The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-12 00:00:00

No. 15,450. LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING SUM
•

MARCH 1842.

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

was such authentic information as Government might
possess with regard to the correctness of the report.
First of all he wished to know what information had
been received with respect to the unfortunate troops in
Cabool, and secondly, what was the position of those
in Candahar and Jellalabad, and what prospect of
relief they had from the Government of India ?
Sir R. PEEL said, that to the question put by his
Hon. Friend he could not give a very satisfactory
answer, and though he had it in his power to do
so, he doubted whether it would be consistent with his
duty to answer sonie of: the questions that had been put
to him. But in a matter of such importance
he would not hesitate to give the information which he
possessed, and which, although not entirely official,
might, he thought, be relied on. The latest account
which had been received from the Governor-General of
India, was dated Calcutta, Jan. 22, giving only an ac-
count of the scandalous and perfidious act by
which Sir Wm. M`Naghten had lost his life. No account
subsequent to the despatch of Feb. 1, from Bombay, had
been received. Another account, not of an official nature,
but of the correctness of which there could be little
doubt, had been received in a letter from Dr.
Reid, dated Peshwaar, 16th of January, and ad-
dressed to Captain Macgregor, by which it appeared
that little doubt could be entertained that her
Majesty's troops had suffered several reverses.
A capitulation, as far as it could be judged from the ac-
counts, appeared to be signed with the Affghan forces,
and by an act, as it would appear, speaking, as he
said before from information not strictly official, but from
accounts of which the credibility could hardly be ques-
tioned—by an act marked with a perfidy and treachery
almost as gross as that by which Su. W. M•Naghten
lost his life, the English troops were .attacked three days
afterwards, and had certainly sustained great loss ;
but ho trusted that there was nothing in the ac-
counts that had been received that ought to
create despondency.—(Cries of "Hear, hear.") " Her
Majesty's Government," said Sir Robert, " will
take every measure that it may be advisable to take to
repair this partial disaster.—(Hear.) Under the cir-
cumstances, I have no doubt but Parliament will
give her Majesty's Government its confidence
and support--(Hear, hear)—whatever may be the
demand which we shall feel it our duty to make—
(Hear, hear)—in order to repair the disaster that has
occurred, and to satisfy the public in this country, in
India, and throughout the world, that we are determined
to spare no sacrifice in order to maintain our Indian
empire.—(Cheers.)
Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE said in the whole course
of his life he had never been so much gra-
tified as by the statement just made by the Right
Hon. Gentleman. He had no doubt but that the
Queen's Government would do its duty, and the assu-
rance just made must tranquillise all those unnecessary
alarms which had before existed, and for which there
would not now be a pretence for existing in the mind of
any right thinking man. The Right Honourable Gen-
tleman was right in saying that this House would
stand by her Majesty's Government on this occasion.
So far from party feeling prevailing, the House would see
that it had nothing to do but to exert itself to the utmost
to repair the disasters that had occurred, but which dis •
aster, he, at the time, thought had been much exagge-
rated.---(Hear, Hear.)
MAR YLEBONE VESTRY.
Sir B. HALL asked several questions relating to the
Marylobone Vestry Bill, but from the impatience of the
House, the greater part of what fell from the Right Hon.
Gentleman was inaudible. We understood him to ask
whether it was the intention of the promoters of the Bill
to carry it on so as to repeal a Public Act by a Private
Bill, and whether the Poor-law Commiioners had re-
ported a certain clause which had been surmitted to them.
Colonel THOMAS WOOD said he would rather
answer the questions on Monday.

