, showed a remarkable de&
ciencyf to the extent of 230,000 tons. The calculation ought to
be made made upon a year of ordinary, and not of decreasing con-
sumption: I consider my Right Hon. Friend was quite right in
statinll, that with a moderato duty on corn, and a diminution of
the prohibitory duties 'on sugar, and reajustment of
the tax on timber, he would ;have.reeetved a very great portion
this required revenue. His Right Hon. Friend estimated that in-
crease at 1,700,0001., but you may take it at less, and even if you
do take it at less it will very much diminish the amount of the
deficit. The deficit being two millions and a half, it would be di-
minished by holt of its amount, and you would not have more than
1,250,000/. deficiency to provide for. With respect to some of the
articles in the proposed tariff, I think you might have postponed'
the great loss yon are prepared to suffla, rather than resort to the
measure you have resolved on. The Hon. Member sor Bath, has
been pleased to say that in opposing this tax we sre
fighting for p opulai ity.—(Loud cheering.) Now with re-
gard to any subject where there may be popular opinion
on one aide or the other, I do not think it is fair to say that those
who take it are only fighting for popularity- I believe with regard
to the working classes, there was a very unfounded impression that
this was a tax'solely en persons of funded, and landed, and other
property, and not on the mass of the community. But I think it
will be found out, some time hence, that if you diminish the means
.
of employment—if you diminish the means by which the working
classes obtain sufficient wages, you do, by so diminishing those
moans, as much affect them as if you laid a tax on:them.
(Cheers). Rut Ido not think, with respect to this measure, that
we can justly be charged with fighting for popularity. Was
if for the sake of popularity, that we for so many years contended
for the claims of the Roman Catholics ?—(Cheers.) Nothing could
be more unpopular in this country than those claims ; it was said
that we were for bringing the Roman Catholic religion into this
country. Again, with regard to the Poor-laws, was it for the
sake of popularity that we introduced them ? (Cheers.) If then
we have introduced, and are prepared to introduce again, measures
that were unpopular at the time, where our principles bound us
to the assertion of those measures, I shall not shrink from
opposing other measures, when it may bear a more
popular air, because I am told that popularity is my object.—
(Cheerf.) In the course of my public duty, I must he the advo-
cate of measures to which much popular odium attaches at the
time, and at other times, if other measures which have popular
favour attached to them. In the course of the Reform Bill, much
popularity attached to that measure, but I was not more in favour
of the Reform Bill than I was in favour of other
measures to which no such popular:ty was attached.—(Cheers.),
I shall, therefore, fulfil my duty in this House
by giving my opposition to this tax. The Right Hon. Gentleman
has said that that opposition is not likely to succeed ; but I also be.
lieve that the people are not yet fully aware of the nature of the
tax.—(Cheers.) They are not aware of the evils that it inflicts;
of the inquisition with which it is necessarily accompanied ; and
the inequality of operation on the various kinds ofincome, whith
is inseparable from its nature. I think if we assented silently to
this income tax, after its evils came to act on the country,
our constituents—thess who will then feel the tax—
will justly have to reproach us that we had not raised
our voices in Parliament against it.—(Hear, hear.) They may
say, we might have been mistaken as to the operation of such a
tax, but you who are to consider such things, who are sent into
Parliament to represent out interests, you at least ought to have
raised sour voices, and given your votes against the enactment of
such a tax— (Hear, hear)—and then we should have felt that we
had not been deen deserted. Sir, it is in order that no such re.
proach may be made on me, in order that the gentlemen
who act with me may not have to suffer from
such a reprorch that I am determined A) oppose the
enactment of such a tax.—(Cheers.) Should there come a time of
great danger, which may require the enactment of such an unjust,
unequal, and injurious tax, then those evils may be borne, rather
than suii.ir any inlisry to the credit and honour of the country. But
if you call on the country to make those efforts when they are not
necessary—if you do not husband your energies until they are
re.i,ly required, far from rendering those efforts more easy
when they may be absolutely necessary, you will but indispose the
public to believe your assertions and you will give them reason
to say, why there was another time when you asked us to make
those efforts, hut on exainination we found there was no adequate
public necessity for the call_ I say, therefore, do not abandon
this resoure , it is one of the resources of the public exigencies,
but in order to preserve your power over it—in order that you
may be enabled hereafter to appeal to the country and to meet
with universal acquiescence, do not now, when there is no abso-
lute necessity, call for efforts which the people will find to be op-
pressive, and which they will hereafter reproach you for having
imposed on them.—(Cheeers.)

Mr. B. WOOD, in a short speech, for which we cannot find
room, spoke strongly against Sir R. Peel's resolution. •
Mr COBDEN moved that the Chairman report progress.
Mr. V. SMITH opposed Mr. Cobden's motion.
Mr. DUNCOMBE, in a short and effective speech, supported
the motion.

Lord HO WICK opposed it, as tending to bring the privileges of
the House into question,
Mr. WA KLEY supported the motion.

Mr. CURTEIS also opposed the motion, and quoted a letter from
Mr. &Imes, declaring that he would rather have a free trade than
Sir R. Peel's tatifl:

After a few words from Mr. GIBSON, and after a sort of tumult
that lasted for more than half an hour from the time that Mr.
Cobden made his motion,
The Committee divided. The numbers were—
For the motion
Against the adjournment
Majority sgainst the adjournment...........

