Star.
London, England, 1831-03-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Means of paying of Half of the National Debt, 4e. 4e. 2s.
This is the sensible pamphlet of a practical man, but to
reconcile his project he overrates his means. The moneyed
value of the real property, when money was cheapest, never
was so high as 5,000 millions. It might have been taken
at one time at nearly 3,000, and then was the time to put
this old plan into execution ; but the wise men who de-
stroyed the currency and credit of the country, reduced by
that act the money value to 1,800 millions, and hence the
author's plan utterly fails. He shall, however, speak for
himself:

The property of the nation (including the debt itself, of eight hun-
dred and thirty millions) I calculate to amount to five thousand mil-
lions of pounds ; a tax on which of ten per cent. would produce a capi.
toil of five hundred millions, which, at four per cent. Interest, would
give twenty millions per annum ; or, this capital would pay off
the debt, to an extent to save the annual charge of an equal amount of
interest. Should this tax, however, only produce fourteen millions per
annum, or its equivalent eduction of debt, it will be sufScient for the
purpose intended ; and that it will amount, at the least, to this sum,
none can doubt, when we know that the former income-tax produced as
much ; and it seems almost unnecessary to remark, how much more
efficacious and productive must be a tax on property than on income,
or how immense is the value of properties of use and luxury in this
country, that produce no income to their owners; and if any one be
surprised at the estimated amount I have made, of the value of the
property and effects of the nation, let him but reflect on the value of
London, and the other towns of the empire,—think of the vast extent
of invoted capital. in works of production and income, and put but a
small value on the square acres of land, contained in dreat Britain and
Ireland, with the property thereon, and his wonder will cease.
This tax of ten per cent. on property may appear Fe heavy, as to
render its execution impracticable. but it will not prove so, as, on all
properties that offer security in themselves, or where efficient sccunty
by insurance, or otherwise, can be afforded, the tax may be assessed on
the property, to pay four per cent. interest, and the capital be redeem.
able at the death or option of the owner, or on a transfer of the pro-
perty, according to circumstances: and I propose that it should fall
light on all persons engaged tither in farming, in trade, or in specula-
tions; as, on fanning stock, I do not propose that it should be charged
on the produce of the farm, which the farmer has provided for paying
lib rent, but only on the invested capital he may employ, for its cold-
ration and management; the same, also, in regard to nurchandise for
traffic or speculation, which, whether in the raw material or mann.
factored, or in the hands of wholesale or retail dealers? may, neverthe.
less, not be reckoned taxable property ; for, if made to order, it may be
made on the credit of the manufacturer, through discounted Wiser
otherwise; if on speculation still more so; and if in the hands of
dealers, must have been already bought and sold, though probably not
paid for, but represented by credit bills, and which, in consequence, in