for the current quarter of the present year will be equal
to the receipt of the current quarters of the last year,
you must add to the actual receipt, the sum of
4,323,000/., consequently the revenue would amount
on the sth of April to 48,053,000/., being less
than the amount estimated by the Right Honourable
Gentleman by 160,0001. On the other hand, the
expenditure will not probably be so great as he es-
tiznated. .The actual 'amount of deficit may pro-
bably be taken at 2,324,000/. As I said before,
however, I speak to the estimates independent of the
last quarter. lam giving the best estimate which I can
form. I now proceed to estimate the income for
the year ending the sth of April, 1843.
The Customs for the ensuing year I estimate at
22,500,0001. The Excise, on account of the unfavour-
able season for malting, I calculate at 13,450,000/. Of
course as a favourable harvest has a tendency to
increase the excise revenue, it also has a ten-
dency to diminish the amount of revenue from the im-
portation of foreign corn. On the other band,
if there be an unfavourable harvest, and your Ex-
cise revenue is in consequence diminished in amount
then there is some compensation to be expected
from the revenue which is derived from the im-
port of foreign corn. I shall then take the Customs
for the year, ending the sth of April, 1843, at
22.500,000/. ; Excise, 13,450,0001 ; Stamps, 7,100,000 L;
the taxes will be about 4,400,0001.; Post-office,
500,000 L ; Crown Lands, 150,0001: ; cel-
lineous items of revenue 250,000 L, making a total
estimated revenue for the year ending the sth
April, 1843, of 48,350,000/.—(Hear.) The ex-
penditure, now that the House has sanctioned the
votes for the Army and Navy, can be estimated with
greater accuracy./ The interest on the debt will be
24,627,000/.; terminable annuities, 4,076,000/. ; interest
on Exchequer bills 722,000/., making the total
charge on account of the debt 29,427,000/.
The charges on the Consolidated Fund, including the
Civil List, I take at 390,0001. The items under this head
are so numerous that, I suppose, the House will
IRA require me to go through them all. I
shall then take the Iv hole of them at 2,368,0001.,
waking a total charge on the Consolidated
Fund of 31,795,000/. The votes for the Army
if ultimately sanctioned, will not amount to a
higher sum than 6,617,000/.; Navy, 6,639,000/ ; Ord-
nance, 2,084,000/. ; Miscellanies chargeable upon
the annual grant of Parliament, 2,800,0001. ;
the vote for Canada, including clothing for volunteers,
and other particulars, 108,000/. It was formerly under-
stood that a corresponding amount would be expended on
fortifications in that country. The expenditure for
China I take at 675,000/. for the present year. The
Vote for China consists of two parts-17 5,0001.
to defray the arrears of expenditure for

HOUSE OF LORDS, March 11.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five &Clock.

The Van Diemen's Land Bill was read a third time
and passed.
THE MARRIAGE LAW (IRELAND.)
Lord STRAFFORD presented petitions from Ty-
rone, praying for an alteration in the Marriage Law in
Ireland.
The Duke of ARGYLE presented a similar petition
from Ireland.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY laid on the table
of the House a Bill to alter and amend the law relating
to Ecclesiastical Preferments, which was a ead a first time.

THE APPRENTICES' REGULATION BILL.
The Report upon the Apprentices' Regulation Bill was
brought up, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the
ministers, elders, and the congregation of Presbyterians,
in the county of Down, praying for an alteration in the
Marriage Laws of Ireland.

ECCLESIASTICAL LEASES' BILL.
The Bishop of LONDON moved the second reading
of the Incumbent Leases' Bill ; also the second reading
of the Ecclesiastical Corporation Leases' Bill, which
were ordered to be committed.
The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 11.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.

GRANTON PIER BILL.

On the moti•n of Mr. altiiiKE,ll;brought up the
Report on this Bill, the Order for going into Committee
was discharge], the parties engaged on behalf of the
Bill not having complied with the Standing Orders.
Mr. M. PHILIPS presehted a.• petition from three
individuals residing in Mancheiter,:•stating how they
had suffered as sharehofders of the Imperial Bank of
England Company, and praying that a clause might be
inserted in the Banking Bill, now before the House, to
prevent Shareholders of Joint Stock Banks from being
called upon for extra payments.
HOLYWELL ROAD BILL.
This 8111 was read a second time.

Mr. O. GORE presented a petition from the Grand
Jury of Tipperary, against the proposed scale of duty
on wheat and flour, and praying the House to adopt such
measures as will enable the Irish producer to compete
with the foreigner.

Mr. SCIIOIEFIELD presented a petition from a
congregation of Protestant Dissenters in Birmingham,
against the Corn-laws.
BUILDINGS' REGULATION BILL.
Mr. MUNTZ presented a petition from Birmingham,
praying the House to modify sonic of the clauses in the
Buildings' Regulation Bill, stating that it contains enact-
ments highly injurious to the rights and interests
of the inhabitants of Birmingham, and praying to be
heard by counsel and witnesses against it.
TAXATION.