290

- 203

The Committee again divided on the motion of Mr. H. BERKE.
LEY, for the Chairman to report progress, when there appeared—
For the adjournment
Against it...
Majority

22
- 141

Sir ROBERT PEEL protested against the injustice o f the pro-
ceedings on the part of his opponents, but, seeing the impossibility
of persevering, gave way.—(Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Mr. Cowper, Mr. Cobden, and Mr.
Cooper,
The House then resumed.

In answer to a question from Mr. S. O'BRIEN,

Sir R. PEEL said he proposed to fix five o'clock on Thursday,
the 4th of April, fur b►inging on the Bill for appointing the Coto-
rnissionprs to inquire into the Exchequer Bills Fraud Bill. He
should fix Tuesday for the Corn Bill, and he proposed to proceed
with the Income Tax on the following Tuesdsy.
SPIRITS DUTIES (IRISH) BILL.

The Spirit Duties (Irish) Bill was read a third time.

The other Orders of the D.y were then disposed of, and at a
Quarter before Three o'Clock the House adjourned till Monday,
the 4th of April.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.
(From the rotes and Proceedings qf the House of Common:. )

TUESDAY, MARCH 22.

YARMOUTH AND NORWICH RAILWAY.
Motion made and question put, That the Bill be now read a
secand time."—The House divided :
MAJORITY— AYES, 75. •
Acton, Colonel —Wicklow Co. Gore, W. R. O.—Sligo Co. •
Aidam, J. J.—Leeds Greene, T. G.—Lancashire
Arbuthnot, General—Kincardine- Grosvenor, Lord R.—Chester
shire Hall, Sir Benjamin—Mary lebone
Bagge, W.—West Norfolk Hardy, J.—Bradford
Bailey, Joseph—Worcester Henley, J. W.—Oxfordshire
Bailey, J.—Herefordshire - Hcdgson, Rd.—Berwick-on-Tweed
Barnard, E. G.—Greenwich Hutt, W.—Gateshead
Baskerville, T. B.—Herefordshire Inglis, Sir R. IL—Ox. University
Berkeley, lion. H.lF.—Bristol Kemble, H.—East Surrey
Blewitt, Reginald—Monmouth Lambton, IL—North Durham
Bodkin, W. H.—Rochester Langton, Col 'Gore—Somerset
Botfield, Bcriah—.Ludlow Lawson, A.—Knaresborough
Bowring, Dr.—Boltun Lockhart, Wiliam—Lanarkshire
Brozolley, Henry—East Yorkshire Lygon, Major-Gen. Hon. H. B.—
Brotherton, J.—Salford Worcestershire West.
Bu kley, E.—Newcastle-on-Tyne Mackenzie Thomas—Ross-shire
Buller, Sir J. Yarde—Devonshire MarshainAord—West Kent
Burroughes, H. N.—East Norfolk O'Brien, J.—Limerick City
Busfeild, William—Bradford Patten, J. Wilson—Lancashire
Byng, George— Middlesex Plumridge, t aptain—Penryn
Carnegie, lion. Captain—Stafford Powell, C.—Limerick Co.
Cavendish, Hon. C. C.—Youghall Round, Charles Gray—Essex N.
Chute, W. L. \V.—West NotiOlk Rumbold, C. E.—Yarmouth
Clay, William—Tower Hamlets Russell, C.—Reading
Colburn, Hon. W.—Richmond Scoriae, Hon. R.—Horsham
Crawford, S.—Rochdale e.choletield, J.—Birmingham
Crimps, Jo.el.ll—Cirencester Scott, Robert—Walsall
Dickinson, J. H.—West Somersetismitli, Benjamin—Norwich
Douglas, J. S —Rochester Stanton W. H.—Stroud
Douro, Marguis—N orw ich Strutt, Edward—Derby
Duncan, 0. Dundee Thoralely,Thos.—Wolverhampton
Duncombe, lion A.—East Retford Trotter, John—West Surrey
Dundas, Hon. IC—Richmond Wilde, Sir Thomas—Worcester
Eaton, R. J.—Cambridgeshire Wood, Benjamin—Fouthwark
Ellice, Edward—St. Andrew's Worsley, Lord—Lincolnshire
Estcourt, 'l'. G. B.—Oxford Univ. Wrightson, W. B.—Northallerton
Ferguson,Sir It. A.—Londonderry TELLERS.
Earner, Sir E.—West Kent Wilshere, William—Yarmouth
Forester, lion. o.—Wenlock Wodchouse, Edmond—E. Norfolk
MINORITY—NOES, 16.
Allir, J. P.—CambriOgeshire !Paget, Frederick—Beaumaris
Berkeley, Hon. C.—Cheitenhun Palmer, George—Essex
Brownrigg, J. S.—Boston Rushbrooke, Colonel—Suffolk
Colville, C.—South Derby Vere, Sir C. B.—East Suffolk
Craig, W. G.—Edinburgh Waddington, H. S.—West StitThlk
Darby, George—East Sussex Wyndham, Colonel—W. Sussex
Hale, B. R.—Gloucestershire
March, Earl of—West Sussex
Martyr, C. C.—Southampton
Neville, R.—Windsor