A property tax is a single operation—it is assessed, te-,d CL3`V, tt I e
a tax—it becomes a debt, and its collection, consequently, made C4)01.
comparatively simple and unexpensive--it exacts truce every one only
a portion of such real and tangible property as he possesses in uof an-
nual burdens, far more heavy to the subiect, though less eroductive to
the state ; but it inquires not what sources of wealth or floating eapital
he may have in this, or what invested capital he may have in other
countries, it requires not the investigation of his books, takes no cog-
nisance of the amount of his gains, debts, credita, or money araetac•
tions : in short, it inquires not into the circumstances of any man—it
has only to do with persona as the representatives of property within
the country, or of capital invested under the sanction and protection of
acts of parliament, which in consequence becomes national property,
whatever may be the manner, or in whatever foreign trade it may be
employed.
The adjustment proposed is simple, viz, that half of the debt should
be paid off, or saddled on the existing property of the country, and
that the other half or 400 millions should be comic!e ed as the per-
manent and consolidated debt of the nation, and its interest paid by tic
labour and industry of the present and future generations, out of taxes
to be levied, as now done, un articles of general use and consumption ;
and if this proposition be practicable, just, and advantageous, it I.eetnt
bard that the present distress should fail to be relieved, by Laud:awly
carrying it into effect.
On taxes he makes the following observations :
Taxes ought never to be laid on articles indispensable to the sus.
Valance and support of life; for cheap keel and clothing are requisite
for the poor, and cheap labour cannot be obtained without them__for
instance, sugar. This is an article that produced an immense income
of neatly five millions (before the late reduction); it may be said to he
testi equally by all, in proportion to their expenditure Candles and
soap, both prodnalve taxis, may be considered in the same light, and
they are the more advantageous, because the tax is imposed on the ar-
ticle in a state for use. There are taxes alto advantageously raised on
articles of peculiar consumption to one class of society, in consequence of
taxes being levied on corresponding articles of consumption by another
class: for example, malt liquor Is the luxury of the poor,—wine of
the rich : they arc both taxed, and the latter most heavily sc.
though not equally productive; and it is likely that the excess :I
impose on the latter is the cause of its less extensive consumption, ono
unproductiveness to the revenue. The repeal of the beer tax was a
great blessing to the people; but spirits continue, with justice, doubly
taxed ; because ale and porter may, in many respects, be reckoned as
food, but spirits are only a stimulus ; nevertheless, they ate at present,
no doubt, too heavily taxed, Tea is a most excellent tax, because it is
so productive, and it is justly levied by a per tentage on the value, so
that the rich on the fine teas, pay double the duties that the poor do, on
the qualities they make use of. Tobacco is the nett productive tax,
and whatever may be said of the necessity or advantage of its use in
low, damp countries, it cannot be said in this country, that it is say
thing else than an indulgence in a bad habit, which deserve* well to be
paid for, by all who use it; and the gteat income from it to the ware
forms some recompense to society, for the volumes of smoke that per-
sons are obliged to swallow and that tire so liberally puffed in the face
ass of Passengers by the cigar-e,and:es that infest the streets at night.
The following List of Taxes, I conceive, might be most benelicially
repealed, and provided for by the Property-tax now proposed :
Amount Collected by the Commissioners of Taxes; Deduct Land
Tax.
Remains Assessed Taxes to be wholly Reduced ; Hackney Coaches,
Hawkers and Pedlars ditto.
Excise—Tax on Glass repealed t Paper ditto ; Hops eitto ; Stone But-
' tles ditto ; Sweets and :'dead ; Vinegar ditto ; Printed Goods ditto;
total under the above Heads to be altogether abolished; to be re.
ducted in part under other Heads of Excise. includieg Soap, Candles,
and Auctions.
Post-office—Postage on Letters to be reducer. one-half.
Stamps—To abolish altogether the Taxes on Stage C aches &c ; to
be reduced on Fire and Marine Insurances, Receipts, &e.
Customs—To reduce one-half on Wine ; to be reduced en other Arti-
cles ;on Coals and Slate, carried Coast-wise ; Export Duties on all
British Manufactures, and Goods of ever kind except Coal and Cul :
—total X 13,901,250185. 10/d.
The Assessed Taxes commence the foregoing list. They are the
most annoying and oppressive, because they are direct and inquo•iturial
in their operation. Their produce to Government is only alp ut four
millions, while nearly two hundred and ti,;lity thousand ponntio are
paid for their Collectors, Assessors, and COOIIIIiNbiJOCTS and the hotde
of odious drones, that will, on the abolition of these taxes, sled ea
breaking up of the Establishment, be forced to become po duceve
members of society.
Licensing Hackney Coaches, Hawkers and Pedlics. Under these
heads und who would conceive it ? there are also formed separate and
and distinct branches of Bri ish Finance and Judicature, with an Rata-
blishment of Revenue and Legislative Cominbsioners, Scc. The gross
Revenue therefrom is within seventy-eight thousand poutals,—its col-
lection nearly eleven thousand, which is at the rate of 14 per eet,t. on
the amount, including a suns of 2,700 for law charges.
The taxes on glass, paper, hops, stone bottles. vinegar. sweets, a: d
mead, und printed goods, are all collected by the excise cominitsumeis
and I would propose them to be altogether abolished. •
An entire relief from taxation on paper will at once forward the country
Ages in improvement; it will encourage literature, and tend to ad.
Vance the nation in mural attainments and civilization ; it will be the
means of diffusing science and art more widely among mechanics, and
supply the people with more rational and useful amusements than they
can 41, herwise receive.