Mr. BIZOTHERTON prese►►ted a petition from a
number of labourers working on railways, against the
principle of a fixed duty in taxation, and praying to be
taxed by a " sliding scale."—(Cheers.)
CO RN-LAWS.

Sir A. LEITH HAY presented a petition from Man-
chester against the Corn-laws:
BOROUGH IMPROVEMENT BILL.
Sir E. WILMOT presented a petition from Birming-
ham against the Borough Improvement Bill.

the present year ; the other vote is 500,0001.,
to meet the charges which are necessary to
provide for the actual expense during the year end-
ing the sth of April, 1843. The total amount of the esti-
mated expenses of the country will thus be 50,819,000/
The general expenditure of the country, for the year
ending the sth April, 1843, I take to be 50,819,0001.; the
income at 48,350,000/. ; the probable deficiency
2,569,000/. ; but this deficiency is on the vote
for the year, and the expenditure which it will be neces-
sary to provide within the year. To that deficiency
ought to be added the actual charge which
may be incurred on account of Chinese hostilities.
I do not contemplate any necessity to provide within
the year for more than 500,000/ ; but he would
form a very inadequate estimate, indeed, of
the probable cost of the expedition, who
should think that the whole expense would be-limited to
500,000/.—(llear.) Sir, the expense of our expedition to
China stands thus :—The arrears of sums due to the East
India Company, to April 30,1841, amounted to 708,000/
A grant was made in the session of 1840 of
.172,000 Z ; this left the arrears of former
years to be provided for in 1841, 535,0001.,
the estimate of the expenditure to the Ist April,
1842, was 658,0001., making the total charge
to April, 1842, nearly 1,200,0001., or exactly 1,119,000/.
There is to be applied to that charge a grant of Parlia-
ment in the Session of 1841, amounting to 400,0001.,
?rat
et here was also applied in India money
618,0004 You thefetore ...ada for the cost
of 1841 thus :—To be entered against the charge of
1,193,000/. a set-off of actual payment of the amount of
1,018,0001., and the arrears now amount to 175,000/.
Looking to the extent of the preparations which have
been made for the continuance, I trust for the com-
pletion, of the Chinese war, I think you can-
not safely estimate the cost for the year ending
sth April, 1843, at much less than 1,400,000 Z, or
1,500,000/. We make provision in the present year
for 500,000/, but let us take cost at 1,300,000/ which is
the lowest at which it can be fairly taken, there will be a
deficiency some time or other to be provided for of not
lass than 800,000/ Therefore to my estimated defici-
ency on the vote of 2,570,0001., you must not lose sight
of a probable demand of 700,000!. or 800,000/ more.
There may be votes in addition to these—there may be
votes on account of Australia and other Colonies to the
amount of 100,000/, which are not included in the sums I
have already stated. Ido not take into account a charge
which it will not probably be necessary for us to incur ;
it is not exactly a charge, but there are engagements
into which it is necessary we should enter in aid
of the credit of Canada for a loan to that ,
colony of 1,500,000/. But that, I apprehend,
will be independent of any actual charge, and the grant
I will merely be passed on the part of this country in aid
of the credit of Canada ; at the same time it is fitting
that the whole state of our financial affairs should be
fairly brought before the House. Now, in addition
to all this, those facts of which we have recently become
cognizant which had taken place in Affghanistan,"may,
as far as I can form a judgment, impose upon her
Majesty's Government the necessity of calling upon Par-
liament to sanction perhaps a considerable increase
to the Army Estimates for the present year. I do not
think it advisable that we should come to any hasty
decision upon that subject in the absence of offi-
cial information ; but I have already received deci-
sive proofs that this House, the representative
of a great people, will be ready to make every effort
which can be shown to be necessary for the purpose
of repairing occasional or partial disasters, and vindi-
Aating the authority of her Majesty in India.—(Loud
cheers.) Bear in mind, that in addition to any
estimate of an actual deficiency of 2,570,0001., in addi-
tion to my estimate of the deficiency which must some
time or another be provided for on account of the possible
and probable expenses in China, you must add that proba-
ble demand which I may have to make for an increase of
the military or naval establishments of this country, in
consequence of the state of her affairs in India. Sir,
for the purpose, as I said before, of bringing before
the House a full and complete view of our financial
position, I feel it my duty to refer to a subject which has
of late occupied little of the attention of the House,
but which, I think, might with great advan-
tage, have attracted more of their consi-
deration. I refer to the state of our Indian
finance, a subject which, in former days, used to
be thought not unworthy of the consideration of Pernatrient. Sir, I am quite aware that there may appear to be
no direct and immediate connection between the finances
of India and the finances of this country ; but that would
be a superficial view of the state of our relations with
India. Depend upon it, if the credit of India should be-
come disordered—if some great desertion should be-
come necessary on the part of the Indian Government
—then the credit of England must be brought to
suffer, and the collateral and indirect effect of disorder
in Indian finances would be instantly felt in this
country. I am sorry to say that the Indian
finances offer no favourable prospects at the
present moment for the state of the financies
of this country. I believe that the Indian: accounts are
made up one month later than the accounts in this country.
With regard to the account, I have every reason to
look on it as a correct account of the
.position of the re-
venue of India. In this account there is an estimate of the
gross revenue of India. It gives an account
of the gross revenue in India, the charges
paid, and there are two columns containing
an account of the surplus. In the year ending May,
1836, there was a surplus amounting to 1,550,0001. In
the year ending sth April 1837 there was a surplus of
1,100,000/. On the sth of April, 1838, it was
reduced to 650,000/. On the sth of April, 1839, there
was a surplus of 280,000/., and on the sth April, 1840,
so far from there being any surplus, there was a defici-
ency of 2,414,000/. And if I calculate at the same rate,
I fear that the deficiency for May, 1841, will not be
much less than 2,324,0001. The House will bear in mind
that, in fulfilment of the duty which I have undertaken, 1
was obliged to present to it a deficiency in this country for
the current year, to the amount of 2,350,000/, with a
certain prospect.of a deficiency for the next year, to the
amount of 2,570,0001., independent of the decrease
in our Indian empire, amounting, for the last two
ears, to no less than 4,700,0001. Sir, this is the ac-
' count of the deficiency which we have to make up. lam
speaking now of this country exclusively. But how
is that deficiency to be supplied ? (Hear, hear.)
We cannot escape the consideration of this question—
(Hear, hear)—and it is our duty, no doubt, before any
proposition shall be made, to consider and exhaust
the modes by which such a deficiency can be
supplied. (Cries of " Hear, hear.") Shall we
persevere in the system on which we have acted for the
last twenty-five years.—(Hear, hear.) Shall we, in time
of peace, continue to resort to loans ? Shall we try
an issue of Exchequer bills ? Shall we resort
to the savings' banks ? to any of those
expedients which, call them by what name you wi
neither more nor less than a permanent addition