Hoes —This is the only produce of the land in England that is
taxed in the hands of the grower; a defence of the tax is afforded by
consideration of -its being a luxury, and excluding an extensive nit-
ration of the first necessaries of life, viz. Wheat or Grain ; but this
reasoning can be of no avail to the public, while the cultivation of
grain may have the advantage of protectiwg duties, on the importation
of corn from foreign countries.
What is certain Is, that Hops form a most wholesome ingredient,
and are chiefly used for malt liquor, which brings in a noble revenue
to the State, and that all the substitutes for them are very dele:eious
drugs.
Stone Bottles and Sweets and Meal. Thu* are paltry, useless, and
inefficient taxes ;they produce altogether only about six thousand pounds
pounds per annum, and are consequently quite despicable, as national
taxes or means of finance.

Vinegar. This prociuces a small revenue, and as it is greatly made
use of in the composition and manufacture of many articles of very en.
tensive export, the abolition of the impost will be of very great
advantage.
Besides the foregoing, I propose to repeal one million in the Post
Office, which will reduce the postage on letters to one half its present
amount • the best interests of the country urgently require this redue.
don. On Stamps I propose to reduce one million eight hundred
thousand pounds; abolishing altogether the Duty on Stage Coaches,
Post Hones, Race Horses Newspapers, Advertisements, Pamphlets,
Medicine, Almanaeks and Plate, which would amount to about one
million three hundred thousand pounds.
On the Customs I propose to reduce two millions, which should in.
crude a reduction of at least one.balf of the present duty on wine,
which is most injuriously high • this would amount to about seven
hundred and fifty thousand pounds, but the Increased consumption is
such ease would no doubt prevent a diminution of income to that
amount.

Were the country able to bear the present taxation, I believe that no
friend to its tranquility could ever spend a thought on how the debt
" was created, cr the right or injustice with which the bygone parlia-
ments bequeathed thisgalling legacy, and mill-stone, for the neck of
their successors ; but when taxation has been carried to that oppressive
and destructive extent, where, by excess of impost, the tax becomes
less productive, through diminished consumption by an increased and
increasing population, acting, consequently, as a prohibition and de-
privation of the use of necessaries to a large portion of the community,
the inquiry cannot be delayed without danger, so as to avert a crisis,
which the effervescent state of Europe may not fail to stimulate, and
which might utterly disorganise society, and ruin the country, by ap-
plying a sponge as a cure for the immediate source of itsovil, the debt,
a remedy as violent as it would be destructive to the general welfare of
the nation, but one which would be the undoubted consequence, if the
physical powers of this country should ever be driven or excited to ap-
peal to their own force, for relieving the distresses under which they
groan.
There is certainly much good sense in this work, and it
demands consideration in a season of Reform and Regene-
ration.

Mr. Duhertis's admirable system of instruction in writing
is daily aequiring increased celebrity. The improvement that
takes place, after but a few lessons, in the most indifferent
writer, is truly wonderful. The promptness and facility with
which instruction is communicated to persons of even hd:-
vanced years, is forcibly exemplified by specimenawhich we
have seen. The great number of bis pupils, and the conse-
quent dissemination of the principles on which his truly va-
luable system is founded, will, we are assured:be productive
of much public benefit. A 'bit to Mr. Duhertie' apartment,
235, Regent-street, will satisfy the most sceptical as to the
entire practicability of his engagements.