Mr.-STRUTP preseitted a petition froMDerby to the
same effect.

CORN-LAWS,

Mr. MARK PHILIPS presented a. petition from
Croydon, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws.
ItEPEAL OF THE UNION.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented several petitions, praying
fur a repeal of the Legislative Union with Ireland.
BREWERS' CASK.

FINANCIAL ST ATEMEN:T.
The Order of the Day for the House resolving itself
into a Committee of Ways and Means having e en
read, and the Speaker having left the Chair,
Sir ROBERT PEEL rose, and addressed the House
as follows :—Sir,-As the House has consented to vote
those estimates which her Majesty's Government have
considered it their duty to propose for the chief military
establishments of the country, I rise for the purpose
of redeeming the pledge which I gave, that I would avail
myself of the earliest possible opportunity, consist-
ently with Parliamentary usage and public interest,
to develop the views of her Majesty's Government in
reference to the financial and commercial policy of the
country. Sir, no man can feel more deeply than I do

Dr. BOWRING presented a petition signed by 64
brewers and publicans, praying for the introduction of a
Bill to prevent brewers' casks being seized for the rent of
their,customers.

Mr. SCARLE TT presentej a petition against the
Cheltenham and Great Western Railway Company's Bill.

C ORN-L A WS.
Mr. B. 'WOOD presented a petition, praying for the
repeal of the Corn-laws, from Southwark.
Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE presented a petition
from Clerkenwell, signed by 1,500 rate payers, praying
for a total repeal of the Corn-laws.
Mr. VILLIERS presented petitions against the Corn-
laws.

c.; " -NT A T?T ER prese,
Portuguese chitin,.

•'•a

COLONIAL PASSENGERS' BILL.

•
have devolved upon me. No man mg feel more
conscientiously than I do how disproportionate are
my intellectual powers to the proper performance
of that duty. But I should be unworthy of
the trust committed to my charge, I should
be unfit to stand in this place, where so
many Ministers of the British Crown have stood,
if I felt in the least disheartened or discouraged—if I
abated anything of that composure and contentedness of
mind ; nay, if I did not feel the buoyancy and alacrity
of spirit which ought to sustain every public man
who endeavours fully and faithfully to discharge a great
public duty—(Hear, hear)—who feels conscious that
lie is actuated by no motives that are not honourable
and worthy—(Loud cheers)—and who feels a deep
and intimate conviction that he is acting accord.
ing to the best conclusions that, in his weak
and fallible judgment he could come to—(Hear)—
and that that which he was about to do was conducive
to tho welfare—l might say, essential to the welfare,
of thousands.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, I am free from
some of the embarrassments with which financial state-
ments are usually attended. It is sometimes necessary
to maintain great reserve—to speak with great caution.
A due regard to public interest may impose upon you
the duty of making partial disclosures on important
matters, but I am hampered by no such difficulty. I
am going to lay before you the truth, the unexaggerated
truth ; and I do this because 'think that in great finan-
cial difficulties the first step towards improvement is to
look them boldly in the face.—(Hear, hear.) What is
true of individuals, is true of nations.—(Hear, hear,
hear.) There is no hope of improvement or
recovery if once you consent to conceal from yourself
the real difficulties with which you have to
contend. Sir, I have another motive for making a full
and unreserved disclosure. It is my intention, on the
part of her Majesty's Government, to undertake the re-
sponsibility of proposing that which we think essential to
the country. With you will rest the responsibility of
adopting or rejecting the measures which we propose ;
and it is therefore fitting, in order that you may be able
to discharge that duty, that you should have before you
every information—every element which is necessary
to enable you to form a full and impartial judgment. Sir, I
have two requests to make to the House. The
first is, that you will bear in mind that from the
period when I bring forward this statement I am
left under comparative disadvantages.—(Hear.) I
speak particularly with reference to the estimates
which I have formed from the probable revenue of the'
country. I have deemed it my duty not to delay the
voting of the supplies until the financial accounts

On the motion of Lord STANLEY, the order of the day
for going into Committee on this Bill, for the purpose of
postpon►ng it, was read. The Noble Lord observed,
that his object in so moving was to postpone
the consideration of the Bill to Wednesday next,
in the hope that, by that time, he would be able
to go into Committee, pro forma, for the purpose of
making various alterations and amendments at the
suggestion of parties interested in the matter. As
emigrants would be materially affected by the
passing of this Bill, it might be convenient for him
to state now that he did not propose to carry the
Bill so as to affect emigration in the present spring. lie
meant to insert a clause to provide that the measure
should not come into operation previous to the Ist of
June next,

Mr. HAWES said, if he understood the Noble Lord,
the Secretary for the Colonies, he meant to go into Com-
mittee pro forma on Monday. Of course the Noble
Lord would give notice at a future day of when he meant
to go really into Committee.
Lord STANLEY said that several parties must neces-
sarily be consulted with regard to the proposed altera-
tions and amendments in the Bill, and therefore it was that
he meant to go into Committee, pro forma, on Monday.
Of course he would give ample notice of the several
clauses and amendments to be introduced in Committee
on the Bill.

Sir ROBERT PEEL appeared at the bar and presented
papers by her Majesty's command.
WEST INDIA BISHOPRICS.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER asked the Noble Lord, the
Secretary for the Colonies, when he would proceed
with his Bill respecting the Bishoprics of the West
Indies ?

Lord STANLEY said that not being aware of any
other objection to the measure than that stated by the
Gallant Commodore, he would proceed with the Bill ac-
cording to the intention he (the Noble Lord) had al-
ready stated.

of the year shall be closed. If, after my estimates
have been formed, with every desire that they should
be just and accurate, I should prove to be
mistaken, I trust the House will bear in mind that I
labour under disadvantages with which others have not
had to contend. The other request I have to offer
to the House is, that you will have the goodness to
postpone your judgment until I have laid before you my
whole plan, and that you will not judge hastily by a
partial development of my views, nor denounce me as pro-
posing something unreasonable and insulting to the people.
I earnestly hope that every man giving to the conside-
ration of this question a full sense of its real, but not
insuperable difficulties, will postpone his judgment until
he has before him the whole of the plans of the Govern-
ment.—(Hear, hear.) I shall now proceed, Sir, in the
ordinary manner, to state the facts with respect
to the finances and expenditure of the country, and
I will, in the first instance, refer to the esti-
mate which was formed by the Right Hon. Gentleman,
the late Chancellor of the Exchequer with respect to the
probable revenue and expenditure of the country, on the
sth of April, 1841. Events have proved that that Right
Hon. Gentleman's estimate was as nearly correct as it
is possible for an estimate to be.—(Hear, hear.) I think
the Right Hon. Gentleman calculated that the income of
the country might be expected to realise the sum of
48,310,0001. He calculated the expenditure for the same
period, that is, for the year ending the sth of April,
1842, at 50,731,0001. There were some slight
variations in the votes which, of course, the Right
Hon. Gentleman could not foresee at the time when he
was speaking. There was, I think, a vote for:the Ord-
nance estimates, which was made in the first session
of the present Parliament, and another for the Caledo-
nian Canal, which wore omitted in his calculatioe, but
the amount was so small, that it was hardly
worth mentioning. The amount of deficit was 2,467,000/.
Of course it is impossible to say now whether the Right
Hon. Gentleman's estimates were perfectly acecurate or
not, because the proportion for one quarter is not given.
The actual produce, however, of the Revenue, from the
sth April, 1841, to the 26th of February, 1842
was 43,730,0001. If you estimate that the receipt

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debt of the country. There is a deficiency of 5 ,in two years, and
there is no prospect'M
of°®!
into
reduced expenditure.
hear, heat.) Do you
calculate without looking (
extent of your empire, looking to
but looking to the
the nation—to the intelligen g
lootte generalh .state of
provide forn tthet
do you expect that you cantheme:
tthingli
and the year after next, and possibly the year axfteryefaer;
hear.) Is this
the honour of the country, without increased means.
I am bound to say that I cannot.—(Hear,
an occasional, or casual deficiency, against which we
might provide ? Is it a deficiency for the present year,
on account of extraordinary services ? Is it a deficiency
for the last two years ? It is not.—(Hear, hear.) This
deficiency has existed for the last seven or eight years ;
it is not a casual or occasional deficiency. In the
year ending the sth of April, 1838, the deficiency was
1,428,0001. ; for 1839, 1,430,000/, ; for 1840, 1,457,0001;
for 1841, 1,851,000/. ; and for 1842, I estimate it at
2,334,000/. The amount of the deficiency on the five
years was thus, 7,502,000/. ; to that actual
deficiency I add the estimated deficiency for the year
ending the sth of April, 1840, which is 2,570,0001., and
then, the aggregate amount of the deficiency for the six
years is 10,000,0001. I shall not, Sir, I think, be blamed
for adhering to my resolution of making a full and un-
reserved statement. Ido it because I know that a full
knowledge of the truth is the first step to improve-
ment—(Loud cheers)—and because I have that
confidence in the resources of the country,
and in the wisdom and energy of Parliament,
that I will not use the miserable subterfuge of withhold-
ing any knowledge of the financial condition of the
country. With these proofs before you, that this is not
an occasional and casual deficiency, will you have re-
course to the miserable system ofcontinued loans ? I cannot
suppose it, and it would be impossible for me to be a
party to a proceeding which may be justifiable before
we can ascertain the proportion between our revenue
and our expenditure; but, with these facts before
my eyes, I should think I was disgracing the
situation which I hold if I were to have recourse
to that system.—(ffear, hear.) I can hardly think that
Parliament will adopt a different conclusion ; I Gan '•
hardly think that you, who inherit the debt contracted
by your predecessors, when they reduced the charge of the
Post-office, and inserted in the preamble of the Bill a
pledge that the loss should be made good by Parlia-
ment, will consent to it. That pledge is still unre-
deemed; no efforts have been made to redeem it. I ad-
vised you not to give that pledge. But if you regard that
pledge of your predecessors, it is now for you to choose.
If you are not bound by the pledge of your predecessors,
yeti are bound by the engagements you have entered
into and contracted for.—(Hear.) Almost the first vote
you gave after the election of the present Parliament,
was the adoption of a resolution that it was impossible to
permit that state of things to continue which is at pre-
sent in existence, viz. a deficit of the revenue. Parliament
assures the Crown that it will without delay apply it-
self to the consideration of finance, and adopt some
measure for the purpose of equalizing the revenue,
with the expenditure of the country. I apprehend that
I may throw out of view at once the thought of supply-
ing the deficiency by the miserable device of fresh loans.
Shall I think of having resort for the purpose of raising
the revenue to the expenditure--shall I think, for the
purpose of doing that—of levying taxation upon the ar-
ticles of consumption; upon those articles which may
appear to some sureefluous, but which are known to
constitute almost the necessaries of life? I cannot
consent to any proposal of increasing taxation
on the great articles of consumption by the
labouring classes. (Loud cheering from the Op-
position.) I say, moreover, that I give you conclusive
proof that you have arrived at the limits of taxation.—
(Great cheering.) I am speaking of articles of luxury,
which might be supposed not to constitute the consump-
tion of the labouring classes, I advise you not to
attempt taxation on those articles, because depend
upon it, if you do, you will be defeated. The Right
Honourable Gentleman opposite in attempting to
redeem the pledge he had given to Parliament
to repair the deficiency caused by the defalcation
at the Post-office, lie proposed in the year 1840 that
a 5 per cent. duty should be laid on the Customs and
Excise, and 10 per cent, additional on the assessed taxes.
I am much obliged to the House for the patience with
which they hear me.—(Hear, hear.) The net produce
of the Customs and Excise for the year ending sth
January, 1840, was 37,911,0001. I wish to carry the
judgment of the House with me, because I am now ex-
hausting the different means by which we have hitherto
obtained supplies by increase of taxation. The
estimated increase of the Customs and Excise, in
consequence of the additional 5 per cent., was
1,895,0001. for the year ending January sth,
1841. Now, for the purposes of comparison,
I think it better to take the year ending
January 5, 1840, and the year ending January
15, 1842, than the years 1840 and 1841. Now, according
to the estimate. of the Right Honourable Gentle-
man, the year ending January 5, 1842 ought to
have produced 39,840,000, if the addition of the
Five per Cent, duty had answered his calculation;
but instead of 39,840,000/., the actual revenue received
amounted only to 38,118,0001., showing instead of an
actual increase 0f1,895,000/.. an increase only 0f260,0001.,
being not an increase of 5 per cent., which it ought
to have been according to the additional duty imposed,
but an increase of only a little more than a half per cent.
realised by the attempt to raise the revenue five per
cent.—(Hear, hear, hear.) No doubt during that
time trade has been depressed, and there may
have been circumstetres sufficient to explain why
some of the expectations of the Right Hon. Gentleman
have not been realized, but making every allowance that
.a :•
of 5 per cent. on the Uustoms Lxuse, wilt of. jay-
duce an increase of 5 per cent in the amount of revenue
On the other hand, the Right Hon. Gentleman's esti-
mates respecting the increase in the Assessed Taxes have
been fully verified. I must admit that the full time
has not elapsed for giving notices for the discontinuance
of the use of certain articles liable to the assessed
taxes, but I think we may disregard that in our calcula-
tions. I do not think it probable that many of those
notices will be given, and making every allowance for
any diminution in consequence of such notices, I think
we may be justified in saying that the Right Hon.
Gentleman's estimates, as regards the assessed taxes,
have been fully borne out. rho amount of assessed
taxes for the year ending sth January, 1840, was
2,758,0001., to which, if we add 10 per cent. on that
amount, 275,000/., we shall have 3,334,000/. as the esti-
mated produce of the Assessed Taxes. Now the
actual produce of the assessed taxes, including
the additional 10 per cent, for the year ending
the sth of January, 1842, was, instead of 3,342,0001., a
sum amounting to no less than 3,500,0001.; and that
3,500,00C1. has been realised on the assessed taxes, where
the Right Honourable Gentleman only calculated on
3,334,000/.—(Hear, and Cheers.) I know I shall
be told that I must make an abatement on account of a
new survey of windows, but when I find that a sum of
430,000/. has been realised beyond the 10 per cent, as
regards the assessed taxes. I think I ern justified in stating
that the estimates of the Right Hon. Gentleman have been
fully verified. The increase in Assessed Taxes, amount-
ing to 111 per cent., instead of 10 per cent. as calculated
by the Right Hon. Gentleman. I compare these two
results of the failure of increased taxation on articles
of consumption, and of the complete verification
of the estimated increase in the assessed taxes—taxes
somewhat analogous in their nature to a tax
upon property (Cheers)— in order that the
House may perceive the different results arising
from these two different modes of taxation,
But, Sir, my immediate object was to adduce a proof
that you had arrived, for purposes of revenue, at
the minimum of taxation.—(llear, hear.) I think no
man can resist the conclusion which I draw, that
to lay any taxation on Customs and Excise
will end in nothing but failure and disappointment.
Well, then, I have now discarded the notion of
supplying the deficiency by incurring fresh taxes on
articles of consumption.—(Hear, hear.) I have at-
tempted to carry your conviction with me that I
cannot lay taxation on articles of consumption.—(Hear.)
Shall I resort to another plan ? Shall I revive old taxes
that have been abolished ? Shall I take the Poet-office?
—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) I think it. necessary
for the discharge of this important business that
you should adhere to the contract which you
entered into, and that you should suspend your judgment
for a short time. I must deal with each of these questions
step by step, and what I ask is, that you will not con-
demn any individual proposition, until you can judge of
them as a whole.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, I never doubted
the social advantages of the reduction of duty in
the Post-office. Thinking the duty as it existed,
was too high, and that it might clearly admit
of re-consideration and reduction, still I think
that in the then state of the taxes the reduction to Id.
on all letters was Pao low ; and I do believe, if necessary,
that I could show that from the post-office revenue you
don't receive one single farthing.—(Hear). If you add
the charge of the packets to the other charges of the Post-
office, the account which will be presented will show a
deficit.—(Hear, hear.) But when I state that Ido not
undervalue the importance of this reduction in a moral
and social point of view, I will not say—speaking with
that caution with which I am sometimes taunted—(llear,
and laughter)—l will not say that the Post-office esta-
blishment should be a source of loss to the coun-
try. I will not say that that might not be de-
sirable, but I will say this, that I do not
think that the measure would be complete al-
though I am sensible of the many advan-
tages which would otherwise result from it. I
say again, notwithstanding all the taunts to which
I have been exposed during the last month, in conse-
quence of my proposal, in respect to the Corn-laws, that
this is my opinion ; and this I will say, that no man
can feel a more intimate conviction than I do, that
whatever are the financial difficulties in which we are
placed, you must so adapt this measure that you will
not bear upon the comforts of the labouring classes of
the country.—(Cheers.) I think that it would not be
expedient with reference to the interest of property tha t
that should be done. Well, then, Sir, I must, with my
sense of public duty, abandon the idea of realizing
any revenue from the Post-office.—(Hear, hear.) What
shall Ido then ? Shall I revive the duties upon other
commodities ? Shall I revive the taxes upon salt ? for
instance. Shall I revive the duty upon leather
or shall I revive the duty upon wool ? I do not
know that with respect to some of those)e
articles, with respect to the reduction_orr
f
leather, that the benefit of that reduction vvas ce:firveae
entirely upon the consumer. I believe that yon leave
omitted to adopt another reduction
been a benefit to the consumer, namely, the
is not now
duty upon foreign hides. But, Sir, the
ti but the ques-
whet her we should reduce existing; delyw,esht ice reduction of
u which have been,
is whether we should revive f duties
v,.hich, as they at pre-
abolished, and upon the faith
sent stand, various
de,—(Hear, hear.) If I take the
talents have been Ina
.the. use of it in a variety of
contracts and commercial agree.
being used in a variety of
case of salt, for instance. I find that th.e consumption of
:vailitysl:asonbeeacncoiunncret of